Tom Six is apparently the director's real name. I learn his favorite actor is Klaus Kinski, he is an AK-47 enthusiast, and wears RAF sunglasses and Panama hats. Not the kind of guy you want to share your seat on a Ferris wheel. He has said, “I get a rash from too much political correctness.” I promise you that after this movie, his skin was smooth as a Gerber baby's.
I have long attempted to take a generic approach. In other words, is a film true to its genre and does it deliver what its audiences presumably expect? “The Human Centipede” scores high on this scale. It is depraved and disgusting enough to satisfy the most demanding midnight movie fan. And it's not simply an exploitation film.
The director makes, for example, effective use of the antiseptic interior of Heiter's labyrinthine home. Doors and corridors lead nowhere and anywhere. In a scene where the police come calling, Six wisely has Heiter almost encourage their suspicions. And there is a scene toward the end, as the Human Centipede attempts escape, that's so piteous, it transcends horror and approaches tragedy.
The members of the Centipede are Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie and Akihiro Kitamura. The Japanese actor screams in subtitled Japanese, perhaps because he will broaden the film's appeal among Asian horror fans. In the film's last half, the two actresses don't scream at all, if you follow me.
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.
High Tension was built around the aesthetic of the static-y shifting of the girl into the killer. They thought of a cool visual, and then had to construct a narrative on top of it. Which is why it failed.
_________________________ "The trouble with being a ghost writer or artist is that you must remain anonymous without credit. If one wants the credit, one has to cease being a ghost and become a leader or innovator." — Bob Kane
High Tension was built around the aesthetic of the static-y shifting of the girl into the killer. They thought of a cool visual, and then had to construct a narrative on top of it. Which is why it failed.
I agree that it's a failure, but, as explained in one of the DVD extras, that shifting scene was actually thought up by a producer. It wasn't originally part of the script, which I guess was a little more ambiguous.
_________________________ The Gospel, wherein much Truth is written.
I'll have to listen to that again. I remembered that as being the genesis of the structure.
_________________________ "The trouble with being a ghost writer or artist is that you must remain anonymous without credit. If one wants the credit, one has to cease being a ghost and become a leader or innovator." — Bob Kane
Also, I embedded the amazing title sequence to the Gaspar Noé film, ENTER THE VOID, which is sort of a horror film. Watch it if you haven't already; you won't be disappointed.
_________________________ The Gospel, wherein much Truth is written.
I saw Park Chan-Wook's THIRST this weekend. I didn't know much about it, and it took me a while to recognize it as a comedy. I love Chan-Wook's graphic sense of style, and his baffling sensibilities always command attention, but THIRST didn't really cohere for me as I watched it. By the film's end I still felt like I'd only gotten one foot in the door. In and of itself, much of THIRST's grotesque and blackly comic imagery works, but thematically and narratively I couldn't shake the sense that Chan-Wook was just kind of throwing darts. Occasionally they'd stick, but just as often they'd fall flimsily from the board. Seemed scatterbrained and overlong, and its quirkiness, while interesting, was wildly uneven. Worth seeing if you like Chan-Wook but OLD BOY easily remains my favorite of those I've seen.
High Tension, meh. I agree it's overrated and that its central conceit is ineffective overall.
Quote:
The primal horror here isn't like losing one's sense of self to the Borg or alien body snatchers, but retaining a full sense of individuality while having to consciously suppress it in order to make the composite body work.
Good description.
Re: ENTER THE VOID, I'd like to check it out, first I'd heard of it. I thought Irreversible was strong, scary work.
#571308 - 05/10/1011:49 AMRe: Horrible Horror Films
[Re: madget]
Charles Reece
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Registered: 08/18/99
Posts: 10002
Loc: us of fuckin' a
Thanks, Madge.
I liked THIRST, probably more than OLDBOY, but I never feel like watching any of Park's films again, except maybe SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE. I tried OLDBOY a second time, and got bored. Not sure why.
Have you seen his CUT from THREE EXTREMES? Because it's a short film, he's more concise.
_________________________ The Gospel, wherein much Truth is written.
I haven't seen THREE EXTREMES. Might check it out. I think JSA is next in my Netflix queue, seems to be the one feature-length Chan-Wook I haven't seen. I remember Tarantino speaking highly of it, even more so than Old Boy. (Then again Tarantino's tastes are pretty hit and miss lined up against my own.)
I've seen Old Boy twice I believe. I had my qualms with it, but it seems like the Chan-Wook movie I'd most like to own for repeat viewings.
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