- Don't watch this while eating
- Don't watch this with other people
- Don't watch this if there's even just a risk of people walking past the screen while it's on
- Don't watch this if surgery scenes make you squeamish
- Don't watch this if taxidermy creeps you out
- Don't watch this if full nudity makes you uncomfortable
- Don't watch this if you hate scenes where people vomit on-camera
48 Reviews
Taxidermia is a film
Jeremy_Urquhart21 August 2020
three generations of fairly twisted fellows
cinemart11 September 2006
Beginning in World War II-era Hungary, two soldiers stay at a remote country home. The sexually frustrated soldier Vendel (Csaba Czene) concerns himself with myriad masturbation techniques while watching his commanding officer's wife and daughters. The product of his frequent seed spillage, Kálmán (Gergo Trócsányi), grows to comfort his country as a champion eater. While the International Olympic Committee refuses to recognize his sport, Kalman remains stolid and captures the heart of Gizella (Adél Stanczel), a fellow female champion. Their heir, Lajos (Marc Bischoff), has not inherited an ounce of his parents' impressive girth. This sickly lad lives a life of quiet desperation as a taxidermist. A disappointment to his corpulent father, Lajos finds a few lucky solutions to solve his problems.
Following these three generations of fairly twisted fellows, TAXIDERMIA is light on plot but heavy on visuals. Visceral often to the point of being gross, few bodily fluids and orifices go unseen in Palfi's sophomore feature effort. Recommended.
Following these three generations of fairly twisted fellows, TAXIDERMIA is light on plot but heavy on visuals. Visceral often to the point of being gross, few bodily fluids and orifices go unseen in Palfi's sophomore feature effort. Recommended.
The awful truth.
iminemeth9 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Contrary to common belief, this film actually portrays three consecutive eras of Hungarian historical reality using visually shocking symbolism. The film starts with the final days of fascism where one oppressive extreme gives birth to an other directly opposite on the political scale. Communism was the bastard child of fascism, however there was a few years of discontinuity, hence the man of the flaming penis getting executed after laying his seed in the pig-woman. Why the flaming penis? Great 'balls' of fire, literally, enflaming the globe resulting in war of a global scale. The great jizz in the sky and paedophile fairytale setting-A self delusion thinking you can 'F' the world and manipulating your own population to further grotesque goals...Here little girl, put your hand over my heart. In all reality, it was a system that gave the big 'F' to its own people.
The second generation is the era of pig-boy, eating with both hands, consuming all he can and more. In historical terms it is what was once labeled as "Goulash Communism". After the '56 Hungarian uprising, communist leaders made the country the 'Happiest barrack', to avoid more trouble with the ever restless Hungarians. It was a communist style "Let the Hungarian eat cake". A nice touch in the film when the eating champion is told ahead that the Soviet will be the first and he himself can be second. Reality was, that as long as there is no '56 style open challenge to the system, you can have your private Hungarian world,within the barrack, as you like it.
The third generation is the taxidermist making a living out of prepping/propping up the decaying system. In all reality, there was no real political change in Hungary following the downfall of communism. Yes, communism ended in nominal terms, but the same leaders and their cronies stayed and held onto power. Working together with multinational companies, the World Bank and IMF, they successfully stuffed their own pockets while wrecking the local economy and enslaving the population. If you notice, the taxidermist is pale, almost bloodless with a fragile, sickly body. He lives alone among the stuffed animals-relics of the past. He is unable to attract the woman he likes-society of alienated individuals. He works out, almost fanatical, like a hamster locked in a ferris-wheel-expand all your energy, you will still never get ahead way. He still labours on and feeds his ungrateful father-the ever present oligarchs, the corrupt system that never ended, just got worse with the passage of time. The father fattens up cats kept behind bars, but when the gate is left open in a careless moment, the cats consume his gut. The symbol of fat cats: Bankers are often depicted as fat cats. Here the film comes full circle. It starts with Fascism and ironically the true definition of Fascism is the marriage of state and industry, business;in modern terms-Globalism: Fascism on a global scale. Political systems on the extreme are ultimately self-destructing, but not before they destroy their host society. At the end, the father is prepped with the cats displayed protruding from his gut-the system that literally ate itself. The doctor with the foetus is an abortionist. The tiny foetus, still in its embryonic state sports a pig tail. Pigboy and the system he represents is nothing more than a kitschy key-chain...the Hungarian population is also one of the fastest declining. The taxidermist preps himself in a 'Statue of David' style and his remains are admired in a futuristic setting by an artsy crowd-no future. It is self-sacrifice at the altar of utter helplessness. The missing head and arm-His knowledge alone was not enough to save him and his right hand-hand of righteousness, justice, itself. All that is left is a stuffed torso in the style of 'David', yet eerily reminiscent of the stuffed scarecrow of OZ. No heart, no brain, but all the knowledge and feelings of the world. A once great nation, a once great people, like so many before them, are reduced to a sideshow. Hungarians are not alone in this process. We can see the same unfolding in many countries the world over. Western societies are on a long decline as the ebb and tide of expansion and prolonged contraction of societies carries on.
Why 9 out of 10?
Simply put, perfection is a figment of imagination. Here is the long version: I feel, most of the meaning-symbolism gets lost on people raised on a steady diet of Hollywood and most see the sensationalistic, the grotesque, the demented and the fantastic without being able to put everything into context. Such people are not able to process the story presented the way it was meant to be. This film is filled with grotesque and disgusting scenes which is both culturally and historically specific. It was the only possible way to depict the full depth of the horror of past eras culminating in the present. Hungarians are disgusted and do think, all that is going on is a grotesque freak-show and this is what this film is all about. There are also discreet hungarianisms, puns and references that those not living in the culture would have difficulty noticing. At the end, such viewers see attention grubbing sensationalism only and either they love it purely for its visual effects or hate it, because they find it simply disgusting.
The second generation is the era of pig-boy, eating with both hands, consuming all he can and more. In historical terms it is what was once labeled as "Goulash Communism". After the '56 Hungarian uprising, communist leaders made the country the 'Happiest barrack', to avoid more trouble with the ever restless Hungarians. It was a communist style "Let the Hungarian eat cake". A nice touch in the film when the eating champion is told ahead that the Soviet will be the first and he himself can be second. Reality was, that as long as there is no '56 style open challenge to the system, you can have your private Hungarian world,within the barrack, as you like it.
