MAN BITES DOG (1992)

A.K.A.: C’est Arrive Pres De Chez Vous

Country: Belgium

Genre(s): Comedy / Crime

Director: Remy Belvaux / Andre Bonzel / Benoit Poelvoorde

Cast: Benoit Poelvoorde / Remy Belvaux / Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert

Plot

A film crew follows a serial killer, catching his murders on film, and eventually becoming accomplices in his crimes.

What I Liked

I do have an affinity for most anything subversive.  Any creative output that offends the norm or challenges preconceived notions automatically scores a point or two with me, regardless of quality.  That probably shouldn’t be the case, but it is what it is.  A black comedy if there ever was one, “Man Bites Dog” apparently caused quite a stir in Europe upon its release for its frank portrayal of murder, even of children and old ladies.  In fact, the film is nowhere near as bloody or gruesome as I expected but it does generate a certain chill in those of us who are not sociopaths.  This is done not through gore or graphicness but through the point-blank, no frills, un-glossy depiction of death.  Also disturbing is the casual regard given to the murders by the man committing them and the crew of filmmakers who follow him around.  They treat the killing of innocents like a craft rather than a crime, dwelling on the proper strategies of committing murder and never once the morality of it.

The character of the killer, Ben, might be the most realistic portrayal of a serial killer this side of “Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer,” released a few years earlier (and reviewed earlier in this blog).  Like Henry, Ben is absolutely devoid of a conscience and goes about his work with a passion.  In most other ways, though, Ben is the antithesis of Henry.  He is a talkative, flamboyant man with friends and family, compared to monosyllabic loner Henry.  Ben has the sociopath’s narcissism and incessantly babbles on to the camera about art, culture, and poetry, clearly believing that the world should be absolutely fascinated with him.  He is completely unaware that the pretentious mask he wears is not only boring but also absolutely transparent, as its plain to see that he is a man lacking not only a soul but also a personality.  While I still feel Henry is likely the more accurate portrayal of your standard serial killer, Ben is still a frighteningly believable character who isn’t easily forgotten.

What I Didn’t Like

A mockumentary it may be, but “Man Bites Dog” is no “Spinal Tap.”  With a few exceptions, its laughs are generated primarily either through shock value or subversion.  For all its intentional silliness and self-referential satire, the film never once got an audible laugh out of me.  Really just a few smirks.  I don’t really care what it intends to say about society (the world’s current fascination with “reality” TV does make the film seem prophetic), ultimately it really failed to entertain or enlighten me in any way.

Most Memorable Scene

Ben’s invasion of a suburban household stands out along with similar scenes in “A Clockwork Orange” and “Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer” as among the most hard-to-sit-through murder scenes I’ve witnessed.  Maybe my coming from a mostly standard suburban background makes scenes like this literally hit home at little harder, but it definitely makes for a “worst nightmare” level scenario for me.

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5