ThiefHott Too much of everything

Cortechba Overrated

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Ironically Unimpressed I got it. I appreciate it. I just didn't enjoy it. That's not to say it's not good - just not a movie I'd be keen to rewatch.The film is gruesome. Disturbing. There's no two ways about it, you most probably will hate your eyes for not blinking while watching it. However, if you prepare yourself and go in with the outlook that the horror featured is a very important part of this film's core point (oftentimes taking over, harshly morphing into the protagonist itself), you won't be disappointed.Man Bites Dog barks a darkly comedic, flawless script, well-paced narrative, clever sociopsychological observations, and the imagery... love it or hate it, it will stay with you forever.Dare it. If anything, this is the movie that gave us lines like "Once I buried two Arabs in a wall over there... Facing Mecca, of course."

talmage-982-3036 The first fifteen minutes of Rémy Belvaux's debut film, Man Bites Dog (1992), is a sort-of test for the viewer. It's not as graphic or as obscene as scenes to come, but can jar viewers, especially those who aren't forewarned. The first scene starts on a moving passenger train. A woman walks down a seemingly hall and is quickly accosted from behind by a man. The assailant pulls her into an apartment and strangles her with a wire as her feet kick helplessly. Now, compared to other contemporary movies, this seems a mild scene; I mean there isn't even a chainsaw decapitation or brains splattered on a car window. What sets Man Bites Dog apart is how the violence is presented. And what sets it apart from most violent movies is it's wildly funny.Man Bites Dog is a mockumentary about a Belgian serial killer named Benoit. Benoit's smiling face, charm, and his knowledge of the arts in all areas, makes him seem an unlikely candidate to be a cold-blooded killer. This dichotomy is where much of the movie's humor is drawn from. One scene, while the camera crew is following Benoit as he chases down an escaped victim, Benoit stops mid-pursuit to pick up a fallen pigeon feather. He notes its oily texture, which means mating season is upon us. He then regales the crew with a poem about pigeons in love. Benoit Poelvoorde's (His real and on-screen name) performance is comedic brilliance. The film was shot with a shoe-string budget in black and white. This coalesces with the premise of the mockumentary; film school students trying to make their debut documentary. In this way the film deviates from others in its genre, say a Christopher Guest movie (Although most people who appreciate the humor of his movies would probably appreciate Man Bites Dog dryer approach to comedy). Here the filmmakers are part of the story, as opposed to outside of it. In this way Man Bites Dog achieves social commentary. It's a satire with similar themes of Stone's Natural Born Killers. At first, the crew seems like objective filmmakers. Pretty soon Benoit is taking them out for dinner, and the crew is carrying victim's bodies for him. Half-way through the story Benoit is financing their film. Remy (Who is the director of Man Bites Dog and is the character who is directing the "documentary") and the crew are passive, especially juxtaposed next to the infinitely charismatic Benoit. Like Natural Born Killers this satirizes the media's role in violent culture. Of course Man Bites Dog being an independent European project, achieves this in a subtler, dry fashion. In one poignant scene the crews helps Benoit spot and capture an escaped victim, who is a child.This is where the aforementioned viewing test comes in. There are disturbing scenes that are enhanced by the film's documentary feel. A realistic scene of Benoit suffocating a child with his pillow is something not everyone can bear. There are others equally upsetting. But if you can stomach horrific scenes of violence then you are in for an engaging comedy that challenges the viewer to question the relationship between violence and those who gain from it.

theowlofthegame Everybody shut up please, and listen. I am from Belgium, so I have a right to speak. Hear ye! Hear ye!No, seriously, everybody's opinion is worth as much as the next one, I'm just joking, but I want to write a few words about this movie, so people can understand it better.First of all, some people don't realise that this film was made with a budget of less than 50.000 dollar. The actors in the movie are mostly family and friends. Benoit Poelvoorde, who plays the main role, is the only professional, and he delivers a fantastic performance as the talkative, self-absorbed, hyperbolic, maniac Ben, we all come to love. It was the role of his life. The director and sound engineers had just graduated film school. They still had a lot to learn. So you have to give the makers credit for that. Knowing all this, you understand this has to be seen as a cult-movie. A cult-movie, with a great script, witty dialogues, and legendary scenes. With a great sense of irony.My favourite scenes of Man bites Dog are the chase in the abandoned factory (with the pigeon poem), and the bar scene, ending with Benoit Poelvoorde singing the cinema song, with fake beard. Most film fans in Belgium can recite whole passages upon request.The ending is a bit abrupt, and some scenes are superfluous, but the film has the streak of genius all the way through.Hope you enjoy it.

uwa While I was watching this movie, I started to think about the 'real' documentaries that were made in late 80's and 90's, one of the documentaries which have won an Oscar, was about children selling themselves in order to earn money. I imagine, the directors also have watched these documentaries and started to ask themselves where is the line? which is a question often discussed by the documentarists. They gave a good spin to that idea and come up with making a documentary about a serial killer. The way they did is also brilliant, the acting is impeccable, except one scene all the scenes contains a humor and have a natural feel. It is really hard to believe that this movie was the first movie of the directors. I recommend you to watch it however don't expect Hollywood type motivations.