They Don't Really Have 100 Legs
or
Scheiße!
I'm a huge fan of horror films - especially foreign ones. Sure, we Americans have a dozen splatter and "torture porn" flicks to choose from in any given year. You can't beat the USA for volume. (How many Saw sequels have they made now?) However, when it comes to films so abhorrent and deranged, they induce a sensation of mindrape that leaves the viewer trembling for hours, I can think of a few cultures that churn out better material than we do. Anyone who has seen Audition or Oldboy will agree with me.
We can add the Dutch to that list now. They've officially earned a permanent place in the Fucked-Up Hall of Fame.
The Human Centipede is written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Tom Six. It is easily the most repulsive piece of cinema I've ever encountered. For that, I respect and congratulate the man.
Critics, of course, don't know what to make of the film. Roger Ebert even went so far as to give it ZERO STARS. Not because he hated it, but because its excruciating depiction of Sadism and suffering transcended his rating system: "I am required to award stars to movies I review. This time, I refuse to do it. The star rating system is unsuited to this film. Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine."
Mr. Ebert does a far better job reviewing the film than I can. This post is merely to express my approval, and increase awareness that such a movie exists.
I highly recommend this film to any horror fan for whom the old tropes have worn thin and copious blood 'n guts fails to impress. Do not venture into this film lightly. The Human Centipede is serious shock cinema. It's not "so bad, it's good" or "so over the top, it's funny." You've been warned.
I will only add that Dieter Laser is now one of my top five favorite actors of all time. I've never seen a malevolent pervert played so pitch perfectly. Mr. Laser commits to the role, and doesn't let up for a second. To remember his performance, 24 hours later, still makes the hackles raise on the back of my neck. It's seriously scary stuff, kids!
Oh, and despite the nauseating surgical/scatological premise, a surprising amount of grue is left to the viewer's imagination. That's mighty clever filming. I would not, however, call it an act of mercy towards the audience. Tom Six knows that you and I will fill in the visual blanks FAR more distastefully than he, the director, ever could.
I, for one, love this film. It is the ONLY film to date to make me lose my appetite while watching
it. I'm serious, guys. I couldn't eat my dinner. And it wasn't even something like chunky beef stew, or pasta marinara! It was a green salad, for christsake.
If you think you can handle it, watch it.
or
Scheiße!
I'm a huge fan of horror films - especially foreign ones. Sure, we Americans have a dozen splatter and "torture porn" flicks to choose from in any given year. You can't beat the USA for volume. (How many Saw sequels have they made now?) However, when it comes to films so abhorrent and deranged, they induce a sensation of mindrape that leaves the viewer trembling for hours, I can think of a few cultures that churn out better material than we do. Anyone who has seen Audition or Oldboy will agree with me.
We can add the Dutch to that list now. They've officially earned a permanent place in the Fucked-Up Hall of Fame.
The Human Centipede is written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Tom Six. It is easily the most repulsive piece of cinema I've ever encountered. For that, I respect and congratulate the man.
Critics, of course, don't know what to make of the film. Roger Ebert even went so far as to give it ZERO STARS. Not because he hated it, but because its excruciating depiction of Sadism and suffering transcended his rating system: "I am required to award stars to movies I review. This time, I refuse to do it. The star rating system is unsuited to this film. Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine."
Mr. Ebert does a far better job reviewing the film than I can. This post is merely to express my approval, and increase awareness that such a movie exists.
I highly recommend this film to any horror fan for whom the old tropes have worn thin and copious blood 'n guts fails to impress. Do not venture into this film lightly. The Human Centipede is serious shock cinema. It's not "so bad, it's good" or "so over the top, it's funny." You've been warned.
I will only add that Dieter Laser is now one of my top five favorite actors of all time. I've never seen a malevolent pervert played so pitch perfectly. Mr. Laser commits to the role, and doesn't let up for a second. To remember his performance, 24 hours later, still makes the hackles raise on the back of my neck. It's seriously scary stuff, kids!
Oh, and despite the nauseating surgical/scatological premise, a surprising amount of grue is left to the viewer's imagination. That's mighty clever filming. I would not, however, call it an act of mercy towards the audience. Tom Six knows that you and I will fill in the visual blanks FAR more distastefully than he, the director, ever could.
I, for one, love this film. It is the ONLY film to date to make me lose my appetite while watching
it. I'm serious, guys. I couldn't eat my dinner. And it wasn't even something like chunky beef stew, or pasta marinara! It was a green salad, for christsake.
If you think you can handle it, watch it.
5 comments:
My bagel stopped tasting good just after reading the wikipedia synopsis. I don't think I'm cut out for non-campy horror that doesn't have killer nuns or vampire babies in it.
Yeeeeeeah, it's not for the faint of heart.
I *like* feeling wretched and disgusted, so this was a hit with me.
I've got to hand it to Ebert. Just when I thought that he'd become too old to be relevant, he writes a review that seems to indicate that he's not above applying his well-honed critics pen, perhaps with some confusion, to something so far out of his comfort zone. Anybody know if this one is on Netflix?
You should have links to stuff when you post it. Save my lazy ass from google searching "oldboy" =)
Have you seen the Guinea Pig series? Or Salo? Or Canibal Holocaust? I've only recently started delving into the exploitation gore horror side of the genre, but I'm interested to hear what you thought of these especially.
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