Over/Under Movies is back with sickening vengeance on this latest episode, featuring a truly disgusting double feature of sleaze, vomit, shit and other bodily fluids. I got to choose for this one, and couldn’t resist pitting two films together to examine how each falls on a very different end of the grossout movie paradigm. Though they share a lot of shocking moments, John Waters‘ infamous “Pink Flamingos” from 1972 and the 2006 Hungarian arthouse title “Taxidermia” don’t otherwise belong in a conversation together. But therein lies the fun of this episode! If you’re curious how me and co-hosts Ryan Oliver and Oktay Ege Kozak manage to tie them together, or you’re on the hunt for an under-the-radar gem, then tune in to find out.
“Taxidermia” had a successful festival run starting in 2006, but only got a very limited theatrical release in the US by 2009, with an eventual DVD release the following year. Needless to say, many of you most likely haven’t seen or even heard of the film. That’s a shame, because even though it’s not streamable at all (it’s perfect for something like MUBI, Fandor or even the soon-to-launch FilmStruck, so hopefully one of them makes it happen) and only available by DVD, it’s worth hunting down if you’re an adventurous film watcher. Essentially telling three short stories that in the end form one grand, multi-generational arc, “Taxidermia” is probably one of the most visually and sonically adventurous films of the mid-2000s, and strange as all hell. Despite Hungary achieving some love on the world cinema market of late (“Son Of Saul” winning best Foreign Language Oscar and “White God” gaining traction beyond the festival circuit), writer/director György Pálfi, an extremely talented filmmaker, has yet to really benefit from that attention. We hope you check him out, even his other titles beyond “Taxidermia” are pretty special and worth seeking out.
And “Pink Flamingos” is, well, a simple and gritty aesthetically-challenged relic from the early ’70s that’s proudly trashy, following the exploits of lead actor Divine and her family competing against a married couple for the title of filthiest person alive. Though none of us are fans of the film, we don’t dismiss it so much as use it to compare against “Taxidermia” (the real reason for this episode is to champion this truly underrated gem), so keep that in mind.
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