Suntan written (with Syllas Tzoumerkas) and directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos

Suntan written (with Syllas Tzoumerkas) and directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E  and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

Suntan is a very interesting film.

Not many people have seen it though.

I had my chance on Cinemax 1...or was it Cinemax 2?

With the arrival of the competitor Netflix, HBO has taken to offer more programs.

Hence the possibility that viewers have to look into niche productions...

-          Afterlife, a Hungarian film

-          Demon an Israeli- Polish co-production

-          The Price of Desire

The last one is so much ignored by streaming services that it only had one critic on IMDB.

I doubled the figure with my input.

Suntan is about a Greek doctor called Kostis.

He arrives on a Greek island, in offseason.

There are few people at this time of the year.

He is met by the mayor who shows him his place and office.

A local who seems to think he is a version of Don Giovanni tells him about summer:

-          Oh! Summer!

-          Wait to see the many women!

-          Foreigners that can hardly wait to get in your bed...

Words to that effect.

Indeed, when the season starts, the island is crowded with tourists.

Especially at night, the lovely streets of this small village are busy with parties and drinkers.

One day, Anna enters the office of the Doctor.

And all hell breaks loose!

Not immediately.

In fact, it seems like heaven for some time.

She is very alluring, provocative, free spirited, somewhat rude, daring, demanding and seductive.

Her friends enter the cabinet and start fooling around, playing with instruments.

You need to wait outside

Says the poor Doctor, but he is too gentle, naive and mesmerized too really oppose this group of naughty, impolite, careless and young visitors.

The doctor is off to the beach that they said they use, once he finishes his program.

He always uses lotion and a hat.

Therefore I figured that Suntan- the title refers to his habit.

But it is an insider joke, meaning that the man is protecting against the bad effects of the sun, while getting into much more serious trouble.

The initial games look innocent enough.

Notwithstanding the fact that there is a big difference between the apparently introverted Kostis and the outgoing, extroverted and outre members of this sex group.

They are all nudists, it appears as if they may have all sex with everyone else in the group or nearly.

One night, after drinking, one of the men kisses Kostis who is revolted.

Little did he know then what outrageous things he would do later.

The Doctor is fascinated by Anna.

She is all that he cares about.

To be accepted by the wild group, he arrives at the beach with lots of beer, right at the end of the program.

When a patient arrives at closing time, he does not want to spend another minute, he is in a hurry to meet with his obsession.

I don't think that this was love that took over him.

Maybe I am wrong.

The young woman, eager to experiment and without a strong attachment plays with Kostis.

Once she has conquered and seduced him, and especially after a failed sexual act, she loses interest in the case.

Much like Marcel Proust has explained in the best novel of all

A La Recherche du Temps Perdu

-          „We want what we don't have

-          Once we have it, we don't want it anymore”