The third generation is the taxidermist making a living out of prepping/propping up the decaying system. In all reality, there was no real political change in Hungary following the downfall of communism. Yes, communism ended in nominal terms, but the same leaders and their cronies stayed and held onto power. Working together with multinational companies, the World Bank and IMF, they successfully stuffed their own pockets while wrecking the local economy and enslaving the population. If you notice, the taxidermist is pale, almost bloodless with a fragile, sickly body. He lives alone among the stuffed animals-relics of the past. He is unable to attract the woman he likes-society of alienated individuals. He works out, almost fanatical, like a hamster locked in a ferris-wheel-expand all your energy, you will still never get ahead way. He still labours on and feeds his ungrateful father-the ever present oligarchs, the corrupt system that never ended, just got worse with the passage of time. The father fattens up cats kept behind bars, but when the gate is left open in a careless moment, the cats consume his gut. The symbol of fat cats: Bankers are often depicted as fat cats. Here the film comes full circle. It starts with Fascism and ironically the true definition of Fascism is the marriage of state and industry, business;in modern terms-Globalism: Fascism on a global scale. Political systems on the extreme are ultimately self-destructing, but not before they destroy their host society. At the end, the father is prepped with the cats displayed protruding from his gut-the system that literally ate itself. The doctor with the foetus is an abortionist. The tiny foetus, still in its embryonic state sports a pig tail. Pigboy and the system he represents is nothing more than a kitschy key-chain...the Hungarian population is also one of the fastest declining. The taxidermist preps himself in a 'Statue of David' style and his remains are admired in a futuristic setting by an artsy crowd-no future. It is self-sacrifice at the altar of utter helplessness. The missing head and arm-His knowledge alone was not enough to save him and his right hand-hand of righteousness, justice, itself. All that is left is a stuffed torso in the style of 'David', yet eerily reminiscent of the stuffed scarecrow of OZ. No heart, no brain, but all the knowledge and feelings of the world. A once great nation, a once great people, like so many before them, are reduced to a sideshow. Hungarians are not alone in this process. We can see the same unfolding in many countries the world over. Western societies are on a long decline as the ebb and tide of expansion and prolonged contraction of societies carries on.
Why 9 out of 10?
Simply put, perfection is a figment of imagination. Here is the long version: I feel, most of the meaning-symbolism gets lost on people raised on a steady diet of Hollywood and most see the sensationalistic, the grotesque, the demented and the fantastic without being able to put everything into context. Such people are not able to process the story presented the way it was meant to be. This film is filled with grotesque and disgusting scenes which is both culturally and historically specific. It was the only possible way to depict the full depth of the horror of past eras culminating in the present. Hungarians are disgusted and do think, all that is going on is a grotesque freak-show and this is what this film is all about. There are also discreet hungarianisms, puns and references that those not living in the culture would have difficulty noticing. At the end, such viewers see attention grubbing sensationalism only and either they love it purely for its visual effects or hate it, because they find it simply disgusting.
"Delicatessen" on steroids. Greenaway is a Teletubbie next to this...
fedor824 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The first part/story is about a soldier/peasant/whoever who gets erections looking at just about anything. He spies on peasant women bathing, and masturbates in his shed. Later on, he observes them clandestinely and lustily from his super-shed as they muck about in the snow. He notices a small hole in the wooden wall of the house and decides to stick his proud and filthy member inside it. The masturbation starts (or is it house-screwing? now there's a real intelligent philosophical dilemma that presents itself for all ye pompous/deluded film students). However, the poor schluck doesn't get very far with his sexual shenanigan because a rather bored but grim-looking rooster sees what looks like a worm-like animal to him, and pecks it very hard. (A rare funny moment.) The chronic masturbator emits a loud yowl.
But there are more perversions! I've barely even started listing them. Our peasant is apparently also a pedophile, as we watch him lose himself in a fanciful fantasy world that involves a fairy-tale-like house and a girl barely 8 years old. Guess what happens next? Exactly: the peasant takes the girl's hand and tells her to "put it down there". Cut to Hare-Lippy inside his shed: he masturbates to this imagined girl, and the director is even kind enough to show us not only his erect penis but also the semen that shoots out of it - all the way towards the night-sky, towards one of Earth's nearest stars. (Proxima Centauri? Perhaps his semen will start off a whole new world/civilization of filthy-minded attention-seeking Hungarian directors there...) Was this Art? Symbolism? Alienation? A metaphor for something similarly stupid and irrelevant? Nah... Just a perverse Hungarian director who probably believes that porn is artistic and belongs in mainstream movies. No wonder, of course: Hungary is the Metropolis of Europe's porn industry, so I guess the least we can expect in any modern Hungarian movie is erections, vaginas, pedophilia, bestiality, etc. Oh, come on, we have to be open-minded about such things!
The next scene shows the graphic depiction of the butchering of a pig. You might have guessed it already (as I had): our anti-hero is sexually drawn towards all of that freshly slaughtered bloody dripping flesh, so later that evening he decides to lie on what's left of the porker and - but what else? - fantasizes/masturbates to various peasant women who so constantly provoke him with their large breasts and happy smiling faces. At first it isn't entirely clear whether he is actually having (gasp!) normal sex with a consenting adult from the same species and of the opposite sex, because it appears as if the fat middle-aged woman is really there - making her moves on him. But then it becomes clear that it's yet another fantasy, i.e. that this movie's director would never stoop so low as to show us too much of sex between mere two humans (That'd be too square, right? After all, the director feels compelled to compete with Greenaway, Miike, and the like.)
The next morning, the fat woman's husband enters the peasant's shed and blasts his head off with one clean shot to the head. The head dissolves into bits of flying debris, some of it perhaps hitting the camera-lens. Not sure about that one. Either way, the director had already managed to fulfill his Extreme Sex&Violence Quota - only 20 minutes into the movie. From here on, any further filth is merely a bonus for the movie's drooling fans.
And more filth there is. What follows is that the fat woman gives birth to a baby-boy who has a ha-ha-funny anomaly attached to his derrière: a pig's tail. Daddy doesn't seem to be too keen on having a semi-porker for a child, so he rushes to get a pair of pliers and cuts off the piggy-tail with boredom almost, as if he'd been doing that sort of thing for years.
Cut to around 20 years later; the second story begins. There is a food-stuffing competition going on, in what seems to be a satire of Communist lust for sports glory. One of the morbidly obese competitors we easily recognize as the baby boy from the previous scene, on account of the remnants of a small pig-tail still bulging out just beneath his lower back. We're somewhere in the early or mid-60s. The second part mostly ignores sexual deviation, but there's still plenty of vomiting and retarded behaviour as to please even the most jaded fans of so-called "shock-cinema". As our half-piggy hero lies in bed, his fiancée's very hairy armpit hangs over him, dripping sweat - right onto his face. He licks it off, having obviously been sexually stimulated by it. Later on, there is more competitive food-munching, some brief doggy-style sex, etc. It's all very stylishly shot, but quite unfunny and mostly infantile.
