A Serbian Film (2010)

You can add Norway to that list.

A nightmarish journey to the bowels of hell…

In May 2011 A Serbian Film was released in Norwegian stores. Having read about all the controversy I was naturally curious. After getting a confirmation from the distributor that it was uncut I picked it up fearing it would be pulled from stores. Norway bans A Serbian Film two short months later, making it the first one since Ichi the Killer in 2008. There were two paragraphs coming into play in this decision, first being sexual abuse and portrayals that sexualize children. The other paragraph concerns distribution of films with extreme violence made for entertainment purposes. So how gruesome is A Serbian Film and is it really worth banning?

A Serbian Film tells the story of porn actor Milos. He’s tired of the business and one day sees the opportunity to retire for good when he’s offered the lead in a new film. Milos accepts the deal unknowing about just what kind of a project he’s signed onto. The nightmare begins.

We’re given time to get familiar with Milos, his wife and son. They live a decent life. Early on their young son is caught watching one of dad’s porn films. As he goes to bed the kid remarks about a funny feeling he got downstairs when watching the film. Milos and his wife smile at their young innocent offspring. Both this scene and one later on portray child sexuality with skill and care. It is a part of them without knowing fully what it is yet. Building relationships also serves well for what is to follow.

On a technical level A Serbian Film is a surprisingly well-made film. The cinematography is professional, the lighting excellent and editing sensitive. The score works well with gentle piano tracks for the more quiet moments, while a brutal bass is ready to pound you on other occasions. That works particularly well over the ending credits when you feel exhausted and slightly violated.

Simple, but effective. Love that mise-en-scène.

The movie spends time building up and lets you believe Milos’ LSD infused journey into madness. There are a few potholes along the way you might question though. The prime example being when Milos is confronted with footage from something his mad director Vukmir has shot. It is the rape of a new born, or “new-born-porn” as Vukmir enthusiastically hails it. Milos’ eyes begin to wander away from the screen and so do mine at this point. You would think this would be Milos’ exit from the project, but that is not the case. Vukmir considers this horrific child abuse to be art that people just don’t understand, not yet anyway. According to Oxford dictionary art is; “the expression of human creative talent, especially in a visual form.” That is a quite broad definition and I highly doubt any normal sane person would agree that what Vukmir is doing is art. But that is a film within the film. A Serbian Film poses the question; what is art? Can a film that includes rape, incest, necrophilia and murder be art? I would certainly say yes. There is much beauty in A Serbian Film even if it can be in some rather dark corners. It reminds me of Cronenberg commenting on the beauty of a tumor. It is a living organism just trying to evolve. The tumor is a destructive force on the host, but has a beauty in its own right. One might disagree, but “art” and “beauty” are both ideas and challenging them, like in A Serbian Film is certainly meaningful and relevant in my humble opinion.

In regards to Norway’s reasoning for banning it, what we see involving child abuse, with the exception of footage of a young girl eating a lollipop, nothing here is portrayed in a manner to entice. And even that scene feels more like comment on the subject matter with some very dark humorous undertones. With that said, I certainly wouldn’t let a child of mine act in this movie. When it comes to A Serbian Film showing what they consider “extreme violence for entertainment purposes” I really have to disagree. Extreme violence as entertainment can readily be seen in modern movies like Saw and Hostel. Why is Hostel okay? Is Hostel okay if we say it’s a movie that plays on people’s xenophobia? A Serbian Film is actually a lot less interested in showing us brutality like these films. It shows restraint, believe it or not. Yes, it doesn’t shy away either, but it’s not as gratuitous as you might expect.

Becoming the beast.

A Serbian film is an unpleasant film as it should be. Dismissing it as cheap, exploitative trash is way too easy. It goes a long way to offend you, but does so in intelligent fashion. For those depraved enough there is the blackest kind of humor here, perhaps most evident at the very end. There is no escape, not even death. Banning it has only made it more sought after here in Norway and I encourage curious people to seek it out at their own risk. We are all responsible for making a better world. A Serbian Film only makes me want to try harder. In that light it certainly has value.

8.5/10

Untraceable (2008)

Untraceable you say?

