In one night, seven homeless youngsters, all connected to social worker Paul Decker, are killed by professionals. One of the killers, Daniel, gets a new mission to kill a writer. It's only t... Read allIn one night, seven homeless youngsters, all connected to social worker Paul Decker, are killed by professionals. One of the killers, Daniel, gets a new mission to kill a writer. It's only that he really likes his book.In one night, seven homeless youngsters, all connected to social worker Paul Decker, are killed by professionals. One of the killers, Daniel, gets a new mission to kill a writer. It's only that he really likes his book.
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- Paul Decker
- (as Nick Crawford Smith)
- Anthony Hart
- (as Greg Scealy)
- Isabelle Jarmen
- (as 'Baby' Lemonade Lamare)
- Julius Ruben
- (as Richard Masters)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Daniel: I don't think overexposure to cinematic violence is what causes societies ills. I think it's underexposure to the real violence that underpins every aspect of human existence.
Isabelle Jarmen: What violence are you talking about?
Daniel: For instance, Isabelle, you're going to have chicken for dinner tonight. Did you have to ring the bird's neck? Did you have to pull the feathers out of its carcass? Did you have to roast its dead flesh? Of course not... If you want a hamburger you go and get a clown to kill a cow for you. Because you don't have to personally dirty your hands. You can pretend you're not a part of the process of murder. but everybody is, and that's why people don't understand violence. They don't understand its purpose or its function. You know I might not be too wise about a lot of things, but there are a couple of things I know for sure.
Anthony Hart: And they are?
Daniel: One: is that I love violence. I love watching it, I love movies with violence and I refuse to watch any movies that don't have violence in it. Number two is that I want you to shut your fucking mouth so we can relax, have a nice meal and watch a movie, okay? More wine anyone?
Isabelle Jarmen: No thanks...
Daniel: [fills Isabelle's glass anyway]
- SoundtracksTheme From Pearls Before Swine
Performed by Boyd Rice with Joel Haertling
The film kicks off with a bang. Boyd Rice plays Daniel, a killer who nonchalantly shoots a group of homeless boys for their organs before going out on a date with his bondage mistress girlfriend, Christy. This act sets the platform for the film's exploration of morality, a theme which is covered from every imaginable angle. I found Daniel's monologues on religion and Nazism particularly thought provoking. The concentration camp S&M role-play is also one of the film's highlights and a perfect example of Wolstencroft's fearlessness, a quality that sets him apart from his contemporaries.
There are times when the material veers towards pretension, such as the 'violence in the movies' dinner debate or Daniel's pro "Dr. Who" rant. However, on the whole, the film is refreshingly apolitical. Wolstencroft has found a fantastic spokesman for his challenging world view in the form of Boyd Rice, the man behind NON. Boyd is perfect as Daniel, discussing philosophy and shooting children with equal conviction. The rest of the cast is vastly superior to Wolstencroft's earlier films, perhaps with the exception of the actress who plays Christy. My only criticisms of the film are the rather dull final twist and the preference for dialogue over action. I wish that violence was less frequently discussed and more frequently depicted.
Pearls Before Swine is technically light years ahead of Wolstencroft's earlier films. Here is a director who has grown and continues to refine his craft. I just hope Richard doesn't refine his craft to the point where his films become a blunt instrument. There were fleeting moments during Pearls Before Swine when I missed the rawness of "Bloodlust". That is not to dismiss the thought and intelligence that went into making the film. Pearls Before Swine is probably the most interesting and perplexing debate yet about the roles of sex and violence on film and in life.
- Crap_Connoisseur
- Jun 17, 2006
Details
- Release date
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Color