The third story features Half-Piggy, much older and by now weighing around two tons, looking distinctly like a Euro-trash version of Jabba The Hutt. He is immobile, spending his time in a dark, depressing flat where he stuffs three large cats with food, and reminisces of his food-stuffing glory days. He is taken care of by his disappointingly skinny son, a taxidermist. In his spare time Junior flirts unsuccessfully with female cashiers and makes plans for turning himself into a stuffed statue. The film fittingly ends with its most disgusting, extreme, and absurd scene in which Junior taxidermizes himself into oblivion. His empty head gets lopped off, the right arm is severed, and some time later he is discovered by one of his customers who then proceeds to display this "work of art" in some trendy museum. He gives a philosophical speech about Junior, and this soliloquy is supposed to be very very "deep" and "meaningful". The End.
But there are more perversions! I've barely even started listing them. Our peasant is apparently also a pedophile, as we watch him lose himself in a fanciful fantasy world that involves a fairy-tale-like house and a girl barely 8 years old. Guess what happens next? Exactly: the peasant takes the girl's hand and tells her to "put it down there". Cut to Hare-Lippy inside his shed: he masturbates to this imagined girl, and the director is even kind enough to show us not only his erect penis but also the semen that shoots out of it - all the way towards the night-sky, towards one of Earth's nearest stars. (Proxima Centauri? Perhaps his semen will start off a whole new world/civilization of filthy-minded attention-seeking Hungarian directors there...) Was this Art? Symbolism? Alienation? A metaphor for something similarly stupid and irrelevant? Nah... Just a perverse Hungarian director who probably believes that porn is artistic and belongs in mainstream movies. No wonder, of course: Hungary is the Metropolis of Europe's porn industry, so I guess the least we can expect in any modern Hungarian movie is erections, vaginas, pedophilia, bestiality, etc. Oh, come on, we have to be open-minded about such things!
The next scene shows the graphic depiction of the butchering of a pig. You might have guessed it already (as I had): our anti-hero is sexually drawn towards all of that freshly slaughtered bloody dripping flesh, so later that evening he decides to lie on what's left of the porker and - but what else? - fantasizes/masturbates to various peasant women who so constantly provoke him with their large breasts and happy smiling faces. At first it isn't entirely clear whether he is actually having (gasp!) normal sex with a consenting adult from the same species and of the opposite sex, because it appears as if the fat middle-aged woman is really there - making her moves on him. But then it becomes clear that it's yet another fantasy, i.e. that this movie's director would never stoop so low as to show us too much of sex between mere two humans (That'd be too square, right? After all, the director feels compelled to compete with Greenaway, Miike, and the like.)
The next morning, the fat woman's husband enters the peasant's shed and blasts his head off with one clean shot to the head. The head dissolves into bits of flying debris, some of it perhaps hitting the camera-lens. Not sure about that one. Either way, the director had already managed to fulfill his Extreme Sex&Violence Quota - only 20 minutes into the movie. From here on, any further filth is merely a bonus for the movie's drooling fans.
And more filth there is. What follows is that the fat woman gives birth to a baby-boy who has a ha-ha-funny anomaly attached to his derrière: a pig's tail. Daddy doesn't seem to be too keen on having a semi-porker for a child, so he rushes to get a pair of pliers and cuts off the piggy-tail with boredom almost, as if he'd been doing that sort of thing for years.
Cut to around 20 years later; the second story begins. There is a food-stuffing competition going on, in what seems to be a satire of Communist lust for sports glory. One of the morbidly obese competitors we easily recognize as the baby boy from the previous scene, on account of the remnants of a small pig-tail still bulging out just beneath his lower back. We're somewhere in the early or mid-60s. The second part mostly ignores sexual deviation, but there's still plenty of vomiting and retarded behaviour as to please even the most jaded fans of so-called "shock-cinema". As our half-piggy hero lies in bed, his fiancée's very hairy armpit hangs over him, dripping sweat - right onto his face. He licks it off, having obviously been sexually stimulated by it. Later on, there is more competitive food-munching, some brief doggy-style sex, etc. It's all very stylishly shot, but quite unfunny and mostly infantile.
The third story features Half-Piggy, much older and by now weighing around two tons, looking distinctly like a Euro-trash version of Jabba The Hutt. He is immobile, spending his time in a dark, depressing flat where he stuffs three large cats with food, and reminisces of his food-stuffing glory days. He is taken care of by his disappointingly skinny son, a taxidermist. In his spare time Junior flirts unsuccessfully with female cashiers and makes plans for turning himself into a stuffed statue. The film fittingly ends with its most disgusting, extreme, and absurd scene in which Junior taxidermizes himself into oblivion. His empty head gets lopped off, the right arm is severed, and some time later he is discovered by one of his customers who then proceeds to display this "work of art" in some trendy museum. He gives a philosophical speech about Junior, and this soliloquy is supposed to be very very "deep" and "meaningful". The End.
Tries its hardest to gross and/or weird you out, but really ended up reminding me of music videos
zetes18 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Revolting work of a kind of classic European surrealist, deeply symbolist cinema. It kind of revels in disgustingness, the kind of disgustingness that makes it notable. But in the end, it all feels much ado about nothing. Taxidermia is made up of three parts, each representing three generations of a Hungarian family (and each generation symbolizing Hungary in the era in which it is set). The first takes place after WWII, where a perverted, cleft-lip soldier masturbates over a couple of cuties who wander about (he also shoots fire out of his penis -surely symbolizing something, but who cares what). He can only lay the local fat woman, though, and a slaughtered sow. The second generation is represented by a competitive eater. As gross as the first third of the film is, the second part was worse for me because it had about ten minutes of scenes where people were vomiting. I can put up with bestiality/necrophilia, but vomit is where I draw the line! The third section is almost a relief after the first two: the competitive eater's son is an expert taxidermist. His father is still alive, looking sort of like Jabba the Hutt, and he dominates his son's life, angry because his son didn't follow in his own footsteps, instead becoming a scrawny little man. The images throughout are certainly intriguing, but, after a while, it all looked like a particularly interesting heavy metal video.
Insane, gory, violent, crazy - but not without meaning. Absolutely perfect.
