Flesh + Blood

That is enough reason to watch it right there.

Whenever I am in the mood for a "nice" dose of delightful skin, sauced with violence and late medieval world views (the scene with Agnes and Steven kissing under the putrescent hanged men is just too weirdly casual for modern sensibilities!), I fetch Flesh and Blood and sit back and relax.Is this film a favorite? It didn't used to be. But I've watched it, oh, three, maybe four times since it came out, and each time it is just as enjoyable. This one ages well, and it is an old film by now (which rather shocks me).It isn't rated, being a foreign-made film (and probably somewhat extreme in the "flesh" department even by modern rating standards -- between F&B and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Jennifer doesn't hide anything). But then I hate the film rating "system" anyway.F&B has good period eye candy everywhere. It's supposed to be "1501 AD" and I can't really fault anything visual about how Verhoeven pulled off directing his own screen play. Supposedly the "parrot" cannons used early in the story to threaten the mercenaries into surrendering are American Civil War pieces (so says someone on IMDb, anyway), but you could fool me with artillery some of the time: I am more into arms and armor, and in that area F&B is good at keeping within the period.Someone refers to The Black Death, The Plague, as "Bubonic plague" and that is surely anachronistic. Meh, so what.The characters/cast are superb. Ronald Lacey's supporting character role as the Cardinal is psychotic to the extreme, "laced" with religious fanaticism. Great fun!Hauer's Martin is amoral, yet in his world understandably so. Agnes, who succumbs majorly to "Stockholm Syndrome" after being abducted and raped, awakens his latent appreciation of the finer things enjoyed by the upper classes. And her emotional dichotomy between Martin and Steven creates Martin into a jealous rival: which aspect of the story is left hanging as we see Martin set out after his new-found infatuation, Agnes, who has been rejoined with her betrothed, Steven, after much shedding of blood. The continuing story is left up to the viewer and was never ruined by a sequel (a rare event it seems anymore these days).The rest of the supporting cast are equally interesting mixes of good and bad with no clear-cut bad guys at all on either side. Everyone is just trying to get what they can and keep it for as long as they can. F&B makes me glad I live when and where I do! And I don't think the violence and grime and chaos is over-done: at times whole swathes of Europe were backwaters of the larger wars and left to their own devices in pretty much the atmosphere of decay that F&B brilliantly evokes.Add in an excellent musical score by the under-employed Basil Poledouris, and you have a potent mix.This film would by my first pick for creating a cult classic....

'Flesh And Blood' was made in 1985, so get ready for a VERY young Jennifer Jason-Leigh as Agnes, a maiden of noble blood on her way to her fiancé. Nobleman Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck) has decided its time for his book-headed son, Stephen (Tom Burlinson), to wed.So much for love, but on the war side, Arnolfini has used a rowdy band of commoners and mercenary peasants led by Martin (a very young Rutger Hauer) to clear his city of miscreants. The peasants present a problem in and of themselves, so Arnolfini reneges on his promise to them, refusing to pay them for their help.Led by Martin and a mad priest, the band of peasants raid Arnolfini's caravan, wounding Arnolfini and unknowingly kidnapping young Agnes. As the peasants celebrate their spoils, Agnes is discovered hiding underneath a pile of clothing and is pulled out and raped. Yes, the rape scene is pretty graphic, but it actually blends with the movie. The surroundings of Flesh And Blood are not the pretty castles and noble knights and clean cities of LOTR. The women are prosties, course and vulgar, the speech is rough, the landscape mud and blood and hanged men.Agnes, however, is a selfish girl, spoiled and used to getting her way. She manipulates Martin into choosing her over his wanton wench, so that he would keep her to himself and not share her around the group. At first reluctantly, and then with more vigor, she joins with the marauders as they raid and capture a castle.Stephen finds he must pull his head out of his books and rescue Agnes, so he gathers and army to assault the castle the peasants have barricaded themselves in. Using engines and structures of his book's designs, he lays siege to the castle, including flinging corpses riddled with plague over the walls.Agnes, it seems, is torn. Who should she back in this battle to the death? He betrothed nobleman? Or the wild mercenary who has shown her the pleasant things in life?'Flesh And Blood' is gritty and visually real, though there are flaws in the film as well. Such as, the speed in which plague takes to infect and sicken a person, but its flaws do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. Especially if you like medieval type flicks.There is violence, nudity, and blood, so this isn't an LOTR kind of movie made for kids. The supporting cast, especially Brion James, performs extremely well. The film has excellent cinematography, a good script, great acting, superb costume design, and lots of grittiness. Enough to keep this horror/fantasy girl quite happy. Definitely a 'Buy'. Enjoy!

Unbelievable we've not seen this GREAT movie until 37 years later. Fun bit of history. Believable and so real, it is just a GREAT movie. I wish to see this again, please bring it back.

