The Human Centipede (First Sequence)

Sick buckets at the ready

Lover: Taken from IMDB
“How can anyone take The Human Centipede seriously? Please! It is so far out there it's calling long distance and sending postcards airmail! A mad scientist captures tourists and joins them mouth to anus to make a human centipede! Why?? Why not?! He's a mad scientist! That's what mad scientists do! Mad science stuff! IMDb classifies The Human Centipede as Horror / Drama / Thriller. It is also an intensely black and macabre comedy. Some of the dialogue is hilarious, such as the threats made by the Japanese 'segment' of Dieter Laser's insane creation. Technically (Yes, technically!), the film looks way more expensive than its budget would suggest and the craft on show (direction, lighting, acting (!), camera) is very professional. Given the constraints of the situation, the actors especially turn in a fine job. One day you're a couple of girlfriends, looking for the local disco and getting lost, the next you're a helluva lot closer than you or nature ever intended! I saw the film at a market screening, laid on as an extra because the first one was full to bursting. The Human Centipede is a sick and guilty pleasure and I loved it.”

As a body-shock horror film, the human centipede is head, shoulders and anus above the rest.

Hater: Taken from IMDB
“This movie is trash. It's a sick fetish-fueler for some weird cult to get off to. The plot is non-existent. If you want to know what this movie is about in a nutshell, here are some key plot points - mouth sewn to anuses, swallowing feces, and humans turned into slaves without dignity. People will say it's an original idea, but OF COURSE IT IS. It's never been done before because NO ONE HAS THOUGHT OF SOMETHING AS SICK AS THIS YET. After watching, I felt like I needed counseling, or something to make me forget the entire concept. On top of that, there is pathetic dialogue, acting, and directing. The movie literally ends without anything resolved and you just think "What was the point of this?" There's no greater idea, or hidden metaphors. The movie is about swallowing feces. DO NOT WATCH IT.”

This brings out the most important thing to remember when thinking about watching or indeed reviewing this…

What I thought:
It’s a horror film and its high concept - body shock idea at the centre of it is so ‘out there’ it will either impress you or annoy you. Either way it’s disgusting, a mad scientist decides to stitch three people mouth to anus; Human Centipede (First sequence). For those that are impressed with the idea you’ll be thinking how the hell they got this film made or how audacious it was to ignore any real science. Which brings me to my next point, one of the biggest criticisms slung at this film are its scientific inaccuracies.

For me it was neither, I was impressed with the idea and how they got it made but even more I was grossed out. Put yourself on their kneecaps and it’s a horrifying thing to happen, some of the later sequences of tension and escape attempts are little hampered by the speed of the film. A slow drip drip rather than a gush of horrific bodily moments and a sustained feeling of fear leave the film a little stretched. Probably an idea best suited as a smaller part of a horror anthology than its own feature.

The best thing about Human Centipede is the performance of Dieter Laser, his highly impressive turn as a creepy scientist is just that; creepy. Flitting between dead eye coldness to adoration for his creation (I’m a poet).It is all nuanced with all extreme emotions tied complete with a loss of humanity. Maybe a bit deep but it is a great performance. In another film it would have been brilliant, sadly with an idea that’s like marmite it will lose a lot of people.

The Human Centipede should not be watched by those easily disgusted and it’s far from perfect, This idea however is so out of this world it is worth seeing in celluloid even if just to think “how the hell did they get away with this?”.