Are you ready to revisit your late-night obsessions? We Kill for Love goes in search of the forgotten world of the direct-to-video erotic thriller. This American film genre once dominated late-night cable television and the shelves of neighborhood video stores. Through interviews with the many directors, writers, and actors who fanned the flames of this sexy subgenre, to academics and film historians whose books have explored its mysteries, this documentary explores the erotic thriller from its origins in film noir to its heyday during the 1980s and 90s home video explosion. Told with humor and tact and accompanied by hundreds of illustrative clips from DTV erotic thrillers, We Kill for Love balances film art with film scholarship as it pulls back the curtain to reveal the heart and soul of a forgotten and often maligned film movement.
I caught wind of this documentary by way of Kira Reed Lorsch’s social media. As someone who typically has his finger on the pulse of such projects, this one slipped by me. With a runtime of two hours and forty-three minutes, I knew I would have to carve out a good chunk of time to watch. Boy, am I glad I made the time! The film is available on many streaming services. Checking it out on Tubi was the decision. Still, after my viewing, I know I’ll be purchasing on Vudu to add to the collection and picking up the bonus feature-packed Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
The film’s length flies by and leaves the viewer wanting more. If you’re a fan of the genre, it is a great walk down memory lane as the actors and clips featured are sure to conjure up memories of one’s youth as they sneaked watches of these cinematic DTV classics on late-night cable. The video cassettes lined the store shelves of most, if not all, of your favorite video stores in the 80s and 90s.
A wonderful dive into the once king of late-night cable channels, director Anthony Penta seamlessly weaves through the history of the Erotic Thriller like a surgical magician. You can feel the love and admiration for the genre as the interviewees reminisce on their time in Hollywood, cranking out artistic films that promised T&A but would ultimately offer far more by way of plot, artistry, and acting clinics that would put many of the majors to shame.
If you have the time and chance, seek out this love letter to a genre that paved the way for your favorite contemporary Lifetime movie of the week.
