Customer Reviews

Steam: The Turkish Bath

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a story about an Italian man who goes to Istanbul to settle the estate of his deceased aunt. Though eager to sell off the property she has left him, when he discovers that the property is a hamam (Turkish bath), he becomes ambivalent about selling. His own perspectives on his life, Istanbul, the hamam, and the family with whom he is staying are highlighted by his aunt's words which we hear throughout the movie as he reads her returned letters.

Istanbul is somewhat romanticized, with old and new customs side by side, sometimes competing and other times in harmony. All in all, it's a lovely film in Italian with English subtitles.

This movie is beautifully shot. The story can be described as "grace and intriguing". It is so good that I don't know how to start. If possilbe I will give it six stars.
It can be recognized as a gay movie. But in fact, elements of gay life in this movie is little. The most important subject of this movie is about discovering your true self (no matter male or female). Many metaphors appeared in this movie. It reminds me of those Arabic phylosophy I have learned. It reminds me of poems written by Omar Khayyam. The fountain of life never stop, we have only one time to experience. Live the life you want and be happy(mentally, not only phisically)

I've read several reviews of this film and it sounds great, a happy, romantic movie that, according to Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times and the DVD packaging "affirms that happiness is possible in this life."

When I read one reviewer's comment that the film was well received in Turkey a nagging question began to grow in my mind and should have warned me. How could an openly gay film be well received in an Islamic country where the official penalty for homosexuality is death?

Now that I've seen the movie, I know. There is nothing happy in it. Nothing romantic. And certainly nothing life affirming about it. It is a hate-filled message suitable for neo-nazis that tries to masquerade as a 'slice of life' The message is clear; it's okay to kill people if they're gay. Am I the only one who watched the whole movie, or did all the other reviewers walk out before the end.

The video transfer to DVD is dismal; I had to adjust my tv's brightness and contrast to maximum to get a viewable picture and it was transferred cockeyed so that you have to tilt your head constantly to view the movie straight on. There needs to be a zero stars rating option here. What I wouldn't give for my money back and never to have been subjected to this trash.

This is a superb film - very atmospheric, and captures Istanbul perfectly. The description of the winds is spot on. It's a film about self discovery and getting balance in life (in the same way that Local Hero was) and about beoming entraced by an idea, and a different approach to life.

It is not a 'gay' movie at all, despite the cover and the hype. Ok there is an element (without giving the story away), but it is a sensitive and clever film exploring a group of people.

It's not a 'romp' movie. Anyone who buys it for watching alone for self comfort will be hugely disappointed. Anyone who buys it for a great story and tremendous atmoshere will have an excellent evening.

this one is the most amazing movie I've ever seen. It's not really gay-lesbian movie. it explore a new sensation in movie industry. and director has the all success with this one. if you are open to see a new kind in this industry this is the one. see it, love it. C.

This movie has been badly handled by it's American distributors!! The poster and box art clearly suggests an overtly sexual gay drama and this movie is anything but. There's no nudity, no blue talk.
There's a brief, discreetly shot scene of the two bare-chested men apparently kissing in the sauna. That's it! You see more "gay action" on a network tv soap opera. It's clear the director meant the gay plot twist to be as much a surprise to the audience as it was to the film's leading lady because there was never any real hint of this change in the leading man's interests until the scene. The whole cast is quite good, and the plot twist making the wife (basically a minor character in the first half) front and center toward the end was handled very well. She is wonderful! The DVD does have flaws; as mentioned earlier, for some reason there are no subtitles for the first few minutes which overlap the film credits and there are a couple of brief scenes that suggest the DVD was made from a tape with glitches on it. There are a few holes in the plot (if Francesco respects and loves this family so much, why is he having an affair with their son behind their backs under their own roof?) It would have been very nice had the DVD company bothered to make a cast and characters chapter because it's hard to tell who plays what role. The son is played by Mehmet Gunsur and he is absolutely gorgeous, better looking than most Hollywood heart throbs, what a shame this appears to be the only film he has made.

I really enjoyed this film and I do not generally enjoy subtitled movies. The characters were believable and I enjoyed watching the relationship between Mehmet and Francesco slowly develop into a physical and emotional bond. The only reason I did not give this film a 5-star rating is because I disliked the ending. I felt that it's message was one about the hopelessness and futility of gay life and that it has no serious future. This is simply untrue. There was no need to make the wife into the type of character she became. Great scenery and a rich introduction into Turkish culture and family life.

This isn't a bad movie yet I wouldn't consider it a great movie either. I would have liked to have seen more character development of its main actor as well as more development in the relationship between husband and boyfriend.

Overall I thought the movie was fine but I should have watched it first before deciding to purchase. The only real disappointment was the ending where things were wrapped up just a little too predictably.

Truly Moving, This Film by Ferzan Ozpetek is about a Interior Designer, Francesco(Alessandro Gassman), Who's aunt had moved to beutiful Istanbul and Died a Very Happy woman. Francesco who had seen his aunt before, inherited the hamam (Turkish Bath) and was sent to Istanbul to sell it. However, He himself loves Istanbul and stays there due to his love for Mehmet (Mehmet Gunsur) and decides to restore the beutiful Hamam

"Hammam". Look deep into a world of history, memories and fantasy... Istanbul, the big chaotic city of today... gets back to its origins in the old "Hammam"'s steam.
Two European, young mind taken by the exotic atmosphere of the city will help you penetrate into the big city's oriental heart still beating today.
The sountrack is also remarkable.