GamerTab
That was an excellent one.
Siflutter
It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.
Michael_Elliott
Begotten (1990) *** (out of 4) Ultra-bizarre film from director E. Elias Merhige that's pretty much impossible to explain in terms of plot.This is the type of experimental film that you could show to a hundred different people. Some are going to find it completely plot-less and downright horrid. Some are going to think it's a masterpiece of visuals and give you ten paragraphs of what the film is trying to "say." Others will be puking their guts out within the first few minutes and won't be able to give you a decent idea of what was to follow. I'm not going to sit here and pretend to know what this film was trying to say or do. Hell, perhaps it's not trying to say anything. The only one who knows for certain is the director himself and I'm not going to try and pretend to speak for him.With all of that said, did the film work? There's no question about that. I hadn't heard of the film until recently when it started to make some lists of the most disturbing movie ever made. I'm not going to agree with that but there's no question that there are some visuals here that won't leave your mind. I mean, how many movies can you think of that starts off with God killing himself in a brutal manor and then Mother Earth impregnating herself with his seed. From here with see countless violent images of death and just about everything else that you can think of. Again, most people aren't going to be able to stomach the film even if they do find it's direction and visuals to be masterful.Roger Ebert once said a film is successful if the director accomplishes whatever they set out to do. I'm pretty sure that means this here was a major success. The director would go onto direct films like SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE and some Marilyn Manson videos. The amazing visuals in this film is what makes it so mesmerizing and there's no question that it contains a sickening atmosphere unlike any other movie I've seen. The artistic value alone makes this film something truly special and I guess the only thing you can compare it to are the early shorts of Luis Bunuel.
dragokin
Begotten left me wondering whether it has been a movie or a video installation. Either way, it's been truly disturbing.The main question is why are such movies/installations treated like art. There has been some rudimentary plot that could have been interpreted anyway you'd like. Sound and music followed what happened on the screen, yet it all sounded like random, albeit harrowing, noise. As if someone tried very hard to trigger a suicidal reaction in viewers.At the time of it's creation Begotten must have been a challenge to make. Today with digital photography and powerful computers generating abstract images, it would have probably been easier to make.
Roman James Hoffman
Remember that scene from the Japanese 'Ring' when we see the cursed video footage for the first time and it's a disturbing, grainy, black and white montage of writhing bodies, ominous hooded figures standing beside the sea, and the well in the middle of the desolate forest? Well 'Begotten' is a lot like that except that it's arguably more disturbing as well as considerably longer.'Begotten' is clearly not for the masses. From the get-go the imagery is gruesome: in the opening scene we see a figure disembowelling himself with a razor, the corpse of which is molested by a female figure who impregnates herself and gives birth to a fully grown man who convulses in seemingly perpetual agony before both of them consequently suffer at the hands of different categories of ambiguous, sadistic ghouls. At the end of the film a cast of 'characters' informs us that those at the beginning were God killing Himself, Mother Earth, and Son Of Earth - Flesh On Bone…if that helps.In addition to this challenging content, another point of contention is the grainy, 'Erasrerhead'-esque black-and-white cinematography which makes the images at times so distorted that it's difficult to discern any clear outlines, which can be frustrating when you're trying to not miss anything in an attempt to fathom the impenetrable narrative! However, in endeavouring to appreciate the bold artistic ambitions of the film I forgave all of this...but the one thing which really irked me was the fact is that it is basically too long. The film clocks in at over 70 minutes and yet I genuinely think I would have appreciated it to the same level if it were half of this.Having said that, the film clearly wasn't designed with any intention of crowd-pleasing, and unrepentantly is what it is: a unique and individual film which walks amongst the best (and most thought-provoking) experimental cinema has to offer. So while you could say "take it or leave it" I really think those that choose the latter are missing something exceptional.
wwwmsu
Absolutely the worse use of undeveloped film in the history of the world. How anyone can say this garbage (will not use film again) is watchable must be in an drug induced fever with internal complications.And then we read where it took many hours of filming just to get a few seconds recorded. I once had a kidney stone that was with me for five days yet that is something that would not make for a pleasurable view for the public.This garbage may have a 'cult' following- but so does the third Reich and both are not something the sane people of the world want to be associated. I have watched many many movies, films and shows throughout my years and I have to say that this garbage was absolutely the worse project ever witnessed. I do not think I have ever gave a rating of one to anything and it is just too bad they do not have lower ratings because this deserved less.
