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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Perils of Pauline remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you have a soft spot for grainy, black-and-white serials where people constantly get tied to things, you’ll dig it. If you need tight, modern editing or a story that makes sense in 2024, skip it and go watch The Valley of the Giants instead. It’s not for everyone, mostly because it’s not trying to be.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in someone’s backyard in 1933. You’ve got the classic trope of the ivory disc—which is just a fancy way of saying “macguffin”—and everyone is running around Indochina looking for it.
Honestly, the acting is... well, it’s loud. Everyone seems to be shouting at the camera even when they’re standing right next to each other. It’s kind of funny after the first twenty minutes.
It reminds me a bit of the vibe in Spooks, where everything feels just a little bit off-kilter, like the crew was making it up as they went along. You can feel the desperation in the pacing. They really wanted to make sure you’d come back for the next chapter.
The villains are fantastic. They’re so evil it almost feels like they’re trying to compensate for something. One guy has this mustache that deserves its own credit in the film roll. It’s distracting in the best way.
I found myself zoning out during the dialogue, but then something would happen—a trap door opening or a random chase—and I’d be right back in it. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a time capsule. 🎞️
If you watch this, don’t look for deep meaning. It’s just people running, shouting, and losing their hats in the jungle. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need on a Tuesday night.