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| Images Courtesy of Lifetime |
Intro
Anthony Penta's brilliant documentary, We Kill for Love,
ended with one of its subjects opining on the concept of the erotic
thriller surviving in the modern era by hiding within the tacky veneer of the
Lifetime Movie Channel. This sub-column will explore that theory over the
next few pieces. The subject of the first article is daytime soap actress
Kate Mansi. Winner of a supporting actress Emmy for her work on Days
of Our Lives, Mansi is currently a series regular on the legendary soap
opera General Hospital. What is of interest is that five of her
feature films (four of which are Lifetime films) could be classified as
erotic thrillers. Mansi's display of range is well at home in the
steamy genre. Over the course of these films Mansi portrays psychotic
killers, devoted lovers and an amateur undercover sleuth, all patented
archetypes of the genre. It is her commitment to these various roles that
allows them to crossover from forgettable cable fodder into the realm of the
erotic thriller, albeit with (mostly) cable tv sensibilities.
Unwanted
Guest (2016)
Mansi's debut might be her best cinematic performance. Heavily cribbing
off Poison Ivy, yet regretfully remaining restrained and lucid, here
Mansi plays a shy college student with a mysterious past who spends a holiday
vacation with her roommate and her family. Mansi's transition from demure loner
to seductive killer is easily the centerpiece and her embracing of the material
only sells it harder. While it, and all the films in this article are
moored by endless tropes and cardboard cinematography, it is when the cast are
having fun that truly allows these popcorn delights to shine and Mansi's first
offering is a sterling example.
Boyfriend Killer (2017)
Staying in the villain role, this time Mansi portrays
Krystal the girlfriend of a deceased man whose broken family begins to suspect
her of foul play. Featuring Starship Troopers alum Patrick Muldoon
and Hard Target's Yancy Butler, this is yet another forgettable,
predictable Lifetime film that is lifted to the heavens by Mansi's sensual
insanity. Going even more over the top than her previous effort, this one
is a wild twist and turn affair with a rather nasty underpinning, a place of
wealth and power where the aggrieved beg the system to deny mercy and
enforce the most wicked of punishments upon the guilty.
Maternal Secrets
Turning the tables, Mansi plays a protagonist who faces off
against Kelly McGillis (Top Gun)! What is interesting about this
one is that there are layers and double crosses and flashbacks while Mansi's
innocent heroine tries to navigate a tropical paradise with her baby's father
while femme fatales and murderous mothers all try to not only destroy their
relationship, but Mansi's character as well. The script in this one is
more ludicrous than usual, which should lead to a lot of fun, however, the
other actors, even McGillis seem checked out. There is a particularly
steamy sequence involving the male lead, McGillis, and an ex-girlfriend that
almost makes this one worth the experience, if only for the insane shenanigans
that follow.
Muse
The only non-Lifetime film in this list, yet...still very
much Lifetime, Muse is about a struggling artist who begins a
relationship with a mythological creature that inspires his artwork...all while
killing anyone it perceives as a threat. It is an interesting take on the
descent into madness trope, if only for the bloody kills and intriguing
dialogue. Mansi does not star in this,
but factors heavily into the finale, as she portrays the love interest opposite
the seductive siren. Filled with an unexpected amount of nudity and
violence, this is the perfect Halloween feature for the upcoming
season.
Nightclub Secrets (2018)
Returning to the Lifetime fold, Mansi’s last thriller was
unique in that not only is she the heroine, she adopts an amateur sleuth role,
mimicking a Giallo, albeit it extremely tamer. Mansi's character goes
undercover in a high class night club to find out who murdered her
sister. Along the way, she delves into the world of prostitution and
narcotics. Easily the weakest entry in Mansi's filmography, but what it
lacks in edge and kink it makes up for with a solid climax in which Mansi gets
to showcase her talent. The strongest attribute is in how, like many of
these films, the plotline is convoluted to the point of lampooning, making it a
great beer and pretzels experience, enhanced by Mansi's reliable talent.
--Kyle Jonathan.