Search - Cannibal on DVD

Gruesome Love

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 04/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Cannibal"

Gruesome Love

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Some of you should remember the story of a German [...] guy who had a strange [...]--cannibalism. His story has been made into the movie "Cannibal" and it is a gruesome tale. When I put the movie into my DVD player I was not sure what to expect. I am not one who usually likes gore but I have to say this movie was an adventure for me. The movie s well done if this is your choice of film genre but it was not an easy movie to watch.
The story is about Armin Meiwes, a 42 year old German computer expert and Bernd Brandes, a 43 year old engineer. Armin uses his computer to search for someone to help him live out his most deep desire---eating another human being. Eventually after posting ads on the internet he finds Bernd and the two form a bond. Bernd shows how he feels for Armin at their first meeting when he tells him, "I'm your flesh". What ensues is a love story-a truly gross love story. With very little dialog, this strong movie shows what transpires between the two men, with lots of sex and even more blood.
The film can de divided into three acts--the hunt, the seduction, and the consumption--as it looks deeply at sex as predation and aligning it with the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel. I do not think that I can say that this is entertainment but the movie does work. The two men obviously understood each other's desires and the interaction between them seems to be genuine and what makes such a horrible subject so interesting to watch. In my opinion this is the ultimate cannibal movie. It looks at what makes a person desire to want to eat another person and it does so unflinchingly. It looks at both sides of the picture--what drives a man to want to eat another one as well as what kind of weird desire does one who wants to be eaten have.
There is a lot of blood in the film and the camera lingers on it and the actors give highly believable performances. The movie shows no sympathy for the actions of the men but neither is it judgmental. It is simply a recording of the affair and although the relationship between the men is bizarre to say the least, it is very believable.
It bears repeating that this is not a movie for everyone. If you are weak of stomach then I do not recommend that you see it but if you like this kind of thing, this is an absolutely amazing recreation of what happened when the "Rotenberg Cannibal" made his foray into history as one of the strangest love stories ever "executed". Albeit fiction in regards to the meeting of the men, it is based on true events.
Since there is little dialog (maybe 15 lines total), the movie depends upon visuals and atmosphere. The scenes that lead up to the eventual gore scenes are long but this helps build tension for what is to come and come it does. Be warned though that there is a great deal of male frontal nudity.
One scene that I shall probably never forget is when Meiwes cut off Bernds's [...] and fried it for both to eat. It is gruesome it idea and to see it is something I thought I would never see on the screen. Some of the scenes of rough [....] love are also hard to see. In some ways this movie can be regarded as a masterpiece in that it is almost like watching a documentary of something that really happened and the entire story s told with nothing left unsaid. As shocking and appalling as "Cannibal" is, it is also intriguing. If it were not a true story, no one would ever believe it happened. The movie is not an exploitation film but it is a powerful rendering of one of the sickest incidents in the history of mankind. I think the most compelling part of the film is when Bernd confesses that he is the "flesh" and we see that even though he is the victim, this is what he chose to be.
I may be called crazy but I have to admit that this is a brilliant film. While not for everyone, those who see it will be amazed at the honesty in which the story is shown.
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An absolute must-watch for gore-junkies.

jessie | Gloucester, MA | 12/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film was atmospherically stunning! The special effects were near perfect, and I havn't been more disturbed by a film in years.
The actors were wonderful, the dubbing worked quite well, and in certain parts it even look like they've used slide film.
I am by far one of the biggest horror/ gore junkies I know, and I have to say this is the best film i've seen yet, from unearth films.
The director did an amazing job, and I can't understand why the last person would give such a bad review other than ignorance and perhaps feeling uncomfortable during the homosexual parts."

This movie is a true horror flick

Mark | Madison, Wisconsin | 03/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has taken me awhile to write this review because I was so shocked by this movie after I saw it. It has stuck with me for the past week and it is probably a movie that I will never forget. What makes it so scarey is that it is based on a true story and is very factual. Be warned: this is a very gory movie and some of the scenes are very graphic for the gore. This movie also doesn't have much for dialog, but it really doesn't need dialog for the story being told. If you want a truely scarey horror flick, then see this movie. I do highly recommend it."

Cannibal - the true story

Ms. Emma Louise Boobier | Wales, UK | 03/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Firsly, let me just say that I think it helps, when watching this film, if you are already familiar with the story behind the true events that happened in Germany.

There is very little dialogue in this film (which is one of the reasons why it helps if you already know what's going on, at least for the first half). When the 'Flesh' is introduced to the story, the pace begins to pick up and the film starts to take it's, sometimes hard to watch, shape. Let me just say that if you are homophobic you may struggle with some of the scenes in this film, but let me just say, get past that because it's worth it.

Although it starts off a little slow, when it does pick it, it takes off at lightspeed and the gore is intense, and one or two scenes will have you squirming in your seat! From what I have read on several news web sites, and can remember of this being in the news, it stays true to the main facts quite well and for that reason alone can be difficult to watch.

This film isn't really meant to be enjoyed, not in the typical meaning of the word, but I highly recommend this for anyone who is into the more extreme and exploitation genres, but for anyone else, be warned - this film truly isn't for everyone!"