Czes13 February 2006
György Pálfi's second feature length movie is Taxidermia, which is about three generation of a family, and all of them has something very peculiar about them: the first one is a horny officer, his son is a very big sport-eater, and his job is very important of him. The third isn't special in any ways, but wants to be. He's very skinny, and there is nothing important about him. His relationship with his father is not very balanced: they diverge from each other in every possible way. But he's secretly planning something, from what he will be famous of... Nothing in Hungarian cinema's history can be compared to this. Not a single Hungarian movie was as violent as this one is sometimes. In some scene it reminded me of Pasolini's Salo. But the disgusting and the violent scenes are all meaningful; probably they are a perverse, misshapen mirror of the society. We can't say, that the leading characters are perverted, because everybody is as much perverted, as the ones we see. Fortunately this unique movie is presented by a big amount of humor - and we simply can't take the characters totally seriously. Taxidermia is a milestone in Hungarian film-making, and was worth every single cent of the Sundance money, from which it was made.
Crazy people can do very foolish things!
mario_c27 February 2007
Definitely it's not a movie for everyone! You need to have a strong stomach to see this film until the end!
The plot is about a Hungarian family and the way it develops over three generations; and what crazy family I must say! From the first to the last generation all we see is a bunch of foolish people doing foolish things! The guy from the first generation is a sexual maniac soldier that even does a sexual act with a dead pig imagining he's doing it with a fat old ladyÂ… The guy of the second generation is a fat (but a really big one!) champion of food contests that eats kilos of food in few minutes to throw up it all a bit later in order to eat some more kilos again! The third guy, son of the last one, irony of destiny, doesn't seems at all to his father (and his mother too), because he's thin as a bone... He works as an embalmer and he's the only person who keeps seeing his father, now a vegetative mount of fat fleshÂ…
We can see by these short examples that this movie is actually a little bit mad, but that's exactly its most valuable feature! We can feel the irony since the first to the last minute of the movie, and its dark humour mixed with some gore scenes makes it a really dark comedy! It's almost unique by its madness since we can't find many movies with this kind of roughness. One in which we can find some similarity, about the dysfunctional family's feature, is probably "Amarcord", but there aren't too many we can compare to this one!
The plot is about a Hungarian family and the way it develops over three generations; and what crazy family I must say! From the first to the last generation all we see is a bunch of foolish people doing foolish things! The guy from the first generation is a sexual maniac soldier that even does a sexual act with a dead pig imagining he's doing it with a fat old ladyÂ… The guy of the second generation is a fat (but a really big one!) champion of food contests that eats kilos of food in few minutes to throw up it all a bit later in order to eat some more kilos again! The third guy, son of the last one, irony of destiny, doesn't seems at all to his father (and his mother too), because he's thin as a bone... He works as an embalmer and he's the only person who keeps seeing his father, now a vegetative mount of fat fleshÂ…
We can see by these short examples that this movie is actually a little bit mad, but that's exactly its most valuable feature! We can feel the irony since the first to the last minute of the movie, and its dark humour mixed with some gore scenes makes it a really dark comedy! It's almost unique by its madness since we can't find many movies with this kind of roughness. One in which we can find some similarity, about the dysfunctional family's feature, is probably "Amarcord", but there aren't too many we can compare to this one!
Easily makes my top 10 films of the naughties!
luke-3466 December 2007
Gyorgy Palfi's second feature Taxidermia is definitely a milestone in Hungarian film-making, it is a truly astonishing experience and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone wanting to broaden their taste for cinema. I found the film to be a deep black comedy with some stomach churning, twisted scenes intermixed with beautiful artwork and sophomore characters.
Through chronicling the lives of three generations of one family (a soldier from the Second World War, a sportsman and a taxidermist) each is shown to have their own perverse and distorted lifestyle which is cleverly exhibited through (among other approaches), myriad masturbation, excessive gluttony, deformation, dismemberment and taxidermy. In this film Palfi has created a deviant and anomalous world and, via his own talented cinema techniques, has managed to depict it in a shrewdly reflective manner i.e. he holds a mirror up to our own. Those familiar with European cinema will be able to reminisce with the many influences on show, with some scenes even harking back to Pasolini's epic, Salo - this is also combined with many other surreal influences. Some would argue that Taxidermia is a gory, violent and unnecessarily eccentric film but it is all necessary in serving its narrative and is not present for titillation purposes - as is so often found in some of the more contemporary European cinema.
Generally I feel that Taxidermia tells of a society in which defect, sleaze and dishonesty serves its creators own personal vision or goal to further themselves and that this search justifies everything, regardless of how twisted or harmful. In addition to this journey Taxidermia presents the audience with some of the ugliest and darkest places of the human mind. Without saying anymore, I would even go so far to say that Taxidermia is one of the greatest feats of 21st century movie-making.
Through chronicling the lives of three generations of one family (a soldier from the Second World War, a sportsman and a taxidermist) each is shown to have their own perverse and distorted lifestyle which is cleverly exhibited through (among other approaches), myriad masturbation, excessive gluttony, deformation, dismemberment and taxidermy. In this film Palfi has created a deviant and anomalous world and, via his own talented cinema techniques, has managed to depict it in a shrewdly reflective manner i.e. he holds a mirror up to our own. Those familiar with European cinema will be able to reminisce with the many influences on show, with some scenes even harking back to Pasolini's epic, Salo - this is also combined with many other surreal influences. Some would argue that Taxidermia is a gory, violent and unnecessarily eccentric film but it is all necessary in serving its narrative and is not present for titillation purposes - as is so often found in some of the more contemporary European cinema.
Generally I feel that Taxidermia tells of a society in which defect, sleaze and dishonesty serves its creators own personal vision or goal to further themselves and that this search justifies everything, regardless of how twisted or harmful. In addition to this journey Taxidermia presents the audience with some of the ugliest and darkest places of the human mind. Without saying anymore, I would even go so far to say that Taxidermia is one of the greatest feats of 21st century movie-making.
Many layers – like a giant, dribbling slab of bacon
thebluebasil28 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I was privileged to watch this film days before its final run in Singapore at The Picturehouse. And what a treat it was. Taxidermia, from start to finish, is outrageous and carnal, but never vulgar in its approach and execution. The word "Taxidermia" in itself refers to the stuffing and preserving of living things, in a bid to achieve "temporary immortality".
The cinematography of the film stays true to the different eras the three generations of men experienced individually. The bizarre, off-the-wall characteristics of the three underscore their hunger for the very same ambitions – to gain acceptance and fulfillment.
The scurrilous and brutal imagery in the film are certainly not without meaning; this redeeming feature alone sets it apart from the far too common gross-out functions we've come to accept from bigger titles.
Besides being blemished by the handful of niggling inconsistencies in its character portrayal and plot, my biggest beef with this film is that the representation of the three men is sometimes too distinct; you get a feeling that you're watching three separate films, mashed together into one. But of course, I'm nitpicking here.
