When lesser known horror films begin their parade of film festivals, the filmmakers hope for grassroot word of mouth. Because In some cases, the fate of their film is at stake and that grassroot word of mouth may not always be positive. Leaving the lesser known films with not much traction before getting off the ground. The film I’m screening today is one that would fit in this description, only that the initial reactions have been pretty positive. So, let’s begin with my ceremonial ritual of popping some popcorn, cracking open a cold adult beverage and dimming the lights. IT’S MOVIE TIME!
Flesh of the Void (2017)
Synopsis
Flesh of the Void is a terribly disturbing experimental horror film about what it could feel like if death truly were the most horrible thing one could ever experience. It is intended as a trip through the deepest fears of human beings, exploring its subject in a highly grotesque, violent and extreme manner.
The synopsis above was penned by the film’s director, Austrian filmmaker James Quinn (Trinity of Decay, The Temple of Lilith). Thus far, this is the best description for the film that I have found, that does it justice. I only say that boils and ghouls, because there is so much going on with this film. Which will no doubt, leave audiences debating on what the film actually meant. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. IT’S A GOOD THING.
A few months back, I covered a film that was very well received at the Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio. It was my buddy and friend of The Horror Syndicate, Mike Lombardo’s film I’m Dreaming of a White Doomsday (2017), which took home the best actress award. You can read my review of it here. But, it was Flesh of the Void that took over the weekend at Nightmares, winning Best Overall Feature and leaving audiences horrifically spellbound and speechless.
‘Fucking nightmarishly surreal. I loved the experimental side of it, with James Quinn teaching himself how to develop the different film stocks and using different techniques to texture and ruin the film, at one point I believe he even smeared semen on the film and scanned it. Wild fucking stuff.’ – Mike Lombardo, founder Reel Splatter Productions
That quote should give you some insight of how truly wild this film is. Flesh of the Void was produced by Sodom & Chimera Productions and is the first feature length film by Quinn, which he also co-penned with Ju. Together they orchestrate a horrific symphony of shock and torture. Quinn also manned the camera, giving the audience a truly bleak, dark and desolate backdrop for this incredibly twisted adventure of the flesh. With the cast members given nicknames like ‘The Man without a Face’, ‘Dead Flesh’ or ‘Them’, you almost get the feeling that you are watching a true snuff film.
On the surface, one can’t deny the subtle nuances and nods or draw comparisons to E. Elias Merhige’s religiously-themed experimental introspective nightmare, Begotten (1990). But these films are nothing alike. Quinn utilizes his soundtrack composed by Federico Nardella, Stephan Ortlepp and Quinn himself, to his advantage, adding more anxiety and intensity to each scene. This film is not for everyone. Once you have witnessed it, you cannot unsee it. This flick will linger and stay with you long after viewing. James Quinn is a filmmaker to keep a watchful eye on going forward. His hellishly depraved and nauseating depictions of the macabre, were in a weird way, eerily satisfying. Because when you really stop and think about it, death is no doubt the scariest thing that will ever happen to us.
IMDb: 8.2/10 (18 reviews)
ZombiSurvivor: 8.0/10
Check out the NSFW trailer below! Parental discretion advised…
Thanks for reading and as always…
STAY SCARED!
-ZS
