Man Bites Dog (C’est Arrive pres de Chez Vous)

Institute History

  • 1993 Sundance Film Festival

Description

In Man Bites Dog, actual and fictional filmmakers Bonzel and Belvaux create a pseudo-documentary which is a roller coaster for them and the audience. looking for an appropriate documentary subject. they accompany Benoit. here named Ben, on a killing rampage to trace a few humdrum days in the life of a serial killer. Ben is an exuberant, charismatic exhibitionist who enjoys reciting his own horrible poetry as much as mangling and murder. He scares an old woman to death, strangles another, shoots some people, and then feasts on mussels which he gleefully throws up.

As the killing spree intensifies, it becomes all too obvious that André and Remy are doing nothing to stop Ben. Even worse (or better?), they are taking part in the fun. Ben keeps reminding them to kill faster. A film can never have enough action, he says. And more killing means more money to produce that action.

When André and Remy join Ben in a brutal rape and double murder, we're forced to face our own voyeurism and the way filmmakers fuel it. At its lightest, the film is a satire of today's reality TV, but you won't grab a bag of chips and put your feet up to watch. Instead you will ask yourself what you revel in seeing.


Tuesday Jan 26 10:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre

Friday Jan 29 10:15 pm
Holiday Village Cinema II

Saturday Jan 30 Midnight
Tower Theatre. Salt lake City

$6.00

— Catherine Schulman

Screening Details

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