Thanatomorphose (2012) Fantasia 2013

On the slide down to "worse than you can imagine"

Give this film a medal. This is one of the most f-ed up films I've ever seen. Some where past the work of Jörg Buttgereit and David Cronenberg on his darkest body in revolt day (and a few others)  Thanatomorphose is quite simply on the road to a new level of horror endurance test. For those wanting to see a film of horrific transgression and image look no further.

This often visually arresting film concerns Laura who feels empty inside. Her career isn't going anywhere and her boyfriend really only wants violent sex (she carries the bruises of their encounters) things begin to change when she meets someone who seems nice...and because she begins to literally decay while still alive.

A slow carefully measured film (its almost painfully slow in the first 35 minutes) this is a film, that assuming you can take the images and the implications is a kick in the ass. It's a film that will push your buttons and make you wonder where this is going and how much more you're going to take. Sitting at home watching a screener on my computer I was struck by the feeling that I was really happy I wan't seeing this in a theater, in the dark, where escape from the larger than life image was going to be impossible. I had a tough time seeing it small, I can't imagine seeing this big (but I'd like to try).

I'm shocked, horrified and at the same time exhilarated as that dark part of my psyche hasn't been so much  touched as bludgeoned into submission. Some of this film made me ill (that's a compliment). I have no idea if this psychotronic trip into  hell means anything, but I don't care, this is somewhere past meaning into the more important realm of feeling. This film will make you feel something whether you want to or not.

I want to say more about the film's great use of music of differing styles to amp things up, but I think it's best to leave that to you to discover.

One last word of warning- though with a film like this it's redundant- the film, if it isn't plainly clear- not for kids. Yes its its disturbing and incredibly violent, but there is full frontal nudity and more or less graphic sex. Laugh all you want at that but there are people who will be fine with the blood and gore but will be offended by the sex-which in this case is also rather disturbing.

One of my cinematic finds of the year. Thank you Fantasia.

This film plays again at the festival on August 3rd at 1145pm and I can think of no better time soak up it's horrors.