Too much of everything

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Whore's Glory is a glimpse into a world not seem by most people. I know that here in the US there are a lot of people that think it's cool to glamorize "sex work" but this documentary shows what the reality is for a lot of women. This documentary is made up of 3 parts. The first part takes place in Bangkok a city notorious for its sleaze. The segment largely takes place in the "fishbowl" brothel where women sit around all day in a glass display room until they get called up to service a john. As degrading it is to sit in a fishbowl all day like a piece of merchandise, the Thai ladies have it way better than the women in the Bangladesh segment. The Bangladesh brothel is truly a house of horrors. It's basically a long, dimly lit corridor with lined with rooms. You don't just have prostitutes and johns milling around, you have small children and animals running around as well. Some of the girls in the brothel are obviously underage and there is a segment where one girl is sold and indentured to a madam. The whole thing is incredibly depressing.The third and in my opinion weakest segment is one that takes place in Reynosa Mexico, a town not far from the US border. In my opinion this was the weakest segment because the weird surrealistic tone didn't fit with the rest of the piece and I could have done without the graphic sex scene. The documentary is beautifully shot, especially the first two segments. There is no narrator and everything is presented without commentary. The subjects actions and words speak for themselves. What I didn't like is the sometimes intrusive hipster music soundtrack and the weakness of the third segment. Overall I do think the doc is worth checking out. The Bangladesh segment is really moving and is worth watching for that alone. I am also really saddened to hear that the director died a few years back. RIP, Michael Glawogger your contribution to cinema will not be forgotten.

"Whores' Glory" is a German/Austrian co-production from 5 years ago written and directed by Michael Glawogger, a filmmaker who died from malaria during working on one of his more recent projects. This is also why I wish I could go more easy on his work here, probably the most famous film of his career. Sadly, I must say this only had a few good moments and unfortunately not enough for pretty much exactly two hours. The film examines the level of prostitution in several parts of the world including Latin America and Asia for example. I must say though that there were no real differences. The only real differences came from the personal approach that all the prostitutes gave the subject and their profession. Only very few seemed to have no problems at all with it, most of them were suffering, but they needed to do it for the money. And this made it a very tragic watch.All in all, I think this documentary would have worked better if it had been kept at 90 minutes max and maybe focused only on one specific area of the planet. This way he could have given a deeper insight and we may have learned something that goes beyond the surface. Not saying this film doesn't, but it certainly could have been a better film in my opinion. My expectations were not fulfilled looking at the IMDb rating and also at other critics reviews. So my suggestion is that you watch this if you are really interested in the subject or if you come from any of the regions depicted in the film to get a realistic approach that you probably would not have otherwise. Everybody else can skip it I guess. Not recommended.

This is a wonderful film, it's truly dark, and quite frankly disturbing. However, The reason I am giving it lower marks is the music. The music is so distracting, I find myself muting the audio just to avoid it. I would have liked the film a great deal more without the music. Musical taste, is, however, highly subjective.How the documentarian was able to have such access, that is so "National Geographic Real", is beyond comprehension. I think that's what makes this film a visual masterpiece. The picture edit is composed, flowing, patient and poignant.So, this is certainly a must SEE film, but thank goodness for subtitles.Yes! I am sure some people will love the music.... :-)

What is it like to work as a "fish-bowl" prostitute in Thailand? Here you'll get to eavesdrop on the girls as they don their number tags and sit demurely behind a window as guys in suits drop in after work to ogle them, ask whether they provide "full service," and narrow their choices.This incredible documentary tracks prostitutes not only in a glitzy Thai club but also in a Bangladeshi bazaar and along a dirt road in Mexico as the women compete for johns, talk about how painful large penises can be, and dicker with low-ballers.As the Village Voice reviewer points out, this film deftly juxtaposes the misery of the prostitutes with the self-satisfied braggadocio of their clients.Some things I learned about foreign prostitutes: Work isn't as plentiful as you might think; johns are often shameless cheapskates, prostitutes are frequently repelled by the men who paw them, and they may resort to superstition, black magic, and crack to make it through their workaday routines.The movie gains unbelievable verisimilitude as it focuses on a Mexican prostitute ("If you don't come it's not my problem") and her easy-going john, who pays his tariff without ejaculating and tries in vain to learn his partner's name.The intimacy and honesty of this film are its greatest attributes. I won't soon forget it.