Michael Winner & Dirty Weekend
"The scene is Brighton and the plot is familiar: an older, wealthy, successful man and a young, ambitious woman getting together for a dirty weekend.
But this is not another tale of sexual shenanigans by the sea. He is the bombastic film director Michael Winner. She is the reclusive feminist Helen Zahavi.
The fruit of their union is Dirty Weekend, the film by Winner of the book by Zahavi"
Sarah Villiers, Scotland on Sunday
Comments by film critics -- and by Michael Winner
One of the most controversial novels of recent years has been turned into a movie by one of Britain's most controversial directors
Brian Pendreigh, The Scotsman
I loved the first sentence -- 'This is the story of Bella, who woke up one morning and realised she'd had enough.' It was one of the most original works I had read. I became obsessed about filming it
Michael Winner, Scotland on Sunday
Dirty Weekend is arguably the most pornographic film ever to pass the British censor
Carol Sarler, The Sunday Times
People who accuse Dirty Weekend of being pornographic are those with no knowledge of the genre. You need to be intelligent to get the most out of it. It's a movie with a message -- and how many of those have you seen this year?
Mark Kermode, Film Critic
This is about the modern woman who has had enough of being humiliated, who says, 'Go f*** yourself, I've had enough.' I consider her an absolute heroine. Having said that, if I had met her 15 years ago I'd probably be dead by now
Michael Winner, The Sunday Times
A jet-black, genre-bender of femme vengeance from the British bestseller by Helen Zahavi. Winner plays up the unreality with off-center framing and careful use of lenses, recalling Polanski. Has the seeds of a cult movie down the tracks
Derek Elley, Variety
I remember speaking to Salman Rushdie at a very literary party. 'What are you making now?' he asked. 'Dirty Weekend,' I said. 'I read it, it's sh**,' said Rushdie. 'Didn't you think it was funny?' I asked, thinking of the rave reviews for its wit. 'Sh**', repeated Salman, in case I hadn't understood him the first time. Thus ended my only chance of an intellectual conversation with Mr R
Michael Winner, The Sunday Times
Funny and even, at moments, touching. Winner's best film in ages
Tom Hibbert, Empire
Dirty Weekend says that if you persecute a group -- namely women -- for long enough, don't be surprised if they come back at you with all guns blazing
Michael Winner, Sunday Mail
Full of violence and black humour. And it will disturb men and women alike
Melanie Reid, Sunday Mail
The idea that the killer in Dirty Weekend is a woman -- that's what people find so shocking and so unsettling. It upsets their ideas about the place of a woman in society
Michael Winner, Sunday Mail
There is a visceral thrill in watching Bella dispatch three yobs who had been threatening to set an old woman alight. The film deserves serious critical attention
Brian Pendreigh, The Scotsman
Bella was the avenging angel for all insults to all women. I had a great belief in the book. It was written in a very unusual style, and was absolutely remarkable, an original, brave and extraordinary work that easily lent itself to film with very little change
Michael Winner, Aberdeen Press and Journal
After a short struggle I gave up and enjoyed this film. It's crude, rude and preposterous. But at least it's lively. And what is life without lurid contrasts between Good and Bad?
Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
You can't only make films about nice people doing nice things
Michael Winner