A serial killer shows his victims live on internet. Their demise is directly linked to the number of viewers. The more people that watch, the faster they die. FBI agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane), along with agent Dowd (Colin Hanks) is put to the task of tracking the killer down. Help is also enlisted by detective Eric Box (Billy Burke). That is essentially the story. Jennifer has some emotional baggage as well, but the story doesn’t seem concerned with exploring this. What fragments there are, aren’t really particularly interesting, so it may be a good thing. Still, it makes me wonder why they would even bother with it in the first place.

Diane Lane doesn’t exactly shine in the lead, but she’s limited by an underdeveloped script. For the most part Jennifer smiles bravely, when not looking shocked or sad. Colin Hanks is easily the most likeable character, while Billy Burke looks like a cardboard box. The killer himself is given too little development to make any impact. To the writers credits the killer manages to generate some sympathy with the viewer. That rare glimpse of intelligence is however firmly crushed and put to death during the course of the movie.

Psychopaths have all the fun, but at least this killer let's you watch. 

Untraceable is a competently made film. The technical aspects are perfectly fine without being anything special, apart from a couple of inspired moments. The real problem is the script. There are too many plot holes and dull scenes. You are never surprised during the movie apart from perhaps Jennifer’s stupidity when hunting the serial killer. You’re an FBI agent, so act like one! Most of the elements in the movie work okay, so it’s a pity the script drags everything down.

In all fairness I think Untraceable raises a valid point in terms of media and particularly internet cynicism. It doesn’t feel real, but there are real people behind the tragedies we witness. Trying to make it more realistic Lane at one point mentions the now infamous videos of soldiers being beheaded. Will anyone who reads this look for those videos afterwards? Have you perhaps already seen it or some other clip of a person dying? It’s quite remarkable how much cruelties we witness through the news, internet and so on growing up. Unfortunately they seem hell bent on making you realize this and so, much like watching a Paul Haggis film, the message becomes smeared all over your face. I like movies that don’t underestimate its audience. Movies that allow you to discover and contemplate things for yourself are indeed more rewarding. Less can definitely be more!

I will give Untraceable kudos for not spending a lot of time rounding off the movie. We know what the end is and what happens to Jennifer, her family and all others involved after isn’t interesting. Just like Die Hard!

In the end Untraceable is forgettable thriller. It’s passable entertainment, but don’t you want more from your movies?

4/10

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)

The Doctor will see you now…

Scientist Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser aka Mantrid from Lexx) has a dream of creating a human centipede. Why would anyone want to do such a thing you might ask? Well, people have different interests and some are more eccentric than others. You could of course just label him a madman. It will make everything go down easier.

The movie opens with Heiter finding a suitable victim for his experiments at a rest stop. The hunter is patiently waiting for a prey. He’s a creepy looking man, much thanks to a strong face and truly villainous, borderline non-human eyes. A long coat, a dart gun and a car with a decent seized trunk can get you a long way when you’re a mad scientist, at least in terms of acquiring victims. The good doctor has plenty of luck on his side. One strange evening a couple of ladies lost in their search for a party show up at his front door. If there ever was an incentive to learn how to change tires this is the movie. It’s welcome that one of the ladies comments the lack of cell phone reception. “There is always reception!” Cell phones have become an element that always plays into consideration when psycho’s or the threat of psychopaths is imminent in horror films set after the 90s. The two girls, Lindsay and Jenny soon realize that their host isn’t quite right and unsuccessfully tries to escape. One of them gives it another go later on in a painfully slow cat and mouse game. It plays out remarkably well and has a tone and look similar to the scene following the dog chase in Tenebre.

A part of what builds up around the whole atmosphere of unease is the look of the movie. It’s given a cold and sterile, bluish look. Everything feels very clinical. Heiter’s house is like a small fortress sparse on everything. Dieter Laser impresses as the doctor. You can see Heiter’s detached attitude to humans in his eyes. It’s really quite terrifying. He feels like a poster boy for Nazi scientists. The doctor would probably be more at home during WWII when medical ethics was a non-issue. It would have been perfect for his experiment.

One of the more terrifying scenes in The Human Centipede.

