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This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Memorable, crazy movie

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Admirable film.

4/7/18. Somewhat disappointing. I read that because of the explicit scenes of sex and violence, it was released two years after it was made in 1970, and then to mixed reviews. Over time it supposedly reached cult status, simply because this was Mick Jagger's first acting role. I don't think he was acting, he was just being himself. So, now 48 years later, even through nostalgic lens, it isn't artsy fartsy enough to be considered art house to me. The documentary short included on the DVD was an interesting watch as people involved with the filmed talked about the movie.

. . . when he made PERFORMANCE, or if this inchoate mishmash somehow could be given a meaningful context. The Truth can now be told. The team of prognosticating Cassandras at Warner Bros. have perfectly captured the inner workings of the Rump White House nearly 50 years before the fact with PERFORMANCE. Jagger himself plays Rump, called "Turner" here, since Rump's such a Flip-Flopper (Democrat one day, Repug the next). In the role of Steve Bannon is James Fox. His "Chas" character is Rump/Turner's toughest thug, whether in the White House or not. Extortion Ringleader "Harry Flowers" captures the venality of closet KKK Grand Dragon/U.S. "Attorney General" Beauregard Sessions to a T, with the mendacious sadist "Rosie" playing White House Chief of Staff John "Pinocchio" Kelly to the hilt. Even dismissed FBI director James Comey is shown receiving Beauregard's knife-in-the-back, when Rosie slips it to "Joey Maddocks" as the hapless Fed. Melancholia Rump goes full-frontal in the guise of "Pherber," while Chas/Bannon gets naughty in the bathtub with First Daughter Iwanna Rump (a birthday-suited "Lucy" here). Though Warner's current release GEOSTORM has suggested to some that only a Patriotic Secret Service Agent taking their Constitutional Oath seriously is in a position to end Rump's Madness, an eventually double-crossed Chas/Bannon delivers the Coup De Grace here in PERFORMANCE.

Performance is one of the all-time great psychedelic films. But while it has its share of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, its scope goes a fair bit further. It's essentially an avant-garde film in many ways and, therefore, is one that will turn-off a lot of viewers. But if you can take its experimentation you will be rewarded, as this is a real one-off and a definite high-point of counterculture movies as a whole. It was helmed by two unique artists, Nicolas Roeg and Donald Cammell; both of whom would go on to make other very interesting films. For my money Performance is arguably the best thing either one of them ever did.The narrative is effectively two stories colliding with one and other. It starts out as a crime film and then becomes an oddball drama, all the while gradually mutating into something increasingly stranger as it progresses. In summary it is about a gangster called Chas who is on the run who hides in the house of Turner, a reclusive rock star, while there odd inner psychological transformations occur that ultimately affect both characters in extreme ways. Identity is at the heart of this particular story. After being given hallucinogenic mushrooms, Chas has a vivid trip where he experiences revelations including an unexpected identification with Turner (even his name suggests he has the ability to turn you), a man who seems to be his polar opposite on the surface. Both characters in fact find that there are aspects in the other that they connect with, leading to Chas dressed like a counter-culture drop-out and Turner displaying an increasing fascination with the criminal persona. This is manifested in 'Memo From Turner' where Chas imagines Turner as his crime boss, it's a scene all the more impressive seeing as its one of the very earliest examples of what would go on to be known as the pop video.If nothing else though, Performance is visually a tour de force. It exhibits the highly experimental, bold editing that would go on to typify later films that Roeg would go on to direct. For this reason it certainly feels from a visual perspective that Roeg was the main influence; while story-content seems to have come primarily from Cammell. Whatever the case, this is a consistently interesting looking film, with disorientating edits and inventive camera-work. The grungy, crumbling den in which the majority of the action takes place is ripe for this kind of treatment. Its cluttered, decadent interiors create an atmosphere all of their own and add a considerable amount to the overall effect of the film.It is also helped considerably by an unusual cast who work extremely well together. Mick Jagger plays the androgynous Turner with ease. It's a role you could argue he was born to play for obvious reasons but Turner is more than a Jagger clone and is ultimately a somewhat strange character that would not have been nearly so compelling if it had not been for the fact that Jagger illustrates him so well. James Fox, as Chas, is probably even better still. He convinces as both the hard man criminal and the confused hybrid character he is by the end. He brings to the screen a definite charisma that works very well. Anita Pallenberg also makes an indelible impression as Pherber, one of Turner's groupies. I had only previously seen her in Barbarella as the Black Queen. She was a lot of fun in that one but as Pherber she is much better and incredibly sexy into the bargain as well.It's certainly not a film for everyone but there is a lot to like here if you have a taste for the odder side of cinema, especially if you like it with a dash of counter-cultural psychedelia.

This movie is just plain terrible.Boring, drags on. I kept waiting for one of the main characters to show and it felt like forever.The only interesting part was seeing a young James Fox who was quite handsome in his younger days. Even the love scene is weird and yet a bit perverse.Story line is confusing. Character lines seem incoherent.Just awful in every cinematic way.Don't bother renting this one.After 15 minutes you will want to shut it off.