Taxidermia is a stellar effort that is definitely worth your money. The world has not seen enough of the brilliance that is György Pálfi. Just remember to leave all food at the door!
The cinematography of the film stays true to the different eras the three generations of men experienced individually. The bizarre, off-the-wall characteristics of the three underscore their hunger for the very same ambitions – to gain acceptance and fulfillment.
The scurrilous and brutal imagery in the film are certainly not without meaning; this redeeming feature alone sets it apart from the far too common gross-out functions we've come to accept from bigger titles.
Besides being blemished by the handful of niggling inconsistencies in its character portrayal and plot, my biggest beef with this film is that the representation of the three men is sometimes too distinct; you get a feeling that you're watching three separate films, mashed together into one. But of course, I'm nitpicking here.
Taxidermia is a stellar effort that is definitely worth your money. The world has not seen enough of the brilliance that is György Pálfi. Just remember to leave all food at the door!
Really rather disgusting and relatively fruitless film watching experience; Pálfi knows how to enforce a reaction, it's just that he doesn't adhere to any form of subtlety.
johnnyboyz15 February 2011
Taxidermia is a journeying into a mind we wish not tread, a peek into a couple of worlds and the odd lifestyle we wish not observe; it is an ugly, depraved, grossly confrontational film out to upset and induce nausea than tell any kind of story or greatly explore any kind of material. The film ends up an oddly alienating mess, an adventurous and ambitious piece with a scrap of an idea at its very core which is gone about in its exploration by placing content up on screen of the most horrid, most irritating and most putrid sort; more often than not causing us to self-censor on a number of occasions when we aren't contemplating terminating the film-watching experience anyway. There is no base-level toward which the film might stoop; there is no bottom of any barrel the film is not willing to have a go at scraping, the only thing accessible to keep one sane during the watching of Taxidermia that of being able to recall films of old that have been equally controversial in their content on account of certain directors such as Greenaway or Noé, but films which have been able to incorporate great many degrees of substance to compliment such material. Taxidermia ends with a composition of an object more than eerily resembling Michelangelo's David, a somewhat famous and greatly admired work of art from over the ages. It is, in itself, frank and controversial; György Pálfi's 2006 Hungarian film has at least this in common with said sculpture.
Pálfi's film covers three men of the same family tree from the Second World War-set 1940s right through to the early years of the 21st Century, his key thesis appearing, through various guises, a number of the seven deadly sins including, but not limited to, lust; gluttony and pride. The film begins with an authoritarian and somewhat imperious voice-over informing us of the importance of remembering what precedes where one might currently find themselves in life, the words echo, as if some dictatorship is making the latest in deathly important announcements to which listening is obligatory. If any of us recall precisely what happens in his film then it's not because any of it is particularly important, rather, it will be down to the sheer shock imagery instead of a more genuine, more natural experience which is implemented onto us. We begin on The Eastern Front of World War 2; a certain Morosgoványi Vendel (Czene) is a private in the Hungarian army working with his nation's Communist allies. A masochist whom enjoys exposure to both extreme heat and the extreme cold, and a man with some of the angriest hormones ever put to screen, he fritters away his time between warfare with menial tasks on and around the farmland upon which his company is based spying the local women situated there and speaking to his ill-guided philosophical superiors.
There is nothing too base for either the film nor for its early protagonist in which to indulge; Pálfi effectively daring the viewer to terminate the experience before the opening act can conclude, where sequences or opening 'acts' in the past that have kicked films off, ranging from A Clockwork Orange right through to Irréversible, have carried with them that deep sense of shock cinema methodically at work, in Taxidermia we have a new winner as to the title: "if you can stomach the first 'x' minutes of 'xxx', then you can watch mostly anything". If bestiality, frank and uncensored masturbation as well as paedophilia brewed up in a cauldron known only to harbour the blackest of black comedy is your forté, you might get along better with this opening segment than I did.
We dart forward to 1994; the bright cinematography of a sunny day somewhere in Eastern Europe, as large numbers of people gather around performing speed-eaters in a stadium, actually offering respite from the gloomy and quite disgusting preceding war-set front-line shenanigans. Balatony Kálmán (Trócsányi), born at the end of the 1940s segment, is a world speed-eating champion competitor; in rivalry with many others and with his eye on a female champion of said sport named Aczél (Stanczel). They in turn create another child, a certain Balatony Lajoska (Bischoff) whom later transpires to be the man that operates within the field of the titular profession in modern day Hungary, and whose relationship with his domineering and disgruntled father propels the film's most interesting third for the final act.
The extravagant and expansive approach of delving through the generations and progressing things onward a full sixty or so years masks the fact that very little is either actually achieved, or that the film actually goes anywhere. The film is ultimately a demonisation of various sinful acts, Morosgoványi's lust getting him into bigger trouble than he would of liked with his lieutenant; Balatony's gluttony and pride at what he does having him come to resemble that of a cross between Jabba the Hutt and that large supporting character they had to wheel out on a digger's scoop towards the end of that terrible 1996 film Barb Wire, while it doesn't do his wife much good either. His son, Lajoska, partakes in certain acts later on which in turn comes to represent grotesque in-glorifications of wrath as plot developments transpire and the pride Lajoska takes in what he does combines disturbingly with the action he takes born out of narrative revelations. I don't doubt for a second that Pálfi answers to no studio executive in the ultimate creative choices his films probably harbour; but surely, there might have been somebody in and around the project of Taxidermia that on another day would've taken the man aside and just had a word in his ear: "Really, György? Really? Do we REALLY need those extended sequences of slicing, cutting, injecting, piercing and stitching on top of all that projectile vomiting?"
Pálfi's film covers three men of the same family tree from the Second World War-set 1940s right through to the early years of the 21st Century, his key thesis appearing, through various guises, a number of the seven deadly sins including, but not limited to, lust; gluttony and pride. The film begins with an authoritarian and somewhat imperious voice-over informing us of the importance of remembering what precedes where one might currently find themselves in life, the words echo, as if some dictatorship is making the latest in deathly important announcements to which listening is obligatory. If any of us recall precisely what happens in his film then it's not because any of it is particularly important, rather, it will be down to the sheer shock imagery instead of a more genuine, more natural experience which is implemented onto us. We begin on The Eastern Front of World War 2; a certain Morosgoványi Vendel (Czene) is a private in the Hungarian army working with his nation's Communist allies. A masochist whom enjoys exposure to both extreme heat and the extreme cold, and a man with some of the angriest hormones ever put to screen, he fritters away his time between warfare with menial tasks on and around the farmland upon which his company is based spying the local women situated there and speaking to his ill-guided philosophical superiors.
