juan perez I remember vaguely having heard the music of this film when I was a child, a wonderful score composed by Francis Lai. After waiting so many years to watch this movie, I was quite disappointed; the director (photographer David Hamilton) was able to create a dream-like atmosphere for the film, but that's about it. "Bilitis" is an almost plot less, erotic feature about a teenage girl who is confused about her sexuality (she is attracted to both girls and boys). Patty D'Arbanville plays the main role with a certain charm and naivety, but the rest of the characters are completely flat and uninteresting. Nevertheless, there is an acute sense of romance and nostalgic longing in this movie, plus the unforgettable soundtrack and fine cinematography (reminded me of impressionist paintings...) Rating: 5/10

Hans-56 When it was released this film caused a sensation. I watched it and was thrilled. Beautiful, usually young, naked women filmed in the classy style we knew so well from director Hamiltons photography. His photographs never become porn and the same is true for this movie. Today I saw it again and was bitterly disappointed. The soft core in extremely slow paced scenes, all filmed with some Vaseline on the lenses, actually is all there is. There is no real story, the characters remain beautiful and beautifully filmed bodies, but they are not real creatures with a soul. Actually nothing happens. It is like Hamilton is photographing using moving pictures rather than stills. And this gets so boring after a while. I even didn't watch the whole thing the second time, for I fell vast asleep. That is all that remains of this masterpiece: it is a very good sleeping pill. And you will never become addicted to it!Back then 7 out of 10, now 3 out of 10

Nazi_Fighter_David Bilitis (Patti d'Arbanville) attends an all-girl school that is about to break for summer... Once on vacation, Bilitis comes to hold with her developing sexuality and strikes up a romantic liaison with a local boy… A secondary romance concerns Bilitis' female guardian and her new husband… The treatment of sensuality is soft and beautiful, which is in keeping with Hamilton's style of photography… At the beginning of the film, we see the sweet, sensual bodies of the schoolgirls exuberantly bathing in a mountain lake… When Bilitis is finally seduced, it is exaggerated romance, heavily diffused, implying rather than showing their coupling… The lovemaking between the married couple is equally stylized, but more steamy

ghent1 THis is the debut film of D. Hamilton, a very well known photographer from the seventies. Contrary to the other commentator I found this a marvelous film, but you have to look at it from a certain perspective. If you look at this film searching for a good script, for profundity of conversation, for strong acting (genre "Cat on a ht tin roof"), this film will not appeal to you. But if you look at it like looking at a Monnet painting, listening to Debussy music or reading M. Proust, in essence, if you drink its simple, uncomplicated impressions, listen to the sublime music, watch the beautiful and stylish shots, enjoy the sensuality in the film without too much looking for sense in everything, the film is truly beautiful. In short: if you look at it like you look at impressionist art, not looking for all sorts of plots and hidden messages, but just to enjoy its simple and straight forward beauty, you will be drawn into a wonderful world and afterwards you'll be longing to live in that world of flowers, fresh life, warm summer in the country, swimming in the sea, having your first love etc...