Ruptured Review: Caged (aka Captifs)

Country of origin- France

Year of release- 2010  

Director-Yann Gozlan 

Stars- Zoé Félix, Eric Savin, Arié Elmaleh
 

The film begins with a flashback to the childhood of main character Carole (Zoé Félix). In this scene the film establishes Carole’s fear of dogs, as we see her nearly mauled by a rabid Belgian Shepard soon after discovering the savaged corpse of her friend. The film then cuts to modern day Kosovo, where Carole is an aid worker at a hospital, working alongside her are two other Doctors Mathias (Eric Savin) and Samir (Arié Elmaleh). The three of them have finished their service at the hospital and are going home. When the group begin their long drive back, they are stopped at a military checkpoint and delayed due to a risk of landmines. However Mathias thinks he knows an alternative route and beings to take them along a dirt track for a ‘sort cut’. It isn’t long however before the group’s car is ambushed by armed and masked men who force the three doctors into a cage in the back of a van, before drugging them unconscious. Carole wakes up locked in a sparse and dirty cell with Samir. It isn’t long however before Carole realises to her horror the horrific reason the three were kidnapped. As one by one Carole sees people dragged away screaming, only to be stripped of their valuable organs for sale on the black market.

Considering this film only has a run time of around 80 minutes and could have easily ended up as a very standard horror affair, it is nice to see that the writers tried to do something at least a little different, and succeeded in some ways. Carole’s fear of dogs is the most interesting point of the plot as throughout her time in the cell she can hear the sound of dogs barking every time one of her kidnappers appears, thus equating them to savage animals. The fear of dogs (or cynophobia for all you pretentious assholes like me) element of the film also leads to one very tense scene in which Carole must pass within inches of a pack of snarling dogs in an attempt to escape. This scene along with much if the films climax is very atmospheric and very tense as Carole desperately tries to escape from her captors.

The film is also technically very proficient as it manages to create a very closed in, claustrophobic environment with its tight cinematography and low key lighting. However despite the films many good points it does have some issues. The key problem with Caged is its slightly rushed, and very predictable plot that never manages to feel completely natural or even that smooth at times. This leaves much of the film feeling badly paced and this inevitably negatively effects just about everything else. Much of the plot itself is very reminiscent of Hostel, as we see outsiders being kidnapped and murdered in what can only be described as a murder compound for the purpose of making money. Despite this films similarities to Hostel it is very hard to compare the two as much of the horror in Caged is psychological as opposed to guts n’gore.

I think that overall however this is worth a watch despite its plot issues, as it does at least try and do something with its cynophobia element and despite its short run time tries to develop characters beyond a 2D cardboard level. It is not the best example of modern French horror, but it’s worth a look for more dedicated genre fans, I will give this one a 6/10.                          
                        

Ruptured Review: Schramm

Country of origin- Germany 

Year of release- 1993  

Director- Jörg Buttgereit

Stars- Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Monika M., Micha Brendel

The film follows Lothar Schramm, a polite, lonely taxi driver and track runner who appears to suffer from a form of borderline schizotypal personality disorder. Lothar is also plagued with near constant urges to self-mutilate, all while being mentally tortured by horrific paranoid delusions and hallucinations. Lothar is ultimately driven to a life of murder when the constant rejection of a prostitute (played by Monika M. of Nekromantik 2) whom he loves drives him to go beyond mere fantasies as he begins to kill, photograph and eventually rape victims who he invites into his home.

This is the generally considered by most to be the last great film of iconic director Jörg Buttgereit (Nekromantik, Der Todesking) and it may well be his most experimental and possibly his most shocking feature work to date. This film could accurately be described as Nekromantik meets Angst, as Schramm draws greatly upon the nihilistic masterpiece that is Angst all while delivering stunning music and visuals that only Buttgereit could truly pull off. One aspect of this film that did take me by surprise was the use of truly unpleasant body horror imagery that is used throughout the film to track the rapid mental decline of Lothar, one of these scenes in particular could very well be the most revolting thing ever condemned to celluloid by Buttgereit.

The character of Lothar is very interesting, he seems to be driven to his crimes by sheer social and sexual ineptitude, part of the cause for this is a possible incestuous relationship with his mother which is hinted at during the film. He is also plagued with many visions of him having a false leg, or even an amputated leg, thus representing his feelings of being trapped in the very grim and lonely place he finds himself in. He is also fuelled by ager and jealousy towards the clients of the prostitute he loves, as he is forced to listen to them have sex with her in the next apartment while he desperately seethes.

Overall this is a superb and shocking look into a truly disturbed mind all set to a typically brilliant score from the highly talented Hermann Kopp who was also the composer for the film Nekromantik. If you want an arthouse film to shock and disgust then this is the one for you, I give Schramm 8/10.       

        

 

Ruptured Review: Rubber's Lover

Country of origin- Japan 

Year of release- 1996  

Director- Shozin Fukui

Stars- Nao, Norimizu Ameya, Yôta Kawase
      

This is an extremely difficult film to summarise in a traditional manor due to the complete lack of traditional plot structure, or structure in general, but here goes. The film follows a group of utterly insane scientists who believe they have found a way to create the perfect super human with psychic capabilities by injecting captive human guinea pigs with ether and subjecting them to metal torture. The whole project is riddled with problems however as one of the scientists becomes hooked on the ether, and the projects investors want to shut them down. It isn’t long before the scientists last shackles of sanity are completely shed in what can only be described as a pus drenched industrial orgy of noise and death.

Like many of the Japanese cyberpunk films of the 1990’s, Rubber’s Lover focuses upon themes of transhumanism and explores it through ideas of post-human sexuality, fetishism and death, all set against a grimy industrial noir background. This film focuses much of its manic energy upon the characters obscene relationship with both drugs, and the fetishist machinery they use to administer and enhance them. The film uses this to explore the fragility of the human mind, and does this not only in substance, but also through the films bizarre, trippy and often disgusting aesthetics.

Much of the films power comes from its cinematography, which will leave you feeling as though you’re the one on hard drugs as it dashes, twists and darts at the characters, but be warned it does come with a seizure warning. Alongside the films twisted cinematography, the sound design and music add a great deal to the films frantic and disjointed atmosphere, especially as every scream (and there’s a lot) seems to be ten times louder than everything else in the film, giving it a certain cold sharpness.

The only thing that really lets this film down is the very over the top, almost anime like acting that we see in certain scenes, this does detract from the film in some moments. However, getting hung up on an issue like acting in a film like this is kind of missing the point. This can be viewed as just another weird gory trip-fest that doesn’t have much to say beyond screams. Or it can be viewed as an interesting exploration of the human mind, and our increasing reliance on technology to stimulate it. Or it can even be viewed as some very strange fetish porn. No matter what you get from this film at the end, I can assure you it will be worth the experience to get to it. Although definitely not for everyone this is a stunning film that will stay with the viewer for some time to come, I highly recommend it in all its arthouse glory with an 8/10.