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Scarlet Diva

Play trailer Poster for Scarlet Diva R Released May 26, 2000 1h 29m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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52% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
An actress (Asia Argento) experiments with drugs and meets a musician who leaves her lovesick and pregnant.

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Scarlet Diva

Critics Reviews

View All (25) Critics Reviews
G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle A really bravura piece of filmmaking and a brave central performance. May 31, 2018 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness The cinematic equivalent of scabies ... and I mean that as a compliment. Rated: B Mar 3, 2006 Full Review Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle It's difficult to discern if this is a crazy work of disturbed genius or merely 90 minutes of post-adolescent Electra rebellion. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 20, 2002 Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Scarlet Diva is an ambulance-chasing hot mess that will still register with viewers as shocking, ridiculous, or both. May 30, 2018 Full Review Joe Bob Briggs United Press International I definitely want to watch it again. I'm not sure exactly what I saw the first time, but I loved it. Rated: 4/4 Oct 24, 2016 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Jun 25, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (89) audience reviews
Audience Member If the editing was better this could have been excellent. Asia reflection into a life spiraling downward from sex and drugs (booze too). Shows how one can go from the top and free fall fast. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member This a little anti-myself to type this, but when I saw pictures of Anthony and Asia in the tabloids years ago, I: Woof. He's a dead man. I don't know what hit me about the whole thing to have that thought prior to Anthony actually killing himself, but sometimes you know yourself so well you can see that tumultuous relationship playing out without even being involved. After Me Too was swirling, and then Asia's own Me Too rolled out (a bit icky and gross even if it was consensual), I pondered: How can one be so upset with a rapist when she recreated him and her own trauma for her film? I don't see many other rape victims jumping into such recreations. This is a question every Goddess must sit in their own poop with, because it is deep deep poop, especially when Daddy's an Italian erotic horror director... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member It's disorienting and bold. Not a favorite, yet, certainly not forgettable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member I once heard someone say that beauty plus popularity meant wanting to be bedded by everyone you met. I think Asia Argento, in her feature-length directorial debut, has illustrated that concept exquisitely. Drawing from her own experiences, Asia has created a daring and honest - if not always accessible - film that explores the hectic, exhausting, and often isolating world of an actress who wants more out of life. There's a fine line between what a person chooses to do and what they have forced upon them and that's another heartbreaking reality Asia tries to examine with "Scarlet Diva." It can truly be said when you stand in the spotlight, you stand alone and are surrounded by shadows. At first, fame is seen as an alluring realm of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll but when the sparkle dulls, we're left with the harsh pleasures and even harsher pitfalls of celebrity status. Anna Battista (Argento) is an actress who wants to be a director, but who suddenly finds her priorities changing when she becomes pregnant after a steamy one night stand with musician Kirk Vaines (Jean Shepard). Her life is filled with, shall we say, interesting exploits from finding her friend Veronica (Vera Gemma) tied up in an apartment for two days after having an argument with her boyfriend to having a brief lesbian tryst with a woman (Selen) she can't remember to being chased down a hotel hallway by a naked, overly amorous producer (Joe Coleman) to almost drowning in a swimming pool while high on drugs. Toss in a few frenetic flashbacks to a broken childhood and you have the beginnings of a fascinating film. Argento seems deeply involved in her role as Anna, but I hate to say that she doesn't have her father's eye for visuals nor his stylish cinematic presence from the directorial chair. She focuses more on substance and performance which, while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, doesn't help the threadbare nature of "Scarlet Diva." This is a film that screams out for flair and pomp. The authentic quality of the screenplay makes for a solid motion picture but in other hands, this film could have been so much more. On a side note I must give Argento credit for making incredible use of Nina Simone's "Wild is the Wind." Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member This film is a classic case of Her father is a great director so naturally she will be too but isn't. Her father,Dario Argento, has In my opinion created some of the greatest horror/suspense films of all-time and so naturally his daughter would get into acting and etc like him. Also naturally I was curious about the film because of her father. After seeing the film I was..Disappointed some what....but at the same time I figured it would be bad. It's not a GOD AWFUL film but it's def. not in the same calibur as her fathers stuff. there where some interesting camera angles here and there and I will admit she went for the fences with her stuff(just like er dad) but unlike her dad where he makes it all look so...innovative and unique hers is just blan. Like I said it's not HORRIBLE but if you were hopin' to see an almost...baby Argento you're sorely mistaken. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Was that a lesbian rape scene? So this movie has two big signs on it: "I was directed by a first-time filmmaker!" and "I was directed by an Italian" Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Scarlet Diva

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis An actress (Asia Argento) experiments with drugs and meets a musician who leaves her lovesick and pregnant.
Director
Asia Argento
Producer
Claudio Argento, Dario Argento
Screenwriter
Asia Argento
Distributor
Minerva, Media Blasters, Clyde Films Inc. [jp], Mondo Films
Production Co
Opera Film Produzione
Rating
R (Strong Sexuality|Language|Drug Content)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 26, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 18, 2018
Runtime
1h 29m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital
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