Then there is the actual human centipede of the movie. As it progressed it started dawning on me just how twisted this idea is merely in theory. But this isn’t about theories and director Tom Six in content to show you more than you’ll need to see. The most affectionate gore hounds might be disappointed, but what restraint is shown only works to The Human Centipede’s advantage. The simple drawings Heiter shows when explaining the procedure to his victims works remarkably well. Initially I thought the movie would end with the completion of the human centipede, but this only marks around the 50 minute mark. For the last 40 minutes we follow the doctor, his human centipede and its/their effort to escape. The small cage designed for the human centipede made me squirm. If it isn’t bad enough that you have been surgically sown together with two other people you are confined to a small space at night as well. Add to that the humiliation of being in this state and you’ve got yourself an incredibly unpleasant and highly distressing situation. The thought of it really does make me uncomfortable, which is a good thing.

Science used for nefarious purposes.

Twisted as The Human Centipede is there is actually a very dark sense of humor in it. Yes, it’s gross and filled with what-the-fuck moments, but I also found myself laughing quietly at how absurd it is. It wouldn’t surprise me if Six’s sense of humor stems from Jörg Buttgereit’s Nekromantik. At least here the center of affection is alive though.        

                                                                                     

The Human Centipede is a challenging horror flick. It’s unpleasant to watch and is able to do that without going overboard graphically. I was always curious what would happen around the next corner. Could there possibly be anything near a happy ending? It is a horror that will benefit from multiple viewings. Tom Six has created a perverse little picture well worth seeing.

The sequel The Human Centipede (Full Sequence) has recently been banned in its entirety in the UK. I’m quite anxious to see how Six is going to top the first one, but since Buttgereit managed it with Nekromantik 2, anything’s possible. A third film has been confirmed so it looks like this is a concept that will be explored in more graphic detail in the future. The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is worth checking out for fans of alternate cinema.

8.5/10  

Hitch Hike to Hell (1977)

Take the bus instead…

Loving son and truck driver for a local commercial laundry, Howard Martin (, likes to pick up hitch hikers. It’s a noble thing to do, except for when the hitchhiker’s are running away from home. Howard will kill you for it!

Howard Martin is played by Robert Gribbin better known for his menacing role in Don’t Go Near the Park under the pseudonym Crackers Phinn. Why he wasn’t comfortable having his real name on that film remains a mystery, since Hitch Hike to Hell is just about as exploitative, though slightly less graphic. Martin’s problem with runaways stem from a very close relationship to his mother. That’s right; we have another psycho with severe mommy issues! At this point I’m beginning to wonder if this is the leading cause of serial killers. He is a simple and quiet soul except for his occasional murders. There is no reason to suspect a man like that! That was also the case with Ed Gein, but he turned out to have some rather nasty habits. Hitch Hike to Hell was also made in a time where there were several cases with real serial killers roaming the States. Both the Zodiac Killer and the Skid Row Slasher are briefly mentioned by the detectives trying to ground the film more in reality. It’s in bad taste, but works.

Say, may I offer you a ride in my van?

Now Hitch Hike to Hell is competently made for a 70s exploitation, even if it does add little to the serial killer genre. It all feels distinctly underdeveloped. Howard becomes less and less involved with his job as the murderous tendencies come more and more into play. Has he just started murdering when we enter the film or has it been going on for a longer period of time? I feel Hitch Hike to Hell would have benefited if we were given a catalyst for his behavior. His mother is a definite part, but what caused that final leap over to the dark side? It’s probably a bit too much to ask for in a low-budget 70s exploitation though.

There are a lot of good elements in Hitch Hike to Hell that unfortunately don’t add up to much in the end. I’m always weak when it comes to gritty 70s flicks, even if this one is quite mild and less exploitative than it should have been. Serial killers are always an interesting theme, so it’s too bad the execution wasn’t better. Still, you could do a lot worse.

5/10

Kidnapped Coed (1976)

Back in the 70s when people made movies…

Kidnapped Coed also known as Date with a Kidnapper and The Kidnap Lover marks Frederick R. Friedel’s second film in a grand total of three. Along for the ride he has actor Jack Canon, musicians George Newman Shaw and John Willhelm and cinematographer Austin McKinney. All were participants in Friedel’s debut Lisa, Lisa, better known as Axe for marketing purposes. The Kidnapped Coed title, coined by notorious distributor Harry Novak, is likely an attempt to cash in on the Edmund Kemper case, better known as “The Co-ed Killer” a few years earlier.

Eddie Matlock (Canon), a small time criminal, kidnaps young Sandra Morley (Leslie Rivers) for ransom. This marks the beginning of a strange journey through North Carolina.

