Whorticulture.com movie review of The Human Centipede: The First Sequence
The Human Centipede: The First Sequence
I first encountered Human Centipede when I randomly came across the trailer on YouTube. It made me totally squeamish, which OF COURSE made me want to watch it. I had to know. I had to know what the three people sewn together looked like. I had to satisfy my curiosity. I tried my damndest to make it to Midnite Movie Mamacita’s showing of it over the weekend and I couldn’t do it. It became available to me a few days later and I was prompted by my boyfriend to watch it. However by this point I’d developed a deep fear of watching it. What if it made me puke? What if it was truly terrifying and I cried or something? I’d never be able to call myself a bad ass again. The last thing I want to be is a pussy. So my boyfriend bugged me, and bugged me, until finally I sat back and started the movie.
Okay seriously? That “Mein Lieber 3-Hund” thing is HILARIOUS. I wanted to see the three dogs, damn it. I really did. That picture just didn’t do it for me. And throughout the whole movie I just felt bad for Herr Doktor because he missed his dogs.
I was totally disappointed with the movie, but…well, let me explain. I came in with SERIOUSLY high hopes. I wanted it to make me freak out. I wanted it to be so disgusting, so intrusive to my mental state. I wanted to be SCARRED by this! And I totally wasn’t. However I’d still say it was a good movie. Don’t get me wrong. I read a review that said “love it or hate it, THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE is a visceral ride that will leave nobody indifferent.” (wearemoviegeeks.com) That’s the damn truth. You’re going to have an opinion on it, and I want to hear it. But let me say this: there was no gore, very little blood. The surgery was like, Nip/Tuck level. I gagged once, when the Japanese guy had to take a shit. Other than that, it was tame. Really, surprisingly tame for what I’d heard. And really, for a movie that’s pretty much all about ass-to-mouth, I expected more scenes that would make me puke.
Dieter Laser, or Herr Doktor as I’ve taken to calling him, is really the stand-out performance in this movie. He’s a creepy looking dude. His bone structure is almost over-exaggerated. Not to the point where he looks like a freak or anything, but he pulls off creepy in this impeccably. Everything about his performance was impeccable. From the first minute he was on the screen. Out-fucking-standing.
With that said, I have to say I was completely disappointed with the ending. I was screaming at the TV. “What the fuck, you can’t just END this way!!” Oh, but it did. And I guess it’s to leave it open for the sequel coming out in 2011, but COME THE FUCK ON. I want to say how it ends so badly but I won’t. I’ll be nice, just this once. Jerk asses. But how in the hell are they going to get a sequel from it? No idea. It was the most anticlimactic ending of a movie I think I’ve ever seen. But it worked, I’m totally going to see the sequel. Damn you, Tom Six.
This movie seems to have seriously affected some of its viewers. I guess I’m just a sick, jaded motherfucker.
I give it 8 out of 10. Drink this pretty poison…if you dare.
Great review! You've been reading my mind Herr Docktor.
ReplyDeleteI was also underwhelmed by the film due to the hype surrounding it (*ahem* your fault) but I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it anyone as a must see.
Its been a long time since I've rooted for a villain over the victims. Dr. Josef Dieter is one of the best villains I've seen in a long time and his character garnered my sympathy over his unfortunate victims. I hold high hopes for the sequel and cross my fingers his character pops up again (won't spoil the ending here)& the elusive 3Dog barks his way into it as well. :D
From what I am watching so far, those girls deserve it. Who goes into some old creepy mans house? LOL. And in one scene, she is right next to a phone. USE IT. lol.
ReplyDeleteWow, good post!
ReplyDeleteI'm on the same boat with you towards the movie.
I was going in with high hopes as well, but the film didn't turn out so.. WELL. Just like you. I was hoping to be scared, where i would get nightmares for week. Yet, this movie left me MOSTLY DISGUSTED.
The scare/gore factor. I actually got disgusted with the operating scene and couldn't watch it. truthfully, I was muting at the operating scene. Normally, I wouldn't turn away from something like that. As I love gore.
As if a 'human centipede' would actually work in real life.
The characters, they were pretty good. The doktor was the perfect, villain. If that man was real and I encountered him, I'd run for my life. He was simply a perfect choice to play the creepy, surgical doktor.
The film overall, it was decent but didn't leave me scared. It left me mostly disgusted.
My pick 5 out of 10 stars.
Sorry, I needed to add my 2nd favourite part.
ReplyDeleteI <3 the horny old man who watches the "dirty videos at home." LULZ and ew at his tongue wagging.
Hey, it's Latifah! Woo woo! I actually enjoyed this movie. I do wish it was more yukky and maybe some nudity lol. I will def. watch the sequel when that comes out. The doctor was very creepy to me, I think it was just his face that freaked me out. But I was pretty upset with the end, I want to know what happens to the chick...with the asian guy dying, i'm sure he released his bowels and she got a nice heaping meal of poo, so she will probably just sit there for a few days...sucks man lol. But anyways, I loved your review, and cannot wait for the next one =]
ReplyDeleteYeah I believe they are saving the gory part for the sequel. I wonder who will replace him? Remember that song closing time? "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
ReplyDeleteI was rooting for the bad guy too. It wasn't gory but it was disturbing enough to make me look away which means it was a job well done. The ending did disappoint me as well. I'm glad I gave it a chance, even if it was hard to stomach in some parts. Star and best performance was Dieter Laser. I am now following him on Twitter too! When a movie disturbs me it did it's job. :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha. I saw this movie and loved it. It wasn't going for a scare factor as it was really going for the disturbing factor. Sort of taking a page from French horror films that are meant to leave you disturbed rather than scared. If you were disgusted and disturbed, then the film did exactly what it was going for. I loved the doctor. Creepy, insane, couldn't help but love him.
