Review: Begotten

I used to do reviews on an old forum I went to before it was shut down, and I figured I'd start reviewing again over here using the same format, albeit a bit less censored verbally and regarding content as the previous forum I was on tried to keep a PG/Lite-PG13 content level; so many of my reviews had to be cut down descriptively when reviewing movies for more mature audiences. I would love feedback on this and future reviews, and of course if anyone has seen the film feel free to share your own thoughts.

I am a bit rusty and this was a very hard movie to comment on, so this won't be my highest quality review and it is easily my shortest - however I did really want to review this one so I gave it a shot. I hope it turned out okay.




Here's a strange one for you, Begotten, a film directed by E. Elias Merhige in 1990 and released a year later. I saw the film last night at the theatre at which I work, with an introduction from a fan of the film who suggested it for an event we hold every month where people submit films to be shown that they feel are underrated or artistically significant. It was an interesting experience to say the least, and was one of the most unique films I've ever seen. However, despite feeling glad to have seen it for the experience - I cannot recommend it to all as it is an acquired taste, and I did not truly find "entertainment" in it so much as I did a unique but briefly captivating experience.

If the fan who presented the film is to be believed, the film is a surreal and horrific representation of the Genesis of man-kind. The film begins with God, sitting in a chair and slowly committing suicide. It is clear from the get-go that the film is going to be an uncomfortable experience, violence rarely bothers me but thanks to the slow and painful depiction of the suicide, unnerving visual design, and disturbing groans and gurgles being emitted "By God" made the scene more than a little disturbing. After god is dead, a woman credited as Mother Earth approaches his corpse, and apparently god had a very hard erection during his suicide (I don't want to know why...) as she reveals it and begins masturbating her corpse and then using the semen to impregnate herself. She soon gives birth to "The Son of Earth (Flesh and Bone)," who is deformed and appears very much incomplete. The rest of the film focuses on them being attacked by a group of monks, in a series of events that are meant to somehow represent human suffering.

The films largest problem for me is the pacing and padding. The film is only 78 minutes long, which isn't a massively lengthy film - but the picture feels a lot longer than it is. Scenes drag on and on, and while it does occasionally add to the films atmosphere and solidifies the concept of human suffering - it makes the film overlong. God's suicide lasts about 5 minutes, and it takes another 5 for Mother Earth to get his seed; and that is excluding her impregnating herself. There is also a scene where Mother Earth is being sexually tortured by the faceless monks, that was far too long. While it may have succeeded in unnerving me I got the point after 3 minutes of it, and it didn't need to last nearly 15 minutes. This is not a film for the impatient or those who are not fond of pure art-house cinema or films that come across as pretentious, and Begotten certainly does come across as more than a little pretentious.

Regardless, for those who are patient enough to sit through these kinds of films - it isn't without value. It is very atmospheric, disturbing, and unnerving. The visual design is also very memorable and unique. A review I stumbled upon compared it to a "Rorschach test for the eyes," and it's hard to argue with that description. The black and white imagery is vague, hazy, and shapes characters and objects appear as incomplete and abstract shadows and shapes. It is often hard to tell what you are looking at, often forcing you to interpret it for yourself - even if it doesn't take long to catch on to what you are looking at. It's a striking and nightmarish visual style, and is easily the films most striking quality. Merihige claims that the film was inspired by a near death experience he had after getting into a serious car wreck. To me, this is the sort of thing I often see in my nightmares.

If you are like me - you may find Begotten to be a worthwhile experience. I don't wholeheartedly recommend it, but part of me is glad to have experienced something disturbing and wholly unique.

Nice review, although I haven't seen the film so I can't argue any points. I like that you don't use the typical critical structure ( Being: Pun, Summary, Pros, Cons, Conclusion), which is always refreshing. The only thing I wanna know: Is your rating out of four or five?

Tommy Wiseau wrote:

Nice review, although I haven't seen the film so I can't argue any points. I like that you don't use the typical critical structure ( Being: Pun, Summary, Pros, Cons, Conclusion), which is always refreshing. The only thing I wanna know: Is your rating out of four or five?

Out of four. It's kinda standard, I know, but I hate 5. I hate odd numbers. Call me weird, but I'm very specific about what numbers annoy me and what ones don't. Well actually they all do (I detest math) but Odds more so.

I saw it.
Very strange and powerful.

For me its a two way street with these kinds of films. I certanly GET why its slow moving in scenes, and sometimes it works fine but most of the time I just get bored.

Disregarding that, this certainty is a one-of-a-kind picture. Very well made and the cinematography is amazing. Then pure black and white photo without any greys at all really makes an impact on you.

The film itself reaks of pure evil. But at the same time, not at all... if that make sense hehe

obin_gam wrote:

For me its a two way street with these kinds of films. I certanly GET why its slow moving in scenes, and sometimes it works fine but most of the time I just get bored.

Disregarding that, this certainty is a one-of-a-kind picture. Very well made and the cinematography is amazing. Then pure black and white photo without any greys at all really makes an impact on you.

