Can Anyone Recommend Watching MAN BITES DOG? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff_A]

A friend approached me today and handed me a VHS copy of this film. Some of his words were, "...you won't fucking believe it." Has anyone seen this (1992) film and is this worth my time?
Obviously, I will watch it, but I still want an HTF opinion. Thank you.
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The Dark Tower

Roman Polanski's - The Fearless Vampire Killers?

 

[Greg_Y]

It's been about 6 years since I've seen it, but I remember liking it. I rented it from Blockbuster back then and more than likely it was an edited version, although I can't say for sure.
It's like a cross between Natural Born Killers and Kids....but not really.
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[Thom B]

It really depends on your sense of humor. The movie is very dark. If you enjoy things like Happiness, Welcome to the Dollhouse, In the Company of Men, etc. You'll enjoy it. If dark humor isn't your thing, it's just disturbing. Being a sick bastard, I laughed my ass off, your milage may vary.
T

 

[Tom-G]

Thom pretty much hit the nail on the head. This movie all depends on your sense of humor, i.e. if you like dark comedies, you will probably like this one too.
I would put this movie in the same category as Very Bad Things. Deeply disturbing or outright hysterical! I liked Man Bites Dog very much. It is a "mockumentary" and in black and white and follows the antics of Ben as he goes on a rampage of ultra-violence.
Just one caveat, there is an edited version (most likely for Blockbuster Video) that excludes a brutal rape scene. Criterion had the laserdisc rights to this movie and of course featured the unedited version. I'm hoping that Criterion will make that same version available on DVD.
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[Mark Lee]

Like the others have commented, while the movie is quite funny in parts, it's a very black comedy, so much so that you'll find yourself nervously laughing for fear that someone'll think you're a psycho.... (though I guess that uneasy feeling is what the filmmakers intended to elicit in the viewer....)
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Mark K. Lee
"Life is like a sewer -- what you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Tom Lehrer

 

[SteveGon]

I'd say it's worth a look although I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch it more than once...
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[Rob_C]

Very good flick. Quite disturbing but darkly funny. I would like to pick this up on DVD (release this). I watched it recently for the 4th time and it's just as funny as before.
[Edited last by Rob_C on September 07, 2001 at 09:33 AM]

 

[MaxY]

I have the Criterion LD and I ccan tell you that this movie is a real Hoot and a half.
Don't miss the chance to see it preferably the Criterion LD version.
It would be nice if Criterion released this to DVD.
Max
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[GregoryP]

I love Man Bites Dog, but I love sick twisted movies!
I also wish Criterion would release it on DVD.
Gregory

 

[Todd Terwilliger]

As everyone else has posted above, it is an excellent, very dark flick.
Todd.
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[Rich Malloy]

I think it'll strike you as tepid and passe today. The "reality" thing mixed with the serial killer thing along with the "implicate the audience's voyeurism" thing has been done ad infinitum at this point.
If you think Natural Born Killers had anything to say, then you might like Man Bites Dog. It's essentially the same thing without Stone's overwrought style smothering everything in a relentlessly stupifying and hamfisted montage.
But the title reminds me of another, even more chilling film that might have been entitled "Dog Bites Man". It's called "Baxter".

 

[Jeff_A]

My thanks for the feedback to everyone. Wouldn't you know it though? I received the unrated edited version on VHS. Damn, I hate my first experience with a film to be one that has been hacked!

Thanks again.
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The Dark Tower

Roman Polanski's - The Fearless Vampire Killers?

 

[Steven K]

I have the Criterion LD as well... its a great film. However, don't let the NC-17 rating fool you; this film should easily be rated R. The only thing cut from the NC-17 version is the scene where Spoiler: they kill the child
Now, if you REALLY want to be in for a laugh, check out the short film that is included on the Criterion LD called "No C-4 for Daniel Daniel"... now THAT is funny stuff!

 

[Tom-G]

Steven, I was under the assumption that the rape scene was cut from the NC-17 version. I guess I was wrong? I've only watched the Criterion LD.
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[andrew markworthy]

The movie is shown fairly regularly on Film 4 on Brit satellite, which shows uncut movies. Sorry to be the dissenting voice, but I think it goes too far, and the humour dries rapidly. *WARNING - SPOILER* I can find nothing remotely funny in the scenes where he murders a child and organises a gang rape of a pregnant woman followed by a scene of the aftermath in which the baby has been cut out of her stomach. If anyone can tell me why this is hilarious, then I'd love to know. Extreme violence can be funny (e.g. Brain Dead and similar) but Man Bites Dog is not fantasy-based; it is far too realistic.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

I can recommend watching it. But, how far you are willing to go along with it is up to you.
Bruce
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[Jeff_A]

Well, I found the first half an hour (or so) interesting. After that, I truly began to lose interest. I guess this particular black comedy isn't for me.
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The Dark Tower

Roman Polanski's - The Fearless Vampire Killers?

 

[Tom-G]

Jeff, maybe not every scene in the movie was slap-your-knees funny, but the film did have something to say about violence in our society and our voyeuristic tendencies. I understand how some can find this movie disturbing, though.
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