There is nothing too base for either the film nor for its early protagonist in which to indulge; Pálfi effectively daring the viewer to terminate the experience before the opening act can conclude, where sequences or opening 'acts' in the past that have kicked films off, ranging from A Clockwork Orange right through to Irréversible, have carried with them that deep sense of shock cinema methodically at work, in Taxidermia we have a new winner as to the title: "if you can stomach the first 'x' minutes of 'xxx', then you can watch mostly anything". If bestiality, frank and uncensored masturbation as well as paedophilia brewed up in a cauldron known only to harbour the blackest of black comedy is your forté, you might get along better with this opening segment than I did.
We dart forward to 1994; the bright cinematography of a sunny day somewhere in Eastern Europe, as large numbers of people gather around performing speed-eaters in a stadium, actually offering respite from the gloomy and quite disgusting preceding war-set front-line shenanigans. Balatony Kálmán (Trócsányi), born at the end of the 1940s segment, is a world speed-eating champion competitor; in rivalry with many others and with his eye on a female champion of said sport named Aczél (Stanczel). They in turn create another child, a certain Balatony Lajoska (Bischoff) whom later transpires to be the man that operates within the field of the titular profession in modern day Hungary, and whose relationship with his domineering and disgruntled father propels the film's most interesting third for the final act.
The extravagant and expansive approach of delving through the generations and progressing things onward a full sixty or so years masks the fact that very little is either actually achieved, or that the film actually goes anywhere. The film is ultimately a demonisation of various sinful acts, Morosgoványi's lust getting him into bigger trouble than he would of liked with his lieutenant; Balatony's gluttony and pride at what he does having him come to resemble that of a cross between Jabba the Hutt and that large supporting character they had to wheel out on a digger's scoop towards the end of that terrible 1996 film Barb Wire, while it doesn't do his wife much good either. His son, Lajoska, partakes in certain acts later on which in turn comes to represent grotesque in-glorifications of wrath as plot developments transpire and the pride Lajoska takes in what he does combines disturbingly with the action he takes born out of narrative revelations. I don't doubt for a second that Pálfi answers to no studio executive in the ultimate creative choices his films probably harbour; but surely, there might have been somebody in and around the project of Taxidermia that on another day would've taken the man aside and just had a word in his ear: "Really, György? Really? Do we REALLY need those extended sequences of slicing, cutting, injecting, piercing and stitching on top of all that projectile vomiting?"
Sick, gruesome and deviant. I love it.
LazySod4 April 2007
A soldier with a rich sexual fantasy and lots of time on his hands (or better said, with his hands). An obese man competing in eating contests. A taxidermist. What do they have in common? Well.. Quite simply put.. Part of their genes. They are, respectively, the grandfather, the father and the son. Welcome to Taxidermia, perversity grand central.
The film plays out in three parts. Starting with the soldier, followed by the obese man, followed by the taxidermist. At the end of each part the connection to the next is worked out, and it all makes sense, in a twisted way.Each of the parts is a barrel of laughs, dark and grim in its own. Often disgusting and revolting but most of the time just hilariously cynical.
Effects used are mediocre at best but that doesn't harm the film too much - it is mostly the comedy value that is to be appreciated. Way of filming is off the beaten track, but not so far that it becomes disturbing or genuinely brilliant.
Sick, gruesome and deviant. I love it.
9 out of 10 kilograms of lard eaten
The film plays out in three parts. Starting with the soldier, followed by the obese man, followed by the taxidermist. At the end of each part the connection to the next is worked out, and it all makes sense, in a twisted way.Each of the parts is a barrel of laughs, dark and grim in its own. Often disgusting and revolting but most of the time just hilariously cynical.
Effects used are mediocre at best but that doesn't harm the film too much - it is mostly the comedy value that is to be appreciated. Way of filming is off the beaten track, but not so far that it becomes disturbing or genuinely brilliant.
Sick, gruesome and deviant. I love it.
9 out of 10 kilograms of lard eaten
shocking and nothing more or less
trashgang16 July 2015
Three different stories that are going to shock the viewer. I was warned but I have seen so many Japanese flicks that were sickening that this wasn't shocking at all but still for the 'normal' viewer this s a sickie.
The first story shows us a man who is out to satisfy himself in so many ways with his cock. And of course male nudity is shown, some parts are funny (with the chicken) others are shocking.
The second part is all about eating and vomiting and is shown, so for many it will be shocking again.
Part three was or me the boring part. But still, it can be shocking for some
Overall this is a weird flick that is made to offend the viewer and I n tell you, it will, and if you have a weak stomach, don't eat before watching this.
Gore 1/5 Nudity 1/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
The first story shows us a man who is out to satisfy himself in so many ways with his cock. And of course male nudity is shown, some parts are funny (with the chicken) others are shocking.
The second part is all about eating and vomiting and is shown, so for many it will be shocking again.
Part three was or me the boring part. But still, it can be shocking for some
Overall this is a weird flick that is made to offend the viewer and I n tell you, it will, and if you have a weak stomach, don't eat before watching this.
Gore 1/5 Nudity 1/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Surreal but a bit dull.
imdb-1954817 March 2009
This film aims for shock value rather than plot.
We see several generations of a family who are all strange in different ways.
The ideas are certainly original and the film moves at a good pace. There are a few twists as we follow the characters and get a view of their quite brutal and unpleasant lifestyles.
The reliance on disgust is boring though, if you aren't shocked by the imagery then you aren't left with much else.
The dialogue is minimal and the characters aren't likable, we are supposed to see them as exhibits not develop empathy for them. This leaves the film feeling slightly dead with no emotion and no real impact.
Watchable for the weirdness but would certainly offer nothing worth a second viewing.
We see several generations of a family who are all strange in different ways.
The ideas are certainly original and the film moves at a good pace. There are a few twists as we follow the characters and get a view of their quite brutal and unpleasant lifestyles.
The reliance on disgust is boring though, if you aren't shocked by the imagery then you aren't left with much else.
The dialogue is minimal and the characters aren't likable, we are supposed to see them as exhibits not develop empathy for them. This leaves the film feeling slightly dead with no emotion and no real impact.
Watchable for the weirdness but would certainly offer nothing worth a second viewing.
A rare find!
maradower27 July 2006
Oh my god! I just got out from seeing Taxidermia at MIFF 2006 and I was literally speechless. As I was one of the first to leave the theatre, I took it upon myself to stand out the front and watch the expressions on the faces of other patrons as they exited. Most were laughing in disbelief at what they had just seen, some were white as ghosts and some looked plain baffled. Whatever way you look at it, Taxidermia will certainly make a strong impact on you.
