Der Todesking (1989) aka The Death King

4 / 5 Mar '11
Tagline: N/A

Directed by: Jörg Buttgereit

Written by: Jörg Buttgereit, Franz Rodenkirchen
Actors include: Suzanne Betz, Gerd Breitung, Ingo Buesing
Genre: Horror, Surreal
Length: 74 minutes
Banned: Nope




Review:
This is most definitely an unusual film but not too unexpected if you are familiar with the works of Jörg Buttgereit. It's surrealistic in nature, and it's really seven little segments divided up by days of the week. In between it's spliced with scenes of a corpse decomposing which is gross but but fascinating. The theme is death, murder and suicide...anything very depressing. It at least does have a dark sense of humor which makes it rather entertaining to watch. I think the best segment was the bridge, it actually made me feel nervous! Very effective little film that manages to disturb and horrify without being downright gross (okay so except the decomposing corpse). The music was actually quite fitting too, it seemed to add a lighter tough. Recommended for people who are looking for a different sort of horror film with a bit of an artistic touch.

Availability:  on DVD

Schramm (1993) aka Schramm: Into the Mind of a Serial Killer

4 / 5 Dec '09
Tagline: ...today I am dirty, but tomorrow I'll be just dirt.
Directed by: Jörg Buttgereit
Written by: Jörg Buttgereit, Franz Rodenkirchen
Actors include: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Monika M., Micha Brendel
Genre: Horror, Romance, Thriller
Length: 65 minutes
Banned: Finland, Singapore

Review:
This is an odd one...I'm not even sure who this was aimed at. It's part German art film, part goreophile's dream, part gross-out and part romantic drama (I kid you not). I was definitely intrigued and it held my attention, it just didn't come together as cleanly as I would have liked. As it goes we are watching our "Lipstick Killer" dying in a pool of paint and blood as we get hazy and fragmented memories that we are to piece together from his life. The thing is, there is symbolism, suggestion, hallucinations (I think) and all sorts of stuff to confuse someone trying to make sense of it though I'm sure that's the point. The acting was very good and believable and it does have a certain harshness that makes it uncomfortable. Our killer had a relationship with a Hooker, he had a meeting with religious folks, and a bizarre Denist meeting that I just can't begin to understand. Still there is something intriguing and memorable about this and it is quite unlike most. I should also mention that the whole thing wraps up in about 65 minutes so it's not much commitment. I do kinda wish they had added another twenty minutes to it to explain a couple of things or give us some more background info but well it is what it is. This will be something that some will definitely want to see but others will hate it.

Availability:  On DVD