Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Der Todesking" is a 72-minute German movie from the fairly famous Jörg Buttgereit. He made this one 25 years ago. At this point, he has already made films for 10 years, even if he was still in his 20s. This is basically a collection of 7 short films and we get a new tale for every day of the week. These tales, as usual with Buttgereit, include lots of violence, gore and blood. The aggression is sometimes suicidal and sometimes directed against other people. I must say this is really the first time I see something remotely close to creativity in the director's works. Still, it's only brief glimpses, but these were frequent enough to let me give this one a 4/10 and not a 2/10 like I gave to most of his other works. Some of these short segments, for example when a woman with a Hitler mustache cuts of a prisoner's genitals are still 2/10, but thankfully some were stronger too. German audiences may see familiar faces in Bela B. and Ades Zabel. All in all, I would not recommend it, but it may be a good way to start if you want to explore the world of Jörg Buttgereit.
Raul Valero
I've watched Schramm, Nekromantik 1 and 2. Der Todesking is really at the top of them. I spent like 40 EU on the movie. I didn't buyed it because I was a 100% sure it was good, I bought it because it was a rare film to find. When I finally saw it, I knew that the value of the film was above money.The film is an essay on death and more than that is an analysis on audiovisual violence. Der Todesking is an Art film with the soul of a Horror film. If I would have to make a list of the films that I've saw in my life this film would definitely be on the top 10.This is not a splatter film. Blood is shown only in a couple of scenes, nevertheless the film leaves you powerful visual impression.
Infofreak
'Der Todesking' is my first experience with Jorg Buttgereit. I have no idea whether it is representative of his other work or not, but after watching this puzzling movie I intend finding out. A verbal description of this movie does it very little justice. Scenes of suicides by various individuals are interspersed with footage of a decomposing corpse. That really gives you NO idea how thought provoking, repellant AND beautiful this movie is in places.
I'm not sure if I fully understand Buttgereit's "message" or indeed, if there really IS one. But I did get something from watching this movie. It is much more than just a collection of disturbing images. Maybe it is like a painting or a poem, and everybody who experiences comes away with their own ideas or emotions about what it's "about". Whatever your reaction to 'Der Todesking' I don't think you will regret having watched it. There are moments in this movie that will stay with you for a VERY long time... I was fascinated. A movie that blurs the distinctions between art and exploitation, and makes you question yourself. Yes, I was impressed.
goblingoddess
Buttgereit does a beautiful film about suicide? Who would have thought that the same director of the filthy, Nekromantik, would be capable of bringing us such a moving portrait about suicide. Well, it is also a film about violent death, not just suicide. This is subject matter that most writers and directors would shy away from because it is too dark. It took someone like Buttgereit with enough audacity to give this disturbing topic its humanity. The film itself is actually seven short films each one dealing with violent death/suicide from different aspects. There are indeed some parts that will move you to tears such as a bridge (somewhere in Germany, we don't know where but that's not important) and on film captions of the occupations (no real names given) and ages of the people who have used the bridge to meet their end. At the very end of the film you are shown photos of smiling children obviously during more happier times. This scene got me emotionally more than any other. I have to spoil one thing but as a cautionary statement, there is one scene unfortunately that has become almost a trademark for Buttgereit: the obligatory castration scene. But get past that and this film is a wonderful, emotional experience. This one certainly has earned it's place on my all time top ten movie favorites. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to see such a marvelous film. Now if only it would be made available on DVD?
AD