I saw Gyorgy Palfi's "Hukkle" a few years ago at MIFF and although that was an interesting film, he's really excelled himself with Taxidermia. One thing's for sure, you'll need a strong stomach to watch Taxidermia a) for the gore & b) cause you're gonna laugh your head off! Outstanding cinema! 10/10
I saw Gyorgy Palfi's "Hukkle" a few years ago at MIFF and although that was an interesting film, he's really excelled himself with Taxidermia. One thing's for sure, you'll need a strong stomach to watch Taxidermia a) for the gore & b) cause you're gonna laugh your head off! Outstanding cinema! 10/10
It was good for its bizarreness
JamesSagad061215 June 2017
I'm not expecting this kind of movie, because watching it without knowing anything about it, is the decision. "Taxidermia (2006)" is not your typical comedy horror movie, the story tackles the real events when you're sexually frustrated and the life of "competitive eaters". Overall, it was a good movie and I thought this movie is not for everyone, because of its unusual content. But it gives me a new perception in these kinds of movies.
too disturbing
naturally_unique19 April 2008
I never write about movies, but this is the one movie that has truly made me feel sick. I credit it as a work of art, it is brilliant in that sense, but on a personal level, I am left more disturbed than thrilled.
I gave it a 4... and I was being generous. I cannot fathom why someone would want to watch this movie more than once. I watched it knowing what I was getting myself into, and out of curiosity but I was not expecting what came up on screen. I don't recommend this film to anyone... even though it is beautifully filmed and at the highest quality... you have to have the stomach to watch it.
I don't think that it was funny at all either... some people have said so.. but i honestly didn't think any of it was funny.
I gave it a 4... and I was being generous. I cannot fathom why someone would want to watch this movie more than once. I watched it knowing what I was getting myself into, and out of curiosity but I was not expecting what came up on screen. I don't recommend this film to anyone... even though it is beautifully filmed and at the highest quality... you have to have the stomach to watch it.
I don't think that it was funny at all either... some people have said so.. but i honestly didn't think any of it was funny.
Astonishingly original
ellkew18 April 2008
I thought this was a true original and it made me break out in a sweat at certain points. Not many films have a physical effect on their audience.
There were some astonishing moments and scene transitions that were literally breathtaking. I didn't believe the director had put certain things in to solely shock as some people have suggested. The film looks very lush in style and there were some stunning compositions. My favourite story was the final one with the sickly grandson of the original character. I am trying to source 'Hukkle' now as I want to see more by this director. I have not seen anything this interesting for some time. This film lingers in my mind.
There were some astonishing moments and scene transitions that were literally breathtaking. I didn't believe the director had put certain things in to solely shock as some people have suggested. The film looks very lush in style and there were some stunning compositions. My favourite story was the final one with the sickly grandson of the original character. I am trying to source 'Hukkle' now as I want to see more by this director. I have not seen anything this interesting for some time. This film lingers in my mind.
Wow Definatly worth the watch
Sarhorrorlove31 March 2023
Honestly this movie is just so good. It has comedic properties, its disturbing and its honestly very impressivly filmed. This movie has a fascinating plot with three main characters. A Father who is a weird dude with very strange fetishes, a immensly fat man who has a strange obsession with cats and a psychologically abused and skinny man who has a strange passion for taxidermy. Honestly the plot of this is just so incredible and it is 1000% worth the watch. It is enjoyable and interesting as well as attention keeping and passionate. You can really tell that the directer is just so talented and this movie should be cemented into horror history. Please watch this and please enjoy.
Brilliant piece, though Pasolini does not seem so gory any more
VoiceOfEurope26 June 2007
Taxidermia is the goriest, most disturbing and most disgusting film I have ever seen, yet is one of the greatest feats in 21st century movie-making. It is dark and repugnant, but very deliberately so. It is not at all self-indulgent, although it might seem that at first glance. However, 30 minutes into the film one cannot help but realize that all this gore is meant with purpose, that this sickening texture of coherence is what gives this satire its peculiar authenticity. L'art pour l'art gruesomeness really gets my goat, but in this case everything falls into its right place. Although I got physically sick watching it, I have to admit I am an admirer of Taxidermia.
We see three generations of men from a strange family: an army orderly obsessed with one-sided sex, his son, an acclaimed speed-eater, and an animal preparator. They are all peculiarly abnormal in their own ways but so is everybody else in the twisted world Gyorgy Palfi has created. But we all know that however deviant a world is on screen it merely is a reflection of our even more deviant everyday life. What Palfi tries to put across is that in our society sick is not even sick any more, dementia is not dementia any more, and we are ready to accept any defect or corruption of mind as long as they serve the self right in his quest for creating something new, something with which he can stand out from the crowd even more. Search for the inner genius justifies everything.
We see three generations of men from a strange family: an army orderly obsessed with one-sided sex, his son, an acclaimed speed-eater, and an animal preparator. They are all peculiarly abnormal in their own ways but so is everybody else in the twisted world Gyorgy Palfi has created. But we all know that however deviant a world is on screen it merely is a reflection of our even more deviant everyday life. What Palfi tries to put across is that in our society sick is not even sick any more, dementia is not dementia any more, and we are ready to accept any defect or corruption of mind as long as they serve the self right in his quest for creating something new, something with which he can stand out from the crowd even more. Search for the inner genius justifies everything.
Definite animal cruelty
kevindpetty19 January 2014
It is very sad that such a talented director is also so demented. The first 20 minutes of this film are filled with stunning, magical scenes. For instance, a bathtub serves as a metaphor of Life; a great feat of cinematography. then, Anderson's Little Match Girl,a pop-up storybook, is filled with live characters. Clearly, the movie is a 10. Yes, there is a lot of sexuality (masturbation, male frontal nudity) and masochism, and these don't detract from, but add to the beauty of the story.
But as usual, Palfi then starts gratuitously killing animals. Not staged killings and torture, but actual. He did the same in Hukkle. After some 15 minutes, he poisoned a cat.
I don't car what humans do to themselves (masturbation, sex, torture) for the sake of a movie because they are willing participants,but non-humans should not be sacrificed for the sake of a film. NO film requires that.
It is too bad that Palfi's talent is mixed up with sadism and the objectification, and therefore lack of consideration for "real" versus symbolic Life. Taxdermia could have been a 10. Hukkle could have been up there too. Both are 2s.
