RavenGlamDVDCollector Outright: Yes, long-legged child woman, elfin- faced Pia Zadora is worthy as Golden Globes' Best Newcomer 1982. Take careful note that the award says "newcomer" and doesn't focus on acting ability. Certainly Pia was THE most dramatic newcomer arriving in the flurry of excitement accompanying this movie's release. And listen to the interviews on the DVD... the accusations of "buying the award" are, IMO, false. Makes a great story which the press jumped upon, but it seems to be only public opinion. It hurt little Pia very much, and it was all fueled by envy, because the public were jealous of the pretty girl and the rich old guy who had his young wife cast in the movie he financed. These two people deemed not to defend themselves at the time, figuring "it would blow over" but then, as stated in the interview*, it didn't.*Personally, I find DVD extras like commentaries and interviews generally to be one big bore, but I recommend BUTTERFLY's extras for getting to another exciting aspect, the back- story (especially regarding the Golden Globe fiasco) I'm just saying, the movie deserves a chance. Even with its contentious subject matter. Which, when viewed without frothing at the mouth, comes down to: acts of passion between consenting adults. Why get the law involved in what goes on between two lovers? The law should hunt down violent criminals and stay out of private business.Okay, about the movie itself now:I had only seen a trailer I had downloaded, some of it was in slow motion or something like that, focusing on the initial Orson Welles court scene, and it looked heavy-handed and dumb. Fortunately great shots of Pia's angelic face did appear and I decided to go for it, but I had little hope for a decent movie, given this one's bad reputation and the downloaded evidence at hand.I was surprised. I had hoped, and thought, maybe... but didn't go in expecting too much.There is a heck of a lot more going for this movie than what you would suspect. Is it worth watching for Pia Zadora alone? Yes. She is a performer. Oddly enough, she is way older than I had thought, and some camera angles are even unflattering to her face, but as for the nude scenes, let's just say that there should be no complaints.The movie works better before all the "ensemble cast" enters the scene. The first half is erotic and frothy fun, think of it as bubbly champagne, the second half is just a large swig of vinegar. Must admit that I commented to myself "haven't had this much suspense in ages" - I really felt for the Jess character.Okay, the prudes and the embittered haters would love to tear the movie apart, and that is exactly what they did. Don't let them spoil it for you, watch it for yourself, and then decide.Powerful performance by Stacy Keach which gains sympathy every second of the way. What the average viewer here is most likely not gonna get, is that Kade goes for Jess because he is gentle with her, touching her the way she wants to be touched. Not rough-and-tumble. Not knock the stuffings out of her. I think that counts for something.

highlama A decent film with some awkward dialog telling a powerful tale of the price of honor. Stacy Keach is Jess Tyler, an isolated ranch hand type who is visited by his beautiful teen-age daughter, having not seen her in 10 years. Pia Zadora plays the sexy and seductive girl a bit amateurishly, but then some of her lines are simply laughable so it may not be her fault. If she'd had more confidence and experience she might well have told the director (Matt Cimber) "I'll say these lines but they'll make me vomit in my mouth." She's convincing as an incestuous lolita and slowly played against Keach's lonesome cowboy, the story does raise some heat.The setting is appropriate, the sun-baked and barren lands of the desolate South-West. The characters fit this rustic setting never exceeding a rural kind of sophistication. Yet aside from the questions of production, this film raises a important issue. Jess Tyler is recognized by virtually anyone he's had dealings with that he's the most honest and honorable man they know. This meme is repeated often enough to make it a central issue. Yet, when he discovers that he might be able to finally consummate his hands on and mutually adoring relationship with this lovely nymphette, his honor seems to disappear in the hot lava of his lust.Indeed, it's easy to lay claim to honor when it's never tested against an ultimate desire.

astoriareview It's been 20 plus years since I watched this masterpiece. I disagree strongly with the trash talk by the general run of reviewers who are blinded by this film's brilliance because they're shocked... mind you shocked to find European standards applied to an American film. I was riveted from the first frame to the last... and feel that Pia certainly deserved her golden globe... and for Orson, the final act was his greatest. In the end, Butterfly is an artistic effort by a fine ensemble that left me wordlessly wandering the streets of Port Townsend rejoicing that Hollywood had not completely sold out to the censors and bigots who had been squelching creativity in American cinema since the implementation of "the Hollywood production code" that had seemed to forever have doomed Hollywood's efforts to second-rate melodramas.

dwpollar 1st watched 3/6/2010 -- 3 out of 10 (Dir-Matt Cimber): Laboring tease-fest with Pia Zadora winning the Golden Globe for newcomer of the year as a daughter of a miner who enters into his life and causes all kinds of havoc. The best part of the movie is a comical performance by Orson Welles as a judge gathering up all the facts at the end of the movie and giving a hoot of a performance(that definitely fits the film!!). The basic storyline is that Pia's character visits her father, played by Stacey Keach -- teases him sexually, and then finds out about a possible motherload of silver in a mine that he guards. They then try to harvest it(illegally, of course)for profit until Pia's fiancée comes into the picture trying to get her back. From here on there is sex, violence, murder and other mayhem followed by a courtroom scene to sort out all the pieces. Zadora's performance is pretty bad even though Keach does an OK job as the put-upon father. How Zadora got a Golden Globe I'll never know?? Anyway, this is really a pretty trashy piece of film-making that should be avoided, in my opinion, unless you want to get a peak at Pia(which is pretty much all you get).