This is my review of Flash & Blood, or was $6 million will buy you in 1985. Flesh and Blood stars Rutger Hauer, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The movie is billed as a realistic adventure story (what the Middle Ages were really like.) And the movie is that.The movie is basically a gritty love triangle between Martin (played by Rutger Hauer) and Agnes (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Stephen , the son of a nobleman who has wronged Martin.The story is filled with violence, blood, and the graphic rape scene of Agnes. I say graphic, because this is the director's cut of Flesh and Blood even though the packaging does not say so. This is one of the first DVD's that I have seen of an older movie (1985) that actually add scenes, and does not take them out. Usually, there is a difference between the original VHS, and the DVD. However, in this case, we get the European version of the movie.Now, I don't consider 1501, the Middle Ages. I consider 1501, early Renaissance period. However, I will not quibble with such a fine movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I believe that you will too. If you are over 18, and you enjoy action movies.It also helps if you are a fan of Jennifer Jason Leigh as an actress. Because in this movie, you see a lot of her, and I'm not just talking about acting.This movie was filmed outside the walls of Avila Spain, the city is Casares, Spain. The castle is Belamonte castle in Spain.The special features are good, and the commentary is very informative. This movie gets four starts.

One thing you can say about Dutch film-maker Paul Verhoeven is that he tackles a lot of varied subjects. From the saucy titillation of ‘Showgirls’, to the camp sci-fi of ‘Starship Troopers’, and on to the solid WW2 resistance drama, ‘Black Book’, you could never accuse him of being stuck in a style, or genre.This epic production from thirty years ago stars Verhoeven regular Rutger Hauer, alongside a 23 year-old Jennifer Jason-Leigh. There is also the Australian stalwart Jack Thompson, and a crop of British and American character actors, including the wonderful Ronald Lacey, and gangster-film star Bruno Kirby. Cast-wise, he got the whole planet covered with this one. If you like historical sagas, castle sieges, and some of the flesh and blood mentioned in the title, then this one is for you.The scene is somewhere in Europe, circa 1500. A local lord has employed a mercenary group to help his army get his castle and lands back. The film goes straight into the action, as Hauer and his group assault the castle, spurred on by the promise of looting and pillage for a clear twenty-four hours. They succeed in capturing the place, but find themselves betrayed by their employer, and driven out by his main army. Hiding out, Martin (Hauer) and his band manage to capture the daughter of the same lord. (Jason-Leigh) He soon seduces (well, rapes) her, and not long after that, he falls in love with her too.Later, this disparate band arrive at another castle, which they quickly capture, to use as a hideout and a base. But they are unaware that those inside already have the plague, (The Black Death) and not long after, Agnes’ (Jason-Leigh) betrothed lover, Steven, arrives with an army to rescue her. More battles ensue, and neither side can get the upper hand, as their soldiers succumb to the plague all around. Eventually, the castle catches fire, and the mercenaries that are still alive are forced to flee, leaving Steven and Agnes reunited at last.The story hardly matters, and knowing the outcome won’t spoil your enjoyment of this rip-roaring Renaissance romp. It’s got the lot. Tough men, hard fighting, siege towers, explosions, rape and pillage, nudity, plague deaths, and double-dealing a-plenty. Very enjoyable, if dated now, and as few films are made about this turbulent period in European history, somewhat unique in the genre. I can really only think of the superior, ‘The Last Valley’, or the simply wonderful ‘Captain Alatriste’, both of which are set at least one hundred years later. Here’s a trailer.

At 2 hours and 7 minutes this new DVD is 5 minutes longer than the MGM version in region 2. Unlike some other movies heavily cut there is no on screen look at scenes side by side in the extra's. All Paul's films could be called Flesh & Blood (parts 1 to whatever). But in these times only the flesh may be contentious as the blood is quite tame after T.V.series of Spartacus/Game of Thrones etc awash with c.g.i.blood.This film was a fairly low budget so all effects were done on set.Does it stand up over 30 years later ? For me it does,great actors,director of photography,music score and plot. Extra's include an audio commentary by Paul,that may give you a headache as he rattles along a quite a pace,trying to tell everything about the making of and the actors.2 documentaries at over an hour in total one from 2016 an overview of his career,the other just about this film. 3 other interviews run less than an hour in total,2 about the film,the other an audio interview with Rutger Hauer(over the phone) about his career at that time. Still an excellent edition of this movie if you are a fan of Paul Verhoeven's films.

Flesh & Blood is a great film to watch if you want a fix of medieval knights & castles. Featuring Rutger Hauer, although great fun, it's quite gritty in places too.The story revolves around a group of soldiers who are double crossed and turn rogue. Their leader (Rutger), guided by a relgious nut, takes a pretty girl hostage; the betrothed to the son of the nobleman who double crossed him and his men.Young and naive, the young girl is taken in by Rutger's bad boy ways and so ensues a love triangle you certainly wouldn't want to be a part of - not when sieges, the plague and rape are a constant theme.A good old fashioned Knights tale like only the 80s and Mr Hauer can produce - but being certificate 18 it offers slightly more for the adult audience than Lady Hawke and the like (although sadly Michelle Pfieffer doesn't make an appeareance).

Another great title from Eureka!Presented uncut and with slipcase, booklet, blu ray and dvd copies of the filmPicture quality is descent but not outstanding. Still miles above the old MGM dvd releaseI highly recommend this release of the classic.

I love this film and to me it's one of Rutger Hauer's best films. This is let down by the poor picture quality and grainy appearance through some parts of the film. It's still a great middle ages fantasy film. Alongside Rutger Hauer you have a great performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh and a good supporting cast.