ReplyDelete~TackyTilaT
-Ta
OMFG... who suggested this to me again I must shoot them... lmao. No in all seriousness. It did in fact creep me out, make me gag, and tilt my head to the side. Which is probably what it was meant to do. The ending left a little to be desired.. I was rooting for the Dr. as well lol Poor guy just wanted a 3dog.. I have to say I would watch a sequel just to see whats next. Thanks for the yack-factor!
ReplyDeletexo
Cyb
Its your dirty waitress here, and I do have to say that I did like this movie,,bbuuutttt I have to agree with the ending and how are they going to make a sequel? Prob should go with a prequel instead. I guess I am a sick prick because I wanted to see exactly how they were sewn together. The diaper thing didnt really do it for me. The movie was very predictable, they could have added a lot more to it like some gore, but I guess they wanted us to use our imaginations, or they thought seeing them sewn together would be shock enough. But it wasnt. Overall , a good movie and I will be recommending it to my friends.
ReplyDeleteOk.. so I have to admit that this film was so stupid that I had to just spin through it. The two girls were frankly, awful when they had to speak. They did the whole shaking and crying thing really well, so that's a plus. A small plus.
ReplyDeleteThe who scrpit is not only badly written it is badly executed and the sheer gore of it is lacking. No, seriously.. I want to SEE the ass to face action and what we get is some tired old face staples? Please.
They only thing good in this film is the last scene acted by Akihiro Kitamura. It's almost touching, but then one comes to terms with the fact that he has someone sewn onto his asshole. Loses it's impact at that point. Dieter Laser is not as scary as he could have been, but he sure is creepy. Maybe that's because he walks about like a Nazi that was rejected for having flat feet.
I go with Ebert. No stars, Nul points, and wirklich abgesaugt ass.
I gotta say I enjoyed it! It was original and funny because for too long we've been forced fed like 10 Saw films now and I got bored after the second. This film was low budget with no cgi and a few effects and it worked well.
ReplyDeleteAnd this kept me intrigued the Doctor was a great villain and even though they didn't show his dog centipede from what he said and described about the operation and the effects after left my imagine running wild those poor doggies though :(
As for the rest of the cast the 2 girls were dumb and out of the victims the Japanese guy stole the show along with the doctor cos in a way he was a victim of his own morbidness what drove him to be like that!? But Japanese guy wasn't even speaking English and his acting and emotions summed up what you would say and do if you were in his shoes.
I hope theres sequel we deserve one but I doubt it will be as good as the first. But if there is one I hope its a prequel about the Doctor.
7/10
I've always been a fan of bizarre surreal movies like this ..where the less graphic gore they show on the screen, the more disturbing it is because the horror happens inside my own head and imagination. I thought the Human Centipede accomplished that well. Deiter Laser's portrayal of the weird mad Dr Heiter was truly creepy. The scene where he's standing at the overhead projector calmly explaining the surgical procedure to the horrified victims was far more macabre than if they'd actually shown bloody details of him cutting them up. The thought of waking up to find your mouth surgically attached like that and I won't soon forget the shit scene ..even though they didn't really show much.. the idea of it made me gag. I have to hand it to the three victim actors because their scenes in this movie had to be a bitch to film. And who couldn't feel a bit of compassion for Dr Heiter's love for his dead "Three Dogs" HaHa!
ReplyDeleteThis is not a film that a critic like Ebert would appreciate but for all its weirdness and the perverted storyline, I really liked this movie.
It left me intrigued to know more about writer/director Tom Six so I did a search. Here's a link to an interview with him...
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/may/06/interview-tom-six/
TessDeco
I completely agree, I thought it would be so scary, but it really was quite tame in comparision to other films I have, like Hostel, especially the sequel, and I was a bit bummed by the end, but it was good, and made me laugh a few times, especially the longing look at the grave stone for the 3dog. Im glad I watched it, cos I have no doubt it will be banned immediately here, and I can say I saw it, but I think when the sequel is released, it needs to be gory, and a bit more graphic, good film to set up the sequel though, and the doc was creepy as fuck!
ReplyDelete@StarsMum
I came in with NO expectations, so I think that helped! I really enjoyed it! As mentioned, D Laser stole the show. What a nutter! He had me captivated, so it allowed me to ignore some of the bad acting by the girls and the cops. Being a nurse, I really wanted some of surgery to be more accurate and explained. Like if they were so sewn shut the girls would not be able to breathe, cry, make a noise... Nothing! They should have been trached. Not to mention, how did she not vomit and aspirate when the loaf hit her mouth? And the strongest should have been at the end since they get the least nutrition. Not to go on a medical tangent, but this idea could actually work for a while! The human GI system is completely open.
ReplyDeleteSo once my mind let the technicals go, I loved it!!! Twisted up people make me happy. The girl in the middle had a nice rack. I do wish the diapers were off to add some gore. I give it an 8/10! It also gave me some whacked out dreams!!
(pardon any typos my phone isn't letting me edit)
Kudos to creativity in this one!