Kidnapped Coed feels like a string of almost random scenes that all add up as a whole. Eddie and Sandra encounter two other bad guys at a hotel, which she initially thinks will save her, but instead rape her. Eddie saves her and their journey continues to the next location. One particularly strange and quite humorous scene is when a group of female birdwatchers walk around close to their new hideout. It helps in terms of developing the tone of the story, because while it starts off rather tensely it becomes lighter and lighter during its course. Canon makes a great leading guy that at first glance seems like a cold and calculating criminal, but as the story progresses he comes off as slightly tragic and even sympathetic. The dialogue is sparse, but it says just enough to make an impact. This is also a movie where silences speak volumes. Eddie and Sandra’s evolving relationship feels credible and makes you wonder how it all will end. The ending is quite abrupt, but according to Friedel himself he chose a voiceover ending since there wasn’t any money left for further shots. An unhappy ending was filmed at first, but dropped to keep the in synch with the tone of the film.

Friedel has made the little exploitation film that could with Kidnapped Coed. He is given ample support from the two leads that raise it above its simple roots. The music works well and is an important ingredient when it comes to developing the feel of the film. It certainly left me smiling and didn’t shy away from experimenting. Cinematographer McKinney provides inspired shots that are frequently more beautiful than you would expect from such a film. He went on to shoot Galaxy of Terror (1981) and Jaws 3-D (1983) among other and was apparently even assistant director on Coleman Francis legendary The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961). Friedel readily admits that much of the movie wasn’t planned exactly like it turned out, but this seems only to have benefitted Kidnapped Coed. It also explains the episodic nature of it. Kidnapped Coed wasn’t a big success upon release, but remains an oddity very much worth checking out. If Terrence Malick had made an exploitation film out of Badlands (1973) with a lower budget I imagine it could have looked something like this.

7.5/10

Death Wish II (1982)

Bronson’s loose again!

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) has found relative peace in Los Angeles after the chaos caused with his hands-on approach to justice in New York two years earlier. His daughter is still suffering trauma from this, but he does his best to show her the better sides of life. Kersey has also found a love interest in the shape of Geri (Bronson’s real wife Jill Ireland). The storm appears to have calmed down. Unfortunately, Paul soon realizes that he is actually in the center of it.

While Death Wish showed us Paul’s gradual descent, or would that be ascent, to vigilante Death Wish II doesn’t need that. Kersey killed 9 scumbags on the streets of New York. All we need this time is motivation to make him pick up former hobbies. A gang of criminals featuring a young Laurence Fishburne provides him with said motivation. Paul’s maid is gang raped and eventually killed in particularly long and unpleasant scene. He is knocked out, his darling daughter kidnapped and subsequently not treated in the gentlest of ways. I consider myself rather hardened, but director Michael Winner still managed to push Death Wish II to uncomfortable limits. That is also why it has frequently been censored. Vigilante justice will be screaming in your ears after the first half hour. This second film is much more exploitative than the first one, dwelling much more on the sexual and violent aspects.

Raping Kersey's maid was a big mistake, but the worst is yet to come. 

Paul takes a short break after these tragic events before finding his gun and getting ready for payback. After acquiring a suitable vigilante outfit for scouring the streets the lone gunman starts his mission for justice/revenge. Watching Bronson prowling the streets is easily one of the movies’ highlights. Various great locations create a dark urban dystopia along with fitting 80s music by Jimmy Page.

Already in the opening credits a radio station broadcasts about how much the murder rate has gone up along with rape and other crimes. With an abundance of homicides it seems strange that the detectives come to the conclusion that a vigilante is on the loose, but hey, they could just be really smart guys. This leads them ask how the whole vigilante problem was taken care of in New York. Paul Kersey’s name comes up once again. Since they essentially sanctioned vigilante justice back there by letting him go, they aren’t that interested in Kersey being taken in and potentially letting out a political bomb while making him out as a martyr in the process. Kersey won’t be stopped though! Kersey is given leeway around most corners. A couple he saves from a gang of hoodlums is less than cooperative when the police ask them for a description. Most of the law abiding citizens appear to be pro-vigilantism. I cheer on Bronson as well, as will you.

