The Duke of Burgundy (2014)

Directed by Peter Strickland

Featuring Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara D’Anna

Two women play out an almost all-consuming dominant and submissive relationship, with Cynthia as the frosty mistress to the Evelyn’s servant. But all it not what it seems, and the supposedly dominant Cynthia feels increasingly trapped in the role in which she finds herself.

This film is a wonderful homage to a certain variety of European exploitation film from the late 60s and early 70s, in the vein of Jess Franco and Jean Rollin. These horror films mixed female sexuality with artistic touches in a distinctive way, making them some of my favourite genre films. The cinematography is beautiful, and effectively recalls the atmosphere of these kinds of films. And although this film contains no explicit horror elements, the sense of dread and suffocation experienced by Cynthia is palpable, making it feel to me like a horror movie where the ‘monster’ is really a relationship going wrong.

The universe of the film has an odd kind of dream logic to it – everyone in this world appears to be a female entomologist engaged in a dominant/submissive relationship. It occasionally breaks down into abstractions involving the butterflies and moths studied by the characters, but in ways which only enhance the mood of the film. The soundtrack is also great at setting the mood and tone, ranging from gentle, suitably retro-tinged pop to intense reverb-laden drones. And in case I am making this all sound too serious, there are moments of humour too, and some amusingly eccentric touches (watch for shop mannequins padding out the attendance during lecture scenes).

All said, this film is an exploration of the ways in which we can become trapped by our relationships, and the cycles of struggle which are often perpetuated. Although on the surface it is a slightly surreal lesbian S&M drama, what lingers beneath is far deeper and more universal, leaving a solid emotional impact.

Worth watching? Yes, particularly for fans of late 60s/70s Euro-exploitation.

Truth in advertising? The film takes its name from a species of butterfly, as studied by the women in the film. Given the arty nature of the film and its themes, the title seems fitting enough. 5/5.