Blu-ray Review – Flavia, the Heretic

Although it's dressed up as your average exploitation feature, 1974's "Flavia, the Heretic" actually contains some intelligence to go along with its nudity and bloodshed. Director Gianfranco Mingozzi dips back into the history books to explore a period tale of an oppressed woman struggling to define herself in a world controlled by men, permitting the picture to inspect the vicious side of gender politics and domination, while tending to all the necessary violence that comes along with a story that concerns the workings of Christian and Muslim forces in the 15th century. While it has a tendency to wander when concentration is needed, "Flavia, the Heretic" is a fascinating dissection of frustration and desire, led by a powerhouse performance from star Florinda Bolkan, who gives the titular role her all as the character is humiliated, beaten, and exploited, with her only crime being a thirst for independence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com