Nekromantik (1987)

And now for something completely different…

There are a few movies out there I dread seeking out. Even so, my curiosity usually gets the better of me, which eventually led me to Nekromantik. What can be said about Nekromantik? Right from the amateurish opening credits you notice the movie’s grim visual style. Virtually everything and everyone looks ugly and filthy. If you want more sanitized depictions of corpse violation try to watch Nacho Cerda’s Aftermath instead. Fortunately the gritty visuals here, much like, say The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, works to its advantage.

The story revolves around Rob who works at Joe’s Street Cleaning Agency, which basically bags corpses from accidents, murders etc. Rob has a nice collection of body parts in his apartment, where he lives with his girlfriend Betty. One day he gets the task of disposing of the recent body they picked up. Instead he takes it home with him. There is a wonderful, “Honey! I’m home!”, like moment as he arrives and eagerly shows Betty the rotting carcass. Rob gently strokes and presses his finger down on the moist remaining eyeball, smiling.

The scene that provides us with said body is truly corny. A German guy (well, they’re all German here) is drinking beer whilst shooting his BB gun and accidentally hits the neighbor who happens to be picking apples at the time. He lands on a rake and dies. This is all accompanied by weird, yet strangely fitting, music. There is also a garden gnome witnessing the whole affair, but he remains silent.

Betty and Rob lives happily with their new found friend until he is fired for being late for job. This infuriates Betty, who dumps Rob and leaves with their mutual love interest.

Now Nekromantik gives you a pretty darn twisted threesome with Betty, Rob and the corpse. Seeing Rob suck out his eyeball in a sensual manner is not the stuff of ordinary films. Yet, I think the scene is… wait for it… done in a tasteful manner. Now this may be the oxymoron if ever there was one, but the visual style in this scene makes it less disgusting. Maybe because you notice the effects and it draws some of your attention away from what is actually going on? Either way this will test the limits of most people. Fortunately, those who deliberately seek this movie out aren’t most people. I wonder how many people out there who accidentally stumbled over Nekromantik?

A different kind of love story.

Corpse fucking 101. You will need one pipe to substitute the corpse's penis.

Betty leaving sends Rob in a downwards spiral. He tries to get his mind on other things and goes to the movies, where he watches a slasher. Now I would very much have enjoyed seeing a full length feature of this film within a film. It’s trashy and contains sexualized violence (reason enough for banning it in the UK even without the actual movie I’m sure). This doesn’t really work for him, so he treats himself to a hooker instead. However this whole ordeal has emasculated Rob who is unable to get an erection. She laughs to his discontent before lying lifeless on a tombstone as Rob takes back control. Or would that be loses control? This is followed by a nice beheading reminiscent of the one early on in Bad Taste. Rob then proceeds to run around happily, in what I’m not sure whether is fantasy or reality. Regardless, seeing him running and cheering has a naïve quality to it that makes me laugh every time. He also nails his little Jesus figure to the cross. Does Rob see the possibility of dying and being resurrected? The movie screams; YES! His demise remains one of the sickest endings ever put on film. It feels strangely elevating despite being what it is. I also like the contrast here, sprouting life as he dies. Buttgereit expertly punctuates that fine line between life and death, both coming together at the same time. It leaves me flabbergasted every time. Stranger even is that Buttgereit manages to top this ending in Nekromantik 2, if you can believe it.

Nekromantik is a disgusting film. What exonerates it from being just a disgusting film is the sheer creativity behind it all. It’s made with a real can-do attitude, humor and a certain naivety. I guess that is necessary to make something like Nekromantik. While it is an unpleasant watch it simultaneously plays like a romantic comedy for the truly demented. I love the fact that someone actually had this idea and then made a film out of it. I’ve seen it five times so far and I keep going back from time to time just to be reminded of what movies with balls look like. Bravo Jörg Buttgereit! Bravo!

8/10