I believe that European cinema has a unique culture of its own (which is very different from that of Hollywood), and therefore, should be evaluated within the boundaries and aroma of that culture. Steam The Turkish Bath successfully conveys universal themes like love and eroticism in very subtle ways; in fact, the messages are so dispersed in the atmosphere that you cannot even notice their presence in the movie. This is just like a fine mist, or rather, steam in the air, trying to block your view, or worse yet, block your way of thinking about the plot.
If you think that you can really "see beyond" the mist in the air, you might very well enjoy Steam The Turkish Bath. I would rather have a clear view of the sky, free of steam and fog, so that I get to enjoy a movie. The characters are too shallow to allow one to connect with. The language used in the movie changes back and forth between Italian and Turkish, with forced subtitles further blocking your view of the picture. Honestly, this movie is too far from being romantic, poetic or moving. Intoxicating? Maybe. Mediocre? Definitely! |
The Turkish Baths dvd movie.