HI Skylar. I was wondering if you would pop up in this thread. Also, I'm curios if there is anything that's new to you that is worth recommending. The rape stuff left me feeling yucky. I don't remember the details of the rest of the movie, as it's been a long time.
Ah, I guess there is a pretty strong rape scene in there. It's honestly been so long since I've seen it that I kind of forgot about that as well. I unfortunately can't really think of anything that I've seen that's been that fantastic, at least not anything new. But then again I really didn't make the rounds on the festival scene this year like I normally do. I only made it out to a few screenings here and there, and skipped some major stuff that I usually go to. Robogeisha is tons of fun, but not really horror. Uh.... I'll have to give it some thought and come back later. A lot of what I've seen recently has been a bit of a let down.
I haven't seen Evil Dead Trap but I just finished watching the more recent Japanese extreme torture flick Grotesque. It plays almost like a "sequel" to Guinea Pig: Flower of Flesh and Blood, with over-the-top yet satisfyingly convincing gore effects. I'm not sure if the DVD is out yet in the US but I got a Taiwan unrated pressing.
watched Human Centepede last weekend.....i dont know if i'll ever be the same. that was some brutal stuff right there.
Sounds interesting. I'm curious as to how many people were sewn together to make up the human centipede.
Has anyone else watched A Serbian Film yet? There was a lot of hype surrounding it, and I finally watched it a few weeks ago. It was pretty disturbing in terms of what was going on, but at times some things were clearly fake. There is a particular scene that I wish I knew about beforehand, because if I had know that there would be ____ ____ (PM me if you want to know), I would not have watched the movie, or at least skipped that scene. You can view the trailer here: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/serbian-film/red-band-trailer-b
I really wish people would stop talking about Human Centipede. It's not worth the hype. Serbian Film is a different beast all together.
No offense to anyone, but I think BOTH "Human Centipede" & "A Serbian Film" are completely overhyped. "Human Centipede" just felt like an unfunny Henenlotter movie without any originality beyond the basic premise and "A Serbian Film" kept reminding me of "The Aristocrats" - no real punch line to it but the shock value. The only great horror film I've seen recently was Jorge Michel Grau's "We Are What We Are", an excellent and extremely bleak Mexican tale about urban cannibalism that doesn't seem to get much attention except rave reviews by the few who've seen it at festivals.
Agreed. We Are What We Are is a great tale of moral ambiguity. I'll reserve comment on Serbian Film, I have a screener I keep meaning to watch just haven't been in the mood to. May watch it this weekend.
I still haven't seen HC, surprisingly. A Serbian Film is playing at the Philly Film Fest currently (tonight as a matter of fact). I have to say I'm curious. When I hear so much about how despicably vile these films are, I can't help but wonder how they could be any worse than the rest of the crop of "infamous" films that are listed here. It all just seems like hype to me. But then again, I've seen some reviews from folks who are no strangers to "extreme" cinema who say that A Serbian Film really has no worthwhile, redeeming value.
Very curious what you'll think of it. It's just dumb, inappropriately campy and gleefully revels in presenting one heinous atrocity after another simply for the sake of shock and nothing else. I searched out a couple of interviews with the makers after watching it to see if I had missed some cleverly hidden subtext, but they appear to be just a bunch of imbeciles who actually believe that showing a newborn infant getting raped is a statement against censorship.
Have you seen Life and Death of a Porno Gang? That's also Serbian and from what I hear very similar in plot, tone, and it's inclusion of graphic sex and violence. I missed that when it screened in Philly as well, but I'd like to catch up with it later to see what all the fuss is about.
Haven't yet - since it has interesting artwork and doesn't seem to rely solely on presenting baby-child-snuff-rape in order to make its "point" (at least judging from the hype/controversy it's generated compared to "A Serbian Film") I'm hoping for the better film...
Sort of frpom the other side of this, I'd have totally discounted Serbian Film if it hadn't been for a load of people, who's opinions I really respect, saying that it's actually a film of worth and validity that goes beyond the initial reactionary response. That said it is still sat on my table... And I'm meant to be screening it... I need to watch it. I'll update you.
