Man Bites Dog v. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

[James Shippey]

A few people have been posting here saying how disturbing MBD is to watch.
I must admit that I found H:PoaSK (especially Otis) to be on the
disturbing level. I still haven't seen MBD (still mulling over the LD
purchase [Thanks everybody for the earlier help!]) and I was wondering how
the two compare in terms of 'disturbance level'. Thanks!

-Jim Shippey
--
"These are the facts, and the facts lead to realities."
-Defense Secretary Perry, 3/14/94

[ez04...@dale.ucdavis.edu]

Having seen both, my initial response is that Henry is the better film
because it does a better job of creating an atmosphere than Man Bites
Dog. Importantly, Henry GAVE more to the audience than Man. Both films
require a lot of the viewer, but I left Henry with less of a feeling of
having witnessed a pointless string of gruesome deaths than I had when I
left Man Bites Dog. Many times a hard-core movie will dump a lot on you
and not give you much of an aparatus to do anything with it except say,
"Ugh, that's terrible! That's dark as hell!" Henry, like A Clockwork
Orange, requires a lot of the viewer, but gives him enough subtance and
structure to walk away feeling a least a little fortified by the
experience. Man Bites Dog, though interesting and darkly ammusing in
places,only left me feeling vaguely disturbed and cold.

-Gary Paolini

In a partnership for a drug-spree America.

[Phineas]

shi...@gwis.circ.gwu.edu (James Shippey) writes:

MBD has a lot of humor in it, H-PoaSK doesn't really have too many laughs
(arguably none) except I found the killing of the video salesman kind of
funny because he was such an obnoxious asshole. I'd have to say HENRY
is MUCH more disturbing overall.

--Phineas Narco

[daniel f etter]

Man Bites Dog had absolutely nothing in it to disturb me. It was occasionally
funny, but not very. Leave it to the french to botch such an excellent idea.
:-):-):-):-)(-:(-:(-:(-: I expected Man Bites Dog to actually be a good movie,
like El Mariachi or something. OH well...

Henry, on the other hand had plenty to disturb me. And it had some humor too.
But then again, I'd kinda sick and jaded.

Dan

[c. spencer yeh]

In article <Cnwo7...@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>,

daniel f etter <dfe...@silver.ucs.indiana.edu> wrote:
>Man Bites Dog had absolutely nothing in it to disturb me. It was occasionally
>funny, but not very. Leave it to the french to botch such an excellent idea.
>:-):-):-):-)(-:(-:(-:(-: I expected Man Bites Dog to actually be a good movie,
>like El Mariachi or something. OH well...

Have to disagree. I laughed. Anyway, it was a Belgian production...

>Henry, on the other hand had plenty to disturb me. And it had some humor too.
>But then again, I'd kinda sick and jaded.

None of the above disturbed me, as with anyone who can detach from their
heart. Otis is a nut. Made me laugh. MBD wasn't out to disturb as much as
it was to comment on the nature of the media, etc. etc. all that shit.
HENRY, however, had some silly parts, such as when Otis' sister (forgot her
name...) says to Henry--(paraphrased) "I feel like I've known you... forever."
ugh. MBD was more "believable" in its pseudo-realistic intent (in portraying
characters).

Both were good movies. Seen _Rampage_?

--
"...drinking, wishing, smoking, hoping..."
c.s.y.