Begotten (1990)

[K1stpierre]

Discuss

[Jack Nevada]

Kinda spooky for the first fifteen minutes but after that it's just zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Rorschach]

This is kind of a hard movie to talk about and analyze. For one, it is pseudo-influential in the style and way it presents itself. But one couldn't go without at least thinking to themselves "Did the movie out-do itself in a way?" I'm still unclear about whether or not I admire the movie for its ambition or hate it for its partial-pretentiousness.You know it's a vague story when the IMDb page summary for this movie is just a couple of sentences long. The film essentially deals with a gory reimagining of the Biblical story of Genesis. God, in the first ten minutes of the film, kills himself with a sharp knife (or a razor, whichever one). After so, Mother Nature appears from out of nowhere and precedes to give BO to the dead guy and impregnates herself with his semen (I'm no expert on this kind of stuff but I just went with it, seeing as this movie is very surreal). Later she gives birth to the Son of Earth who grows up and is captured by a group of either nomads or cannibals as they proceed to rip out the organs of the son of earth (this is usually the part where i fall asleep). Mother Nature tries to help her son but is raped and killed by the nomads. After both are dismembered and carried off they are buried and the area around them becomes lush with flowers. While I can sort of see the Genesis connection, if you went into this film not knowing the plot, you would absolutely not be able to piece together much as the film is INCREDIBLY vague in its delivery. I think that may have been the directors intention but I wouldn't be entirely sure.The most memorable part is probably the visuals, as they are weird, surreal, and unforgiving. The one downside is while it is short and only 71 minutes long, it drags on and on and it took me three tries to watch the movie in its entirety without falling asleep (I slept well though ). Be warned folks, this isn't for everyone. If you are looking for a film that has a deeper meaning behind it and is probably about as surreal as Eraserhead then this is your film. Art house critics may be a bit divided on this one (going by the Rotten Tomatoes score) but i bet there will be something for everyone to like (except for maybe Rex Reed who hates everything he sees). I must warn you though that if barfed easily during the two Human Centipede movies, then have a barf bag handy with you.Overall thoughts:A Surreal and Visually stylistic film is dragged down by at times by partial pretentiousness and drags on despite short running time. Pseudo-Influential/10 (Letter grade would probably be a B-)

[Rorschach]

Directed by the same man who would go on to direct "Shadow of the Vampire".

[Rorschach]

Not surprised anyone has reviewed this film yet. Not one bit.