I watched it last night. I had planned to go see it tonight in Philly, but plans fell through so I watched the screener that's been sitting on my hard drive for a bit. I wouldn't say that it has no worthwhile, redeeming value; just that it really does go for the throat and unapologetically wallows in it's excesses. By the end, you feel that Milos (protagonist) is a real person who you've invested in, versus the lead in an Eli Roth film where you could really give a shit what happens to them. That said, the brutality that's on-screen isn't hinted at or implied. They pretty much go for broke with the more controversial scenes, not pulling the camera back or showing a reaction shot; the camera sits motionless as you find yourself surprised that they did in fact "go there". As a long time fan of Pasolini's Salo, most sleaze and grindhouse.... I don't see myself buying this should it ever pop up on dvd. I watched it, without regrets, but don't know if I ever need to invest the time again.
I'm pretty sure I will feel the same. It caused a bit of a "thing" over here when 4min were excised from it for theatrical and now DVD release. I met the Director and Producer, Producer very nice and chatty. Director? Blunt, very matter of fact and almost unnervingly distant. Interesting fellow indeed. He told me that the prints were burned in Germany and Bulgaria and they were arrested in Germany, so getting cut in the UK didn't bother him at all. He wasn't phased in the least. He also vehemently denied, to the point of taking offence, that A Serbian Film was a horror film or torture porn at all. It's about reality, approaching life as it exists. You know, if you live in a seriously fucked up world....
Last weekend I saw the texas chainsaw massacre(original) at the drive in the past weeked and got to meet Gunnar Hansen(Leather Face). Even though I've seen it a million times watching it on the original reel at the drive in made it better.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find an interview where Spasojevic or the producers tell anything of interest besides that same old story how the prints were burned and they were supposedly "arrested". And I have to say I find it a bit bizarre that they seem to take pride in that - because really, what else do you fucking expect when filming stuff like this..?!? If I were to drop my pants in public and shit in the middle of the street a lot of people would likely be offended and it'd be "life as it is", but that wouldn't make it art and I wouldn't be boasting to people about how I got arrested for it... "A Serbian Film" reeks of sheer provocation to me, because the makers don't seem to be able to elaborate on their intentions besides claiming over and over again that it's about post-war Serbia and censorship. Plus they remind me of Uwe Boll, who is currently working on "Auschwitz", claiming he'll "show things exactly as they were." Thrilled to hear your opinion!
I'm careful about who I admit to having seen that one to. The shame, the shame. Thing is, more is suggested than actually shown, and that's enough! I loved Robert Ebert's review of it. He talked about how there were some images he wished he'd never put into his head, or wished he could erase. He closed the interview by saying that even though his editor requires him to give "star" ratings to movies, he refused in this case, because "The Human Centipede exists in a place where the stars don't shine." The over-the-top performance of the mad doctor was memorable for its wackiness. Probably the only "redeeming" thing about the movie. I've only been able to get about half-way through "A Serbian Film." Not sure I need to finish it. It's too well made to completely dismiss, but did it really even need to be made? I dunno. People said things like this about "Salo" when it was released, and it eventually found its niche in film history. I wouldn't recommend "A Serbian Film" to anyone because I don't want to bear responsibility for their response. It's quite the assault.
@ Ebert's review...poor guy. my wife and I vowed to never watch it again. we're going to pawn it off to some friends that havent seen it yet. def agree, the dr. was very intense. i think the worst part was when he was the pre surgery slide show. that was so dark!!
Heh, yeah. The "worst" scene and probably the best scene, too. Torture porn in which the torture is only psychological ... for the moment. The director says that the sequel will make the original look tame. Oh boy. I re-watched "Paranormal Activity" a few nights ago. Alone in a dark room late at night. I liked it much better that way than in the cinema. One thing though ... the ending was completely different from the one I saw in the theater! I need to look that up. I seem to remember reading something about how different theaters got different versions. I like both endings I've seen. Looking forward to the sequel. It's not really horror per se, but Teshigahara's "Pitfall" is interesting. Just caught that last night. Very odd film ... I almost had a hard time keeping track of who was dead and who was alive in it LOL. Great atonal soundtrack by Takemitsu. Not the director's best, but definitely worth checking out if you like Japanese cinema and offbeat ghost stories. This one took a rather dim view of the afterlife.
Just spent some time on imdb and wikipedia reading up on films listed here. A few of them made me uneasy enough to know I'll never watch them.. mainly those people said they wish they could un-watch. Cannibal Holocaust is one of those for me - any film that kills real animals is sickest of all in my book - that shit's not right. Black Sabbath and La Meute are now on my short list