The film itself reaks of pure evil. But at the same time, not at all... if that make sense hehe

Well, it makes sense to anyone who has seen the film. As I stated - I can't say I particularly enjoyed the movie, but I feel like it was a necessary experience and certainly a fresh one.

Whew...I was beginning to think I was the only person who'd ever seen this.

It's extremely interesting, visually. The sharp B&W (chiarascuro, as some call it) style is right up my alley - I actually wish more B&W movies would experiment with this (and if there are any others, I'd love to know of em), but it's a hard sit through. No dialogue, and some very ambiguous (when it's not outright fucked up) imagery. The only thing I've ever seen that's ever come close to this in terms of pure, concentrated visceral...weirdness...was Eraserhead.

Overall, very unique, but certainly not for everyone.

UnknownKadath wrote:

Tommy Wiseau wrote:

Nice review, although I haven't seen the film so I can't argue any points. I like that you don't use the typical critical structure ( Being: Pun, Summary, Pros, Cons, Conclusion), which is always refreshing. The only thing I wanna know: Is your rating out of four or five?

Out of four. It's kinda standard, I know, but I hate 5. I hate odd numbers. Call me weird, but I'm very specific about what numbers annoy me and what ones don't. Well actually they all do (I detest math) but Odds more so.

Dont worry im wierd to i hate when stuff is a certain amount to. I have OCD. I hate 5 star scales to me it just seems wrong. Most ocd thng i did was i got upset when my friend put the dvds back in my shriek box set in a different order i ha to switch them ack lol . oh and i detest math with a passon

Benjamin-J wrote:

Whew...I was beginning to think I was the only person who'd ever seen this.

It's extremely interesting, visually. The sharp B&W (chiarascuro, as some call it) style is right up my alley - I actually wish more B&W movies would experiment with this (and if there are any others, I'd love to know of em), but it's a hard sit through. No dialogue, and some very ambiguous (when it's not outright fucked up) imagery. The only thing I've ever seen that's ever come close to this in terms of pure, concentrated visceral...weirdness...was Eraserhead.

Overall, very unique, but certainly not for everyone.

Well said. I do prefer Eraserhead, but there's no denying that Begotten definitely out-bizarres it - which is definitely saying something. The visual style used in films like Begotten, Eraserhead, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man (Just to name a third.) really strikes me all the time - namely because they look like my personal nightmares. I often refer to it as "Nightmare-O-Vision." This doesn't use a similar style, and I don't really consider it scary - just bizarre (Well, okay there's one pretty horrific and foul scene involving a prostate, a ladle, an orgasm, and death.) but I would actually put Miike's "Gozu" as the 2nd most bizarre film I've seen. A very Naked Lunch-esque movie that is totally crackers. It even begins WAYYYY out of the ballpark, with a paranoid Yakuza boss being led to believe by his doubly paranoid assistant that poodles are actually trained Yakuza murdering death dogs, and when an old lady walks by with her poodle the boss commands his bodyguard to go out and deal with it. Poor thing Also, that's some pretty tough glass considering how hard he swung the widdle doggy.

Angie Matera wrote:

UnknownKadath wrote:

Tommy Wiseau wrote:

Nice review, although I haven't seen the film so I can't argue any points. I like that you don't use the typical critical structure ( Being: Pun, Summary, Pros, Cons, Conclusion), which is always refreshing. The only thing I wanna know: Is your rating out of four or five?

Out of four. It's kinda standard, I know, but I hate 5. I hate odd numbers. Call me weird, but I'm very specific about what numbers annoy me and what ones don't. Well actually they all do (I detest math) but Odds more so.

Dont worry im wierd to i hate when stuff is a certain amount to. I have OCD. I hate 5 star scales to me it just seems wrong. Most ocd thng i did was i got upset when my friend put the dvds back in my shriek box set in a different order i ha to switch them ack lol . oh and i detest math with a passon

I know what OCD is like. Mainly because I'm a massive symmetry freak. Every bloody line has to be symmetrical. If there's so much as one asymmetrical object in the house I go insane. Oddly enough this carries over to my artwork, I create elaborate symmetrical shapes until they make a form or figure of whatever it is I want to draw.

UnknownKadath wrote:

Benjamin-J wrote:

Whew...I was beginning to think I was the only person who'd ever seen this.

It's extremely interesting, visually. The sharp B&W (chiarascuro, as some call it) style is right up my alley - I actually wish more B&W movies would experiment with this (and if there are any others, I'd love to know of em), but it's a hard sit through. No dialogue, and some very ambiguous (when it's not outright fucked up) imagery. The only thing I've ever seen that's ever come close to this in terms of pure, concentrated visceral...weirdness...was Eraserhead.

Overall, very unique, but certainly not for everyone.

