Monday, May 17, 2010

Something about this movie made me feel violated...

The most recent foreign movie that I watched has crossed many, many lines in my book.
irst let me say that I am a huge fan of gory slasher films filled with blood, guts, and disgusting kill/torture scenes. That may make me sound demented on many levels in your book but I love pondering over how the film makers were able to so convincingly pull those scenes off. I also wonder how much of the terror in the actors is real despite the fact that there was no real danger.

This movie, however, has stuck with me in a way that very few movies stick. While there is a lot of dark humor in this film, there are just many things that left me feeling very unsettled. I literally sat through the majority of the credits in a complete stupor with the strange feeling that something important (probably my last shred of innocence) was taken from me. The name of this movie is Taxidermia.


*http://www.impawards.com/2009/posters/taxidermia.jpg*

From that picture alone one should be a little nervous about what kind of adventure this movie will take you on. However, because of my affinity for horror movies I was intrigued and proceeded without the teeniest bit caution. 

The point of this film is still a little fuzzy for me. However, you are in Germany sometime around WWII and you will follow three generations of men who all lead very different lives. The first man, Morosgoványi, is a soldier who serves as a worker for Lieutenant Balatony and his family. This family includes a very stout wife and two beautiful teenage daughters. Morosgoványi fantasizes about being with all three of the women and often pleasures himself when they are near and the Lieutenant isn't watching. And, let me tell ya, he does some ODD things. At one point there is fire coming from a certain, um, appendage...

*http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2009_Taxidermia/2009_taxidermia_002.jpg*

Anywho, one evening Morosgoványi is approached by the Lieutenant's wife and they begin to have sex on top of a dead pig carcass. In the morning, he wakes up to find that it was all his imagination and he was laying naked on the pig. The Lieutenant suddenly walks in on him and, disgusted at what he sees, shoots Morosgoványi in the back of the head. Soon after, a baby with a curly (and wiggling) pig tail is born, his name is Kálmán.  Kálmán, coincidentally grows up to be a champion speed eater.    

While at a speed eating contest Kálmán meets the woman who he would eventually marry - Gizi, the woman speed eating champion. At the wedding reception Kálmán's best friend and rival speed eater pulls Gizi outside and they have sex up against the building. Soon after, Gizi finds out she is pregnant. We, the audience, don't know if the baby is Kálmán's or not but the couple are extremely excited. Until their son is born premature and ends up growing up to be a very skinny and quiet man named Lajoska.

*http://www.horrorphile.net/images/taxidermia-taxidermist1.jpg*

Lajoska owns a taxidermy buisness and takes care of his now morbidly obese blob of a father, Kálmán, since Gizi ran off long ago to coach American speed-eaters. All day, Kálmán eats nothing but chocolate bars, watch television, and sits in his chair at home waiting for his son to bring him more chocolate and take care of his beloved giant house cats. Yes, I said giant house cats... Lajoska's father says horrible things about his skinny size and his occupation. Which eventually leads to the fight that makes Lajoska not take care of his father for some amount of time. In this new spare time, Lajoska goes to the gym and desperately works out his small frame to build some definition.


*http://witneyman.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/taxidermia-fatman.jpg*

Eventually Lajoska goes to check on his father only to find that the cats had killed him and eaten some of his entrails. Though devastated, you can't help but see the relief in Lajoska's eyes. However, now Lajoska has lost all purpose in his life. The only thing left is job which was merely (and literally) a means to an end. So, Lajoska stuffs his father and kills himself in a way that you will not easily (if ever) forget... 

So, yeah. This movie is definitely deserving of a big bold WEIRD stamp from me. But, I will say that it is very creative. There is something about it that feels more like a dream sequence after having a tasty meal the night before that shocked your taste buds, twisted your innards, and left you drunk with uncomfortable fulfillment. The filming incorporates all the elements - earth, fire, wind, and water - in some way or another, which made it very colorful and fun to look at. 

As always, regardless of the fact that certain images from the movie will forever haunt the slimiest corners of my brain, I recommend that you watch this movie. Strangely enough, you may find yourself kind of wanting to watch it again or share it with someone like I am sharing it with you. Just be careful who you show it to or share it with. You are bound to get some odd looks if you divulge too much information on certain people...

Happy watching!

Taxidermia – Germany – Foreign Horror (black comedy) - 2006 


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