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Ecstasy

Original title: A Thought of Ecstasy
  • 2017
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
3.6/10
736
YOUR RATING
Deborah Kara Unger in Ecstasy (2017)
A journey in a heated and paranoid America with a man in search of a lost love, a woman lost in desire for revenge and a twenty-year-old diary about the yearning to waste oneself in destruction.
Play trailer1:45
1 Video
28 Photos
RomanceThriller

A journey in a heated and paranoid America with a man in search of a lost love, a woman lost in desire for revenge and a twenty-year-old diary about the yearning to waste oneself in destruct... Read allA journey in a heated and paranoid America with a man in search of a lost love, a woman lost in desire for revenge and a twenty-year-old diary about the yearning to waste oneself in destruction.A journey in a heated and paranoid America with a man in search of a lost love, a woman lost in desire for revenge and a twenty-year-old diary about the yearning to waste oneself in destruction.

  • Director
    • RP Kahl
  • Writers
    • RP Kahl
    • Torsten Neumann
  • Stars
    • RP Kahl
    • Deborah Kara Unger
    • Ava Verne
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    3.6/10
    736
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • RP Kahl
    • Writers
      • RP Kahl
      • Torsten Neumann
    • Stars
      • RP Kahl
      • Deborah Kara Unger
      • Ava Verne
    • 8User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:45
    Trailer

    Photos28

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
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    + 24
    View Poster

    Top cast7

    Edit
    RP Kahl
    RP Kahl
    • Frank Patrick
    Deborah Kara Unger
    Deborah Kara Unger
    • Liz Archer
    Ava Verne
    • Nina
    Lena Morris
    • Marie…
    Buddy Giovinazzo
    Buddy Giovinazzo
    • Radio presenter
    • (voice)
    Joel Cairo
    • Richard Neiner
    Karim Cherif
    Karim Cherif
    • Skid
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • RP Kahl
    • Writers
      • RP Kahl
      • Torsten Neumann
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    3.6736
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    Featured reviews

    5thesiouxfallskid

    The story does seem confusing

    This film does seem confusing to viewers, and as far as I know the director has not come out to come down to earth regarding the story. If we the viewers spend 90 minutes of our life watching it, the director should at least comment publicly for us so we will not have wasted our time. Towards the end of the film I pieced together a very beautiful yet serious and thoughtful and unforgettable story, a story in which I know who the three women were and what they represented and why they did what they did. I give the film with that story 10 stars. However, that may not be the same story that the director had in mind. In such case, I give the film 1 star for having a clumsy director. Since I don't know, I will go mid-range and give it 5 stars on imdb. Really, the story that appeared in my mind is beautiful and unforgettable. Maybe I should have been the director.
    1meneer_bakker

    "Art"

    I'm not a mechanic, but when a car goes "guh-guh-guh-pffrt" I am capable of determining it is broken.

    In that same vain, I am not an actor, but... they're all going guh-guh-guh-pffrt.

    I'm 98% sure no AI was involved in this movie, but everybody involved seems to have gone out of their way to warn us what would happen if it was.

    The dialogues are especially egregious, which can in part be blamed on RP Kahl's overestimation of his English.

    Ordering a cheeseburger with a side of fries at a roadside diner puts far less strain on your linguistic skills than trying to emote and remember your lines.

    It also doesn't help that every time I'm forced to look at a close up of the man, I think of that yellow bastard in Sin City.

    The actresses don't fare much better, however. Disjointed dialogue and a robotic delivery turns what seems like an attempt at some sort of art into incredulous stares at the screen and a quick look at the clock to see how long I have to watch this before I'm allowed to pass judgment.

    With about ten minutes left and nothing but utter confusion to show for it, it's time. And since this film thinks it can be highbrow, I shall do the same: Judgment is unfavorable.
    6OneSentenceReview

    Slow Burning Art Film - as the reviews show one either loves or hates it...

    ...but in any case need to have the patience to see it to the (interesting) end - avoid the spoilers for that of course.

    First 30min or so one might find it hard to get through but the characters grow with time, and the erotic visuals bridge the strange (not very sense making) monologues. And the landscapes of (suppose) Nevada empty desert are stunning too.

    Generally while watching I thought this feels like a Werner Herzog film without (the usually interesting Herzog-) narration but with artfully filmed (not appearing cheap or just exposing nudity) pretty stunning naturally beautiful looking females. Not spoiling but as a precaution for (cis)women thinking of watching, unfortunately for them there is only more or less one male to look at in the flesh, which is the director himself. So apart from film art students of any gender, it might visually be more suited for a male audience (or couples) who will enjoy watching - if patience and time is no issue :)
    5kosmasp

    Not just a thought

    No pun intended - because it is also the depiction of ... well I reckon you can call it Ecstasy. Or a highlight - a moment of absolute satisfaction? That may be way too much to be honest. One thing you should know: there is a lot of nudity and a lot of graphic scenes (as in explicit). Just be aware of that, if you have issues with those things. Especially because the actors do look directly at you at some points - like after or during pleasing themselves.

    That being said, the movie itself stays bleak for most of the time. At least when it comes (sorry for the pun) to the mood - and I reckon also the photography. Which looks stunning by the way. Apparently the DP is usually a photo camera man and not a film camera man. Maybe some will see that as a bad thing - but I liked what he shot - be open minded. Which is true for the whole movie experience. Depending on how much you've seen media wise, how easy you can be shocked ... well this will all play into your experience. Also if you get some nods to other movies.

    Slow paced and some other things that might connect with most viewers - but the filmmaker is consistent. And I reckon we will see more of him ... I wouldn't mind.
    1grantss

    A movie desperately in need of a plot

    Usually I start my reviews with a brief summary of the plot. In this case that's not possible, as the movie has no plot. As near as I can discern it's about a German man who is travelling across the US. The remainder seems to consist of random interludes.

    Lacking a plot is a distinct drawback in terms of viewer engagement, and you can count me as one of the unengaged.

    This movie is random, pointless, pretentious nonsense, basically.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A Thought of Ecstasy was part of a theatre performance at Berlin based art space Ballhaus Berlin.
    • Goofs
      When Frank reads Ross Sinclair's book in the car you can recognize the text inside as "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
    • Quotes

      Frank Patrick: Never realized, that I was always searching for her. Like now. A stranger in a strange country. A stranger in my own story.

    • Crazy credits
      Title card (before final credits): "But seduction is inevitable. No one living escapes it, not even the dead." - Jean Baudrillard
    • Connections
      Features Therese and Isabelle (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      Names
      Written by Anstam

      Performed by Anstam

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    FAQ15

    • How long is Ecstasy?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 27, 2019 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
      • Switzerland
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Thought of Ecstasy
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Erdbeermund Filmproduktion
      • Independent Partners
      • Felix Mater Society
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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