For the Nihilistic Masochists
Or the Masochistic Nihilists
Actually maybe don't watch these?
Martyrs (2008) d: Pascal Laugier
Eden Lake (2008) d: James Watkins
Oldboy (2003) d: Park Chan-wook
Big Bad Wolves (2013) d: Navot Papushado, Aharon Keshales
The Plague Dogs (1982) d: Martin Rosen
Martyrs. What to say about this notorious New French Extremity offering that hasn’t been said? If you’ve read my blog before, you know I always write myself notes after I watch a movie. This one earned a succinct one-liner: fuck this movie. I hated watching it, and I never want to see it again. The worst part about it is that I can’t seem to totally write it off. I’m annoyed by how much I thought about it and analyzed its effectiveness. The horror genre has always relentlessly punished women, this movie is no exception. But is its point about the meaningless of that punishment actually an interesting and subversive exploration of audience voyeurism…or just another excuse to watch women be tortured? Are Mademoiselle’s misogynist/victim-blaming views meant to cement her as a villain or are they reflective of the film’s (and filmmaker’s) worldview? I don’t know. But it doesn’t really matter, because nothing matters.
Eden Lake is well-acted (though I must point out, Michael Fassbender is likely a domestic abuser), well-made, and sustains high tension throughout its cat-and-mouse game between a couple on vacation and a group of shockingly violent teens. It is also bleak and frankly, infuriating. It is very effective….at making you want to throw your TV across the room. The frustration is only so keenly felt because the movie does such a great job investing you in the story and characters, but yeah, I felt actual rage once we got to the end.
Speaking of infuriating endings, chances are you’ve heard of Oldboy, it’s another infamous doozy. Starting off as a high-octane Count of Monte Cristo, this movie is firing on all cylinders, but then that last act anagnorisis rears its head (sorrynotsorry for the Aristotelian term - it's a nod to the Greek influence in the plot, plus, I've got to use my Theatre degree somehow. Sue me.). The ending certainly doesn’t make the movie bad, but it does make it (and you) sick, and ensures that the movie will linger in your mind for a long time. An inferior American remake was made and directed by Spike Lee, but was originally going to be by Spielberg, which feels insane.
Big Bad Wolves is a rare horror outing from Israel. By every technical measure, it is excellent. The plot deals primarily with the kidnapping, murder, and sexual assault of young girls, and includes some visceral torture scenes. The black humor is razor-sharp, but you’re probably asking yourself (as I did while watching), Jesus, why is there any humor here? This movie is objectively great, but it is a challenging watch, and the ending is roughhhhh.
And here’s our big, depressing finish. Have you ever watched Watership Down or Secret of NIMH and thought, sure, this is pretty good, but I wish these cartoon animals were more emotionally devastating? Then The Plague Dogs is for you! This movie STARTS with scientists testing how long a dog will swim in an inescapable pool before it drowns, and it doesn’t let up from there. It actively broke my heart and by the end of our journey with poor Snitter and Rowf, I was a weeping mess. It wasn’t cathartic crying either, it was I-don’t-know-if-I’ll-ever-feel-happiness-again despair. I didn’t think I’d ever be more wrecked by dog-based content than Futurama’s “Jurassic Bark”, but here we are.
Phew.
OK, everybody, go look at some flowers or something. Damn.
If for some god-forsaken reason, you want more like this, then maybe check out The Sadness. I can’t officially recommend it, because I turned it off. I know, I know, but 75% of the way through I thought, “Why am I doing this, I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.” If you go for it, be aware there is a lot of sexual violence. A lot.