the audience applauded

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Blistering performances.

This is a modern updating of the classic, 'Picture of Dorian Grey.' As if the Oscar Wilde story was rewritten by sex & shopping book hack, Jackie Collins. There's nothing new here except for the setting, in a photo model environment instead of Victorian London.It starts off interesting enough but McDowell as a poor man's Devil, begins to chew the scenery before too long. And sadly, Ethan Erickson doesn't have the range of acting to successfully portray the slowly morally declining Dorian.For a study in debauchery, there's precious little shown, you would get the idea the height of decadence was dancing in a few discos on the continent. Surprising since the video I watched had an 18 certificate.The original film version was made under far more stringent censorship rules but still was able to imply the depths that Dorian sunk to in his pursuit of hedonistic pleasures.This is just fodder for the MTV generation, full of flash style and hip music but lacking in any real substance at all.Watch the original or for a study in moral corruption, check out the excellent 'Alias Nick Beal' starring Ray Milland as well.

This was shown on cable under the title "Pact with the Devil". I thought it would be an obscure John Carradine flick...but it was this.This is a modernized version of "The Picture of Dorian Grey". Henry (Malcolm McDowell) a very rich man who runs a photographic service becomes enamored with Louis (Ethan Erickson) a young, hunky man. He sees him as the perfect male model and gets him started. He tells Louis about the story of Dorian Grey--a man who makes a deal with the devil--he'll stay young-looking always while his portrait ages. Louis is intrigued and does exactly that. Henry changes Louis' name to Dorian, Dorian becomes a HUGE male model and Henry will do ANYTHING to keep Dorian...including murder.PLOT SPOILER AHEAD!! You've probably guessed that McDowell is the devil and it all ends as the original did. PLOT SPOILER END!! This is no great movie but not bad on its own terms. It's beautifully shot in some absolutely gorgeous settings. The music soundtrack is good and there are some nice directorial touches. The story itself is OK--it follows the original pretty closely. There was one glaring lapse--it takes place over 20 years. Everybody notices how young Dorian stays--but don't notice it with McDowell or another character! McDowell is (quite obviously) having a whale of a time with this and he's just great. Erickson is so-so. Sometimes he's pretty good--other times he's pretty bad. But he is incredibly handsome with a nice body. The surprising thing about this is there's no nudity--the closest they get is when Erickson ALMOST bares his butt.So--for a direct to DVD movie--this isn't too bad. And Erickson IS incredibly good-looking. I give it a 7.

While temporarily working in a photographic studio with the famous photographer Bae (Jennifer Nitsch), the simple and handsome worker Louis (Ethan Erickson) meets her manager Henry (Malcolm McDowell), who is impressed with his beauty. He invites Louis for taking some pictures, gives the artistic name of Dorian to him as a homage to "Dorian Gray" and a framed picture of him. Louis wishes to have the same fate of Dorian Gray, and from this moment on, he becomes very successful in the career of model. As years go by, he notes that only his picture ages, and he has the same face of years ago. "Dorian" is a worthy contemporary version of Oscar Wilde's classic "The Picture of Dorian Gray". When I was a boy, this book was among my favorite ones. "Dorian" is a simple low budget movie, with a great music score, and average performances, but I liked it. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Dorian Gray – Pacto com o Diabo" ("Dorian Gray – Pact With the Devil")

A cheesy, modern take on The Portrait of Dorian Gray story. The most unsettling thing is, there are supposed to be flashbacks from 20 years earlier, but they aren't the least bit convincing - it almost feels like the moments occurred on a previous day. Malcolm McDowell's character is either immortal and unaging, or the makers of this film didn't feel it was important enough to put him in makeup to make him 20 years younger for these flashback moments. It was later on that I realized that this film may have been originally shot for television, due to the fading in and out that occurs whenever possible.