An artistic and somewhat stylized visualization of Henry Miller's 1956 novel Quiet Days In Clichy, about Miller's real and imagined experiences in that French town at the beginning of his writing career; his liaisons with cafe girls, whores and others because, as is proclaimed in big letters flashed across the screen, "CUNT WAS IN THE AIR!"

Shot in black and white, this Danish film — don't worry; it's in English — plays at times like a documentary, at times like a French surrealist fantasy, with Joey (Paul Valjean), the Miller surrogate, shown wandering around streets of the Paris suburb, soaking in the ambiance, chatting up the women, putting the moves on some, often in concert with his roommate Paul (Wayne Rodda), from whom he occasionally steals money. There's plenty of nudity and bouncing bodies here, and even a few hardcore flashes — daring stuff for the time, but nothing to write home about (especially if "home" is Denmark).

Sadly, the film tends to ramble, doesn't so much end as fade out, and it will take a certain dedication to history to watch it more than once ... but that's what Quiet Days In Clichy is: One of the landmarks in the history of censorship.

As such, the extras include a 17-minute interview with Barney Rosset, which in itself is worth the price of the disc. Rosset founded Grove Press, and through attorney Stanley Fleishman, fought several court battles to publish Miller's novels in America, where they were banned for nearly 30 years. The interview provides important background on the film, on censorship in America and on Miller's work in general. Also included are an II-minute interview with "Country Joe" McDonald, who wrote the music for the film; biographies of Miller and Thorsen; and as a DVD-ROM feature, reproductions of several court documents relating to the Rosset/Miller proceedings.

Few have attempted to film Henry Miller's works, and while Quiet Days In Clichy doesn't easily lend itself to visual depiction, it has an important place in that intersection of literature and film history. Stocking is strongly recommended for both general and adult video stores.