Watched "Bitter Moon" again - There isn't a better film to pass a serious comment on sex games & kinky macabre without turning campy! Polanski's direction is as usual faultless, the way he keeps the dialogues flowing is often overlooked. He's very effective in using the narrative v-o here. The story within a story is delicately transitioned. The way he keeps his formal powers in check (The camera's movement is as gentle and elegant as it could be!) and tries to keep sight of the emotional sinking at center of each character, and relationship..
Young looking Hugh Grant is less annoying here (Thankfully). But it's the astonishing performance of Peter Coyote that we're haunted by!