Gurotesuku (2009)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 73 minuten
Alternative titles: Grotesque / グロテスク
Country:
Japan
Directed by: Kôji Shiraishi
Stars: Hiroaki Kawatsure, Tsugumi Nagasawa and Shigeo Ôsako
IMDb score:
4,8 (8.677)
Releasedate: 17 January 2009
Gurotesuku plot
"King of Japanese Grotesque Movie"
A couple is drugged and kidnapped. When they regain consciousness, they find themselves tied up and gagged, but much worse; they are in a torture chamber.
Actors and actresses
Reviews & comments
-fal
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- 2028 messages
- 2292 votes
It must have been my mood, but: Hostel, Saw, torture porn? I was regularly in stitches, not least because of the music selection. Extreme contrasts between image and sound can have a dramatic effect, but here it is done so ludicrously that the effect on me varies from indeed disturbingly dramatic and emotionally complex (Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp during the masturbation) to reassuring or just downright comical (Puccini's Nessun dorma ("Vincero!") during the rehabilitation) or the even more hilarious Land of Hope and Glory somewhere at the end.. Grotesque!
By Japanese standards, it actually all remains fairly tame and light. Naturally, there are gore or sick scenes in the film, but as far as I'm concerned, the real fun lies in how the viewer/listener's emotional reactions are constantly manipulated, how some narrative clichés pop up, and how every physical torture takes on an extra layer. That is precisely what *isn't* porn. Aside from that: that nails-in-the-balls scene makes me tense my abdominal muscles, uncomfortable but grinning, and does not, as the BBFC seems to assume, evoke the urge to run to the hardware store and pick out a victim. That is masochism rather than sadism.
The creep claims to get aroused by expressions of the will to live, while the victim actually overcomes that (vincero!) in his altruism. A touching little love story between two shy souls. So much for no story or uplifting message... (I would have thrown Wagner's Liebestod into the mix.)
Visually and "story-wise" engaging, and far removed from the Guinea Pigs, none of which I've seen without fast-forwarding. Great role by the creep, too.
Very entertaining film, sometimes uncomfortable, but never shocking or "wrong"; there is too much tongue in cheek in it for that.
Translated from Dutch · View original
wibro
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- 11590 messages
- 4098 votes
At first, I dreaded watching this torture movie, but once confronted with the torture scenes, I quickly started to get bored. At a certain point, it didn't affect me at all anymore. Too much gore is numbing, that much is clear. In "Martyrs," the torture still had a scientific purpose, but here it was simply torture for the sake of torture. You shouldn't expect any substance from this Japanese horror movie, where suspense was nowhere to be found. So, best forgotten quickly. I was glad, by the way, that this movie didn't last longer than 73 minutes.
1.0*
Translated from Dutch · View original
james_cameron
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- 7233 messages
- 9960 votes
Rarely gruesome and sinister torture porn (literally) from Japan, short but powerful. The minimalist plot and sketchily developed characters do not benefit the film, but because the film is technically quite strong, with first-class make-up effects and solid camerawork, you remain glued to the screen. At least, if you have a strong stomach. A nasty, nihilistic little work.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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