But as usual, Palfi then starts gratuitously killing animals. Not staged killings and torture, but actual. He did the same in Hukkle. After some 15 minutes, he poisoned a cat.
I don't car what humans do to themselves (masturbation, sex, torture) for the sake of a movie because they are willing participants,but non-humans should not be sacrificed for the sake of a film. NO film requires that.
It is too bad that Palfi's talent is mixed up with sadism and the objectification, and therefore lack of consideration for "real" versus symbolic Life. Taxdermia could have been a 10. Hukkle could have been up there too. Both are 2s.
Brilliant
homer_says_doh28 February 2007
I'd like to give this 10 stars for sheer inventiveness and audacity not to mention a brilliant eye, but for me it didn't quite work totally as a film, falling apart slightly towards the end.
That said I'd recommend doing whatever you have to to catch this film, it's certainly one of the most original offerings I've seen in a long while and hopefully it's only the second of many to come. Looking at the release dates, sadly it doesn't seem to be getting much exposure outside the festival circuit in many territories. Hopefully it will at least get a (well) publicized DVD release.
Watching it caused me to seek out Hukkle (the first feature) and that proves easily that Taxidermia is certainly no fluke, Hungary is surely producing a major talent here.
That said I'd recommend doing whatever you have to to catch this film, it's certainly one of the most original offerings I've seen in a long while and hopefully it's only the second of many to come. Looking at the release dates, sadly it doesn't seem to be getting much exposure outside the festival circuit in many territories. Hopefully it will at least get a (well) publicized DVD release.
Watching it caused me to seek out Hukkle (the first feature) and that proves easily that Taxidermia is certainly no fluke, Hungary is surely producing a major talent here.
Puerile nonsense
Leofwine_draca22 June 2012
TAXIDERMIA is a horrible film. The director, who possesses some kind of art-house sensibility, has seemingly decided to make a film as grotesque and offensive as possible. He tells the story of three men in three generations of the same family, and what follows is an anthology of three linked stories.
The first is about a soldier who's also a sexual pervert. Lots of unpleasant sexuality in this one, and it's all a bit pointless. I struggled through it, and hoped the second story would be better. It isn't, it's far worse: a lengthy segment about a speed eater, the sole purpose of this part is to show obese people vomiting. Over and over again. The final part follows the same character, but also links to his son, who has some bizarre notions about death and art.
The characters are outrageous, the script is silly and the glorification of the grotesque just doesn't work. There's no point to all this, no power, and attempts to justify TAXIDERMIA as a groundbreaking exercise in surrealism are, in fact, groundless. Instead, this puerile piece of nonsense is nothing more than the vision of somebody with crude and childish tastes who has too much time on his hands.
The first is about a soldier who's also a sexual pervert. Lots of unpleasant sexuality in this one, and it's all a bit pointless. I struggled through it, and hoped the second story would be better. It isn't, it's far worse: a lengthy segment about a speed eater, the sole purpose of this part is to show obese people vomiting. Over and over again. The final part follows the same character, but also links to his son, who has some bizarre notions about death and art.
The characters are outrageous, the script is silly and the glorification of the grotesque just doesn't work. There's no point to all this, no power, and attempts to justify TAXIDERMIA as a groundbreaking exercise in surrealism are, in fact, groundless. Instead, this puerile piece of nonsense is nothing more than the vision of somebody with crude and childish tastes who has too much time on his hands.
Putting the Gory in the Allegory, or Vices Versa Vices
ThurstonHunger30 May 2010
Fascination and revulsion with bodies in this unique film. The fact that it's labeled as "Comedy|Drama|Horror" on the categorizations is not someone being cute, it's as fair assessment as one can come up. I was drawn to the director for his vision in an earlier film about a hiccough.
Whereas "Hukkle" worked on a small story, in a small section of time, in a small village mostly with non-actors, here directory Palfi produces an epic film spanning three generations, and with plenty of CGI and other gadgetry. Evidently the work is drawn from a series of Hungarian short stories, and check out this board comment from "bodaa" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410730/board/nest/155009133 The film feels like it has that sort of depth, I did latch on to the 3/7 of the deadly sins. And for me, the whole notion of the sickly significance of our bodies, especially in this era of telepresence and virtual reality teases, that alone is pretty, um, heavy. The grotesque characterizations are done with such precision and care, this could have easily been a sloppy art-house film, lampooning the exaggerated depictions of the three men.
But Palfri's devotion to details midst the dementia, like the love affair in the middle of the eating champions. That scene in the paddle boat, it's just done with such care, and for a brief moment floats a postcard joy into story. I just was constantly drawn to this film despite any of the number of the repulsive scenes. In stories, an author can get away with much more, something may be mentioned and we, the readers, may comprehend, but a film maker is doomed or, in Palfi's case, challenged to show us what we may not want to see.
In that, Palfi is unique, and again this is a unique film that I hope you seek out. Even if the Hungarian history remains hidden to one, the film stands out.
Whereas "Hukkle" worked on a small story, in a small section of time, in a small village mostly with non-actors, here directory Palfi produces an epic film spanning three generations, and with plenty of CGI and other gadgetry. Evidently the work is drawn from a series of Hungarian short stories, and check out this board comment from "bodaa" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410730/board/nest/155009133 The film feels like it has that sort of depth, I did latch on to the 3/7 of the deadly sins. And for me, the whole notion of the sickly significance of our bodies, especially in this era of telepresence and virtual reality teases, that alone is pretty, um, heavy. The grotesque characterizations are done with such precision and care, this could have easily been a sloppy art-house film, lampooning the exaggerated depictions of the three men.
But Palfri's devotion to details midst the dementia, like the love affair in the middle of the eating champions. That scene in the paddle boat, it's just done with such care, and for a brief moment floats a postcard joy into story. I just was constantly drawn to this film despite any of the number of the repulsive scenes. In stories, an author can get away with much more, something may be mentioned and we, the readers, may comprehend, but a film maker is doomed or, in Palfi's case, challenged to show us what we may not want to see.
In that, Palfi is unique, and again this is a unique film that I hope you seek out. Even if the Hungarian history remains hidden to one, the film stands out.
i felt sick the whole night...
imjustheather14 January 2008
there are some films that you watch and recognize that it is good, but your insides are screaming - this is horrible. that pretty much sums up the entire experience of this film. if you truly enjoy yourself watching the film, really love it in the moment, then i think you missed the point (and probably are kinda scary and desensitized). but after your stomach stops turning, you are left with a film that has pushed past the regular or expected, into a space of unique social and political commentary. As disgusting as this film is, and it is by far the most disgusting thing i've ever seen, it absolutely has to go that far to shake people up.
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