Marian Dova's film was indeed a step up from Cannibal. It's a dream like visual art-house film that turns the graphic and grotesque into a beautiful piece of film making. I have to say the uncut version I'm reviewing was in German language with no subtitles but that was not a major issue as there is no real narrative. The film appears to be about death and decay. We see old dolls, dead birds, insects, pigs, cats, fish, insects, and copses in coffins, cigars burning down, and old bones. The scenes involve sexual violence towards women, mutilation, urine, the smearing of excrement and general extreme horror that would normally shock. However, this is no exploitation movie; all the scenes have a dream like quality and an unsettling atmosphere which leave for an emotional experience. Good cinematography and a score by David Hess make this better than it really should be. Lots of sex, nudity and masturbation which is in no way erotic and scenes that would be controversial if in a different picture. At over two and a half hours long it's best to watch in two or three sittings as this is not a movie to grip or even shock you, just a decent piece of extreme horror art-house.
Review of Melancholie der Engel