Well said. I do prefer Eraserhead, but there's no denying that Begotten definitely out-bizarres it - which is definitely saying something. The visual style used in films like Begotten, Eraserhead, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man (Just to name a third.) really strikes me all the time - namely because they look like my personal nightmares. I often refer to it as "Nightmare-O-Vision." This doesn't use a similar style, and I don't really consider it scary - just bizarre (Well, okay there's one pretty horrific and foul scene involving a prostate, a ladle, an orgasm, and death.) but I would actually put Miike's "Gozu" as the 2nd most bizarre film I've seen. A very Naked Lunch-esque movie that is totally crackers. It even begins WAYYYY out of the ballpark, with a paranoid Yakuza boss being led to believe by his doubly paranoid assistant that poodles are actually trained Yakuza murdering death dogs, and when an old lady walks by with her poodle the boss commands his bodyguard to go out and deal with it. Poor thing Also, that's some pretty tough glass considering how hard he swung the widdle doggy.

Angie Matera wrote:

UnknownKadath wrote:

Tommy Wiseau wrote:

Nice review, although I haven't seen the film so I can't argue any points. I like that you don't use the typical critical structure ( Being: Pun, Summary, Pros, Cons, Conclusion), which is always refreshing. The only thing I wanna know: Is your rating out of four or five?

Out of four. It's kinda standard, I know, but I hate 5. I hate odd numbers. Call me weird, but I'm very specific about what numbers annoy me and what ones don't. Well actually they all do (I detest math) but Odds more so.

Dont worry im wierd to i hate when stuff is a certain amount to. I have OCD. I hate 5 star scales to me it just seems wrong. Most ocd thng i did was i got upset when my friend put the dvds back in my shriek box set in a different order i ha to switch them ack lol . oh and i detest math with a passon

I know what OCD is like. Mainly because I'm a massive symmetry freak. Every bloody line has to be symmetrical. If there's so much as one asymmetrical object in the house I go insane. Oddly enough this carries over to my artwork, I create elaborate symmetrical shapes until they make a form or figure of whatever it is I want to draw.

Yeah im acutally alittle disorgganizned though lol. only certain things a keep together such as all the dvds in a dvd set or the cardboard casing tha t goes over it. my most noticeable trait is before i go to sleep ever night i flip the pillow then flip it back. Oh and as for begotten i wasnt a fan i could tell its well made but just the movie it self couldnt keep my attenion(i have adhd also lol) . idk which is strange cause earaserheads one of my all time favorite movies and i do enjoy Tetsuo. have yet to see gozu but i do love miike

Uhm, Angie; what exactly was the point of quoting and re-posting my revieiw verbatim? Did you intend to say something....?

Has anyone managed to watch Din of Celestial Birds from the same director?

UnknownKadath wrote:

Uhm, Angie; what exactly was the point of quoting and re-posting my revieiw verbatim? Did you intend to say something....?

for some reason what i wrote didnt appear. i was asking what do you think of Alejodro Jodorisky

Angie Matera wrote:

UnknownKadath wrote:

Uhm, Angie; what exactly was the point of quoting and re-posting my revieiw verbatim? Did you intend to say something....?

for some reason what i wrote didnt appear. i was asking what do you think of Alejodro Jodorisky

I don't know what I think of him - I know nothing about him, I don't recall hearing that name. Mention some movies of his and I'll tell you if I've seen any of them.

I think she's talking about Alejandro Jodorowsky.

UnknownKadath wrote:

Angie Matera wrote:

UnknownKadath wrote:

Uhm, Angie; what exactly was the point of quoting and re-posting my revieiw verbatim? Did you intend to say something....?

for some reason what i wrote didnt appear. i was asking what do you think of Alejodro Jodorisky

I don't know what I think of him - I know nothing about him, I don't recall hearing that name. Mention some movies of his and I'll tell you if I've seen any of them.

El topo,the holy mountain

Ahh. I have heard of him, but I have not seen any of his films. The only reason I know of El Topo is I watched a documentary from Something Weird where their founders talked about their origins (Which were actually kind of funny; apparently, their founder was searching a bin and came across a box of old VHS tapes and began converting them.) and then they went on about famous midnight movies, both ones above (and below) the quality of the stuff they usually put out and I remember them mentioning El Topo and how George Harrison apparently funded its US production. Or maybe it was another Beatle, my memory is shite.

George Harrison was the one who funded "The Life of Brian".

UnknownKadath wrote:

Ahh. I have heard of him, but I have not seen any of his films. The only reason I know of El Topo is I watched a documentary from Something Weird where their founders talked about their origins (Which were actually kind of funny; apparently, their founder was searching a bin and came across a box of old VHS tapes and began converting them.) and then they went on about famous midnight movies, both ones above (and below) the quality of the stuff they usually put out and I remember them mentioning El Topo and how George Harrison apparently funded its US production. Or maybe it was another Beatle, my memory is shite.

it was Lennon

Angie Matera wrote:

it was Lennon

Was way off then. Like I said, shite memory.

Frank Rizzo wrote:

George Harrison was the one who funded "The Life of Brian".

I didn't know that one. Surprising seeing as Life of Brian was my fav Python film (Yes, Life of Brian > Holy Grail; though I love them all.)

Yeah, Harrison created "Handmade Films" to help fund the movie.