There is something very satisfying with seeing scumbags meet their demise, especially when it comes in the shape of Charles Bronson. Death Wish II is at times highly unpleasant to watch building anticipation for the consequences. And there are indeed consequences for wrongdoings here! Michael Winner has created an urban hell that makes for a fascinating watch. Bronson provides us with a believable character with warmth and yet conveys stoicism aplenty. If you like brutal revenge movies then Death Wish II is for you.

8/10

Gutterballs (2008)

Strike!


I like movies that show exactly what they're like within the opening minutes. Gutterballs provides us with a beaver shot so candid that you in all likeliness will tilt your head and go; Hmm. This is the kind of film that goes that extra mile, something that undoubtedly will offend any regular and possibly the more hardened viewer.

A woman is raped in a bowling alley and the following evening people start dying at that very same bowling alley. Could this be a coincidence? Divine forces at large? Terrorists? Whoever or whatever the case may be the story is simple enough, so leave any intellectual expectations at the door or in the gutter.

Gutterballs scores a few points for style. It plays like an homage to the great heydays of 80s slashers. Even the costumes have a modern retro look that fits in nicely. It's cheesy, yet cool. Entertaining and at times squirm inducing sound effects too.

I've noticed a few complaints about the acting in this film, despite that no one would expect Oscar worthy performances in such a film. Yes, there are some notably weak performances, but I would like to defend the actors here. They are so incredibly over-the-top, just like they should be when spoofing such stereotypes, that you never accept them as real human beings. This is a good thing. They exist solely within the reality of this movie. I like the characters in the sense that they aren't played as anyone with any depth. Steve is a maniacal brute so up-tight that you expect him to explode at any given moment. He NEVER does a single thing that makes you reassess your hatred of him. You want him to die and that is the point. The sluts are slutty and everybody just wants to get their groove on. Now the dialogue is about as sharply written as you would expect. It constantly uses  fuck and its variations, cunt and mostly ferociously crude insults. You're likely to become tired of it (I was relieved whenever someone DIDN'T swear), but even so the excessive use of profanities becomes quite funny after a while. I would like to see a cartoon version of this. And I don't think this would have worked with the characters saying: "Would you be a darling and get me a beer?" It's not that kind of a film.

Then there is the great, talking, bowling ball polish machine. I really, really liked this machine and I wish it had more screen time. None of the bowlers contemplates its rude remarks, nor should they. I can't say I understand its purpose, but it adds to the surreal feeling that anything goes in this movie. If elves suddenly appeared and started dancing and singing I would be cool with that as well. Bring it on! As the notable rape scene commenced I initially thought it had a certain camp aspect to it. However, as it continued and the rest of Steve's gang joins in, with vicious brutality, this becomes one of the most unpleasant rapes you're ever likely to see in a movie, deserving a place alongside Meir Zarchi's I Spit on Your Grave and Irreversible. My friends squirmed and complained that it was pointless and overly long. Well, it drives the point home AND it makes you long for them to die in the most brutal manners possible. Mission accomplished.

Then there is the gore. The glorious gore! This is where Gutterballs really excels. It delivers buckets of blood. There is a scene of graphic genital mutilation that I'm sure will make anyone being sickened by the one in Hostel: Part II run for their lives. It doesn't look pretty! Shotgun blast to the throat, forced entry with sharpened bowling pin, strangulation, a slit throat, faced ripped to pieces plus other enjoyable deaths. We even get a death by phallus in a manner I'm not sure has been done since Joe D'Amato's Porno Holocaust. That takes balls (sorry, couldn't resist)! The unveiling of the killer ends in a climax so bloody I couldn't help but wonder if all the plastic sheets covering the room were there just so it would be easy for the crew to clean up after filming was done? Tell me I'm wrong. Not that it matters really.

Delivering the goods. Gory mayhem for the win.

No sane person would ever call Gutterballs a great film in any traditional sense. It's a simple story that slasher fans have seen time and again. And that's what we want! Add to that a director who obviously loves these films and brings with him a few new ideas to play around with and you are in for a bloody good time! It works within the confinements of the sub genre. Like previously mentioned, Gutterballs is not a film for the average film viewer. It isn't even a film for most horror fans. It's relentlessly brutal and never apologizes for it. Fortunately! But for those venturing in low-budget extreme cinema this is pure gold. I'm glad that there are people out there who still make films for this audience. It makes me feel spoiled and I love it!


8/10