pro-bassoonist

With the French disc by Arte now out (came out on March 28, not English friendly) and Tartan's release rumored for early Fall it is probably a good idea to have a thread for this film floating.

Official Arte site:
http://www.taxidermia.hu/indexen.htm

DVD review:
http://www.dvdcritiques.com/critique....aspx?dvd=4698

Variety blurb:

"Taxidermia" sets a benchmark for body horror in the cinema. Helmer Gyorgy Palfi's follow-up to the startlingly original "Hukkle," this widescreen exercise in the confrontational continues his fascination with the mysteries of nature but substitutes an oddly skewed sense of wonder with a full-frontal sensory assault. Story of a series of Magyar men who carry a ghastly gene or eight across three generations is fascinated with the logistics of biology and mortality but has little to say beyond its jaw-dropping special effects. Stomach-churner is a natural for midnight fest slots but much more problematic for theatrical distribution.

In a lonely outpost, scrawny, hair-lipped orderly Vendel (Csaba Czene) responds to the constant browbeating of his superior, Hadnagy (Istvan Gyuricza), by spying on people and masturbating.

Following a bout of grotesque sex with Hadnagy's corpulent wife (Piroska Molnar) -- which includes at least one explicit shot of coupled genitalia -- Vendel's head is blown off by the enraged cuckold. In due course, a baby is born that appears perfect, save a squiggly tail which is promptly snipped off.

Fast forward to the product of this unholy union, champion Olympic speed-eater Kalman Balatony (Gergo Trocsanyi). First seen competing at a '50s-style Soviet event, he is smitten with the equally hefty Gizi (Adel Stanczel, made up to look like John Waters' late muse, Divine).

At about the hour mark, the story leaps ahead again to their now-grown child, gaunt taxidermist Lajos (Marc Bischoff). who spends most of his time caring for his now-massive father (Gabor Mate, swaddled in a fat suit). Lajos is raising three abnormally large housecats in a large cage. When one mutant feline mauls Kalman offscreen, Lajos lovingly practices his profession.

In broad terms, part one is an explicit exercise in Central European ultra-miserabilism, middle seg is ghastly funny on par with anything the Monty Pythons dreamed up, and the climax one-ups David Cronenberg's worst nightmare. Yet the total is much less than the sum of its, uh, parts. Rather, the pic is more like a bigscreen equivalent of children pulling wings off live flies.

Tech credits are impressive on what looks to have been an expansive budget. Script won a screenwriting prize at the Sundance lab.



Ciao,
Pro-B

logboy

play.com have their 'stick your email here, we'll let you know...' listing up

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/33434...searchsource=0

still waiting for them to release morgenthalers 'princess' too.

splattii2

Taxidermia was one of my favorite films in 2006. I really liked it a lot and I actually have the French DVD sitting here beside me. I also caught princess in the theatre which I think is a little over-hyped, but still a decent watch. I heard a rumour KOCH is putting that one out in the US, or was I mislead?

Tuan Jim

Don't think we have a date yet on Princess -- just like the other Hungarian [animated] flick "Nyocker" still isn't out with subs.

d2cheer

Wow talk about a NSFW poster!! I opened this and had to quickly pass that! Unless that isn't what I think it is...

I have to see this now!

Gunde

It's exaclty what you think it is

pro-bassoonist

Update:

UK Street date: August 13.

Ciao,
Pro-B

zombeaner

I am all over this.

animatedude

is that the guys's dick on the artwork?! if it's then i'll blind buy lol

splattii2

Trust me, there is much more in this film that will have you talking outside of the scene on the cover. I ended up at the world premiere, and since my friend couldn't go I decided to take my mother. lol. Of all films, this is the one I took her to. Anyhow, as I mentioned before this film is just fantastic, and I think those who watch it won't forget it anytime soon.

Slumbering Fist

I'm a huge lover of surrealism, but Taxidermia left me a little cold. Its by no means a bad film, certainly quite imaginative and unforgettable, but much of its (symbolic)storytelling choices are a tad obvious and limp. I had high hopes for it, but its not really as shocking or pointed as descriptions might lead you to believe.

d2cheer

I didn't like the ending but enjoyed the journey there...

pro-bassoonist

...as expected the UK cover isn't even close to the French one!



Pro-B

AmonTwin

Does anybody have this? Is this Tartan release a port of the French one? Am very curious about this. I really wish they could have used the original poster art though...

andrash

I wonder what's going to happen with the Hungarian dvd release. It's either going to be something special (the director has tons of stuff for a special edition) or it remains unreleased in this country just like everything coming from Eurofilm so far.Cross your fingers for either Mokép or Budapest Film picking it up,they almost always include English subs and a decent amount of extras.
I spotted award-winner "Black Brush" gaining a nice English subbed dvd release here.With sharp black&white photography(I believe the DP also lensed Taxidermia).
http://www.feketekefe.hu/

toddly6666

ADRASH,
If Hungary makes a Taxidermia DVD package like that 2-disk KONTROLL DVDs, I think you are going to get some more business soon, since the Hungarian online DVD stores suck ass.

andrash

And how could Tartan release this without any extras? If they'd ask for the material I'm sure they could get it on there. I remember an interview with the director talking about how he plans to do the extras himself and they shot more than twenty hours for a making of Taxidermia.It wasn't a hit or anything but I would be surprised if they skip on a spec.edit dvd.

toddly6666

I watched the UK PAL TAXIDERMIA DVD today. Pretty interesting flick. The first two acts of the film are the most interesting. Strangely, I didn't get grossed out and disturbed till the Taxidermia third act. I suppose you call this a good gorey film. Is this movie a wet-dream flick to gore-seekers? I don't know. Great visual eye-candy director and great acting. And an extremely good soundtrack.

I would like to see György Pálfi, Alexandro Jodorowksy, Mathew Barney, and Dusan Makavejev all work on a movie together, curious to see what creation they could make.

The DVD quality is excellent. Just a trailer for the extras though.

MOVIE: 7.5
VIDEO: 9
AUDIO: 9
EXTRAS: 1