Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login
 
“A horror film’s job is to scare you, is to get your pulse going, is to make you scream and yell. It’s to make you be afraid. That’s its main purpose, and creeping you out. And that can be an enjoyable experience.” --- John Carpenter ::::::::::::: MY CRITERIA FOR DISCUSSION ENCOMPASSES THE HORROR GENRE AND BEYOND, SO I USE THE TERM "NIGHTMARE MOVIES". SPOILERS CAN OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

In My Skin

September 30th 2008 00:37
In My Skin movie poster
After watching French filmmaker Marina de Van's movie In My Skin I've come to the conclusion she has some serious issues. It appears she has gone to some lengths to purge these inner demons through her film; a very disturbing and frequently ghastly portrait of one woman's slide into an horrific obsession that mutates into a form of madness.

Esther (Marina de Van) is a successful corporate business analyst. She has a boyfriend, Vincent (Laurent Lucas) and she enjoys a healthy social life. But one night at a party while wandering in the yard she stumbles and accidentally lacerates her leg rather badly. At first she is unaware of the injury, but later on while going to the bathroom she notices blood over the carpet and realises it is her own. She studies her wounds, fascinated by the extent of her injuries, curious as to why she didn't feel any pain.
In My Skin Marina de Van
Marina de Van as Esther
After she's had the injury treated and stitched her boyfriend is a little perturbed that she continued to party on and even went to another bar for drinks before going to the hospital. Marina is more fascinated than concerned. She finds herself privately picking at the stitches and feeling the gouges running down her flesh. As a kind of relief from the pressures of her office work load (which often carries over into extra-curricular time), she sneaks away and toys with her damaged self.
In My Skin Marina de Van
Esther studies her accidental injury
It isn't long before she makes the decision to add further injury to herself; by using a sharp piece of metal, Marina slices wounds further up her leg along her thigh. She keeps the bits of skin wrapped and in her purse so she can play with them easily. Her work colleague Sandrine (Léa Drucker) invites her over one night and discovers Marina's nasty injuries. She is appalled.
In My skin Laurent Lucas and Marina de Van
Esther's boyfriend Vincent (Laurent Lucas) is concerned
At a public baths Marina announces to Sandrine she's been given a promotion, much to Sandrine's chagrin. Several male colleagues attempt to throw Marina in the pool, and she panics. Sandrine does nothing to help, and this drives a wedge between the two women, their friendship is over.
In My Skin Lea Drucker and Marina de Van
Esther tells Sandrine (Lea Drucker) of her promotion
At an important business dinner with two clients and her boss Marina quickly descends into her own psychological world, which is obsessed with her own body and its boundaries. While the three others converse she begins to secretly stab and pick away at her arm with her steak knife. She imagines her entire arm is a separate entity from her body. Eventually she has to excuse herself to go to the bathroom.
In My Skin Marina de Van
After a near soaking Esther realises Sandrine's contempt
While her relationship with her boyfriend suffers Marina's relationship with her own body intensifies. It reaches critical mass during a shopping excursion, where Marina becomes lightheaded, her focus wavering. She purchases cameras and razorblades and holes up in her own apartment. It is here that she will take her self-mutilation obsession to extreme measures.

Writer/director Marina de Van has worked with famous French director Francois Cluzon co-writing several of his movies. In My Skin is her debut feature. It is quite possibly one of the most confronting films I have ever seen. I'm a gorehound, but there were several times during this movie that I had to cover my eyes. The combination of the mood and tone of the movie and the sound effects. It's not that the special effects make-up is that extraordinary, but very cleverly Marina de Van manages to show just enough to warrant an extreme reaction in the viewer.
In My Skin Marina de Van
Esther takes to herself with frightening ease
Esther descends into a very disturbing state of mind that is a kind of auto-vampirism/auto-cannibali sm. Her inner demons, her emotional instability, her psychological perspective on humanity and communication all collide within her mind and manifest themselves in her ability to cross the threshold of pain and embrace her own controlled disfigurement as a form of escape and release from the overwhelming social pressures that are bombarding her on a daily basis.
In My Skin Marina de Van
Esther finds solace in the taste of her own blood
Her self-mutilation takes on a sensual exploration that is both carnal and destructive; it is as if she is combing sex and death and controlling them, keeping them both at arm's reach (so to speak), leaving herself balancing on a precarious edge. She can't get enough of her self (literally), yet knows it is inevitable that her behaviour and actions can only go so far before it is too late to stop. But she can't help herself.
In My Skin Marina de Van
Esther's hunger becomes all-consuming
In My Skin is a very difficult movie to recommend as it is truly tough viewing. But it is brilliantly made, and superbly acted. The overall tone and approach to the subject matter reminds one of the style, intent - even the pitch black humour - of the two maverick Davids; Cronenberg and Lynch. If you're at all squeamish stay well away, but if you appreciate intelligent drama that deals with the fragility and perversity of the human condition then In My Skin is strangely rewarding. But be warned, the movie finishes hypnotically and abruptly. In My Skin doesn't offer a rationale behind Esther's behaviour, which is the film's strength and weakness; it only suggests we are an inherently lonely race, constantly looking for love and acceptance, and often searching in the darkness, flailing blindly.

In My Skin is an existential-visceral horror movie in every sense of the words.


In My Skin DVD is courtesy of Siren Visual, many thanks!

121
Vote

   
subscribe to this blog 


   

   

[ Link ]
Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
Related Posts:

Comments
8 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by JohnDoe

September 30th 2008 00:56


Film & TV on DVD
I was curious about this one when it hit teh festival circuit, your review guarentees I will be seeing it. Another great job Bryn.

Comment by Damo

September 30th 2008 02:21
This sort of remind of that kid I went to school with who kept peeling his scabs off.
Ick!

Not my style of film at all.

Comment by RubySoho

September 30th 2008 03:34


Music Zone
Thought Zone
I had abdominal surgery a few years back and whilst i was still in hospital the sutures began to bleed. The only doctor on the night shift was still a medical student and against her better judgment she let me "assist" in restitching the wound by holding my own skin taught and mopping at the blood. i was on a local so obviously did not feel any pain.

She was astounded that i could not only watch but also take part in the little procedure but i have to admit i found it pretty fascinating. i was also morphined up to my eyeballs.

So i guess what i am trying to say is that in the absence of pain, it is intriguing to watch our own bodies reaction to such injuries.

But there ain't no way in hell i could sit and watch someone else do it to themselves. it's the same sort of thinking process that allows one to pick at their own scabs but balk when watching another do the same thing. i can kind of understand what motivates that character. but i'll still be giving this film a wide berth.

Comment by Cibbuano

September 30th 2008 22:09


Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
that sounds like a freaky flick... but are we really flailing blindly? That's a depressing thought. I'd have thought that I was flailing poorly, but at least in the right direction...

Comment by Bryn

October 1st 2008 01:20


Horrorphile
Cibby ... well, I imagine there's an argument for and against ... And yes, it is a very freaky flick. A bit too freaky in fact.

Comment by Tracy

October 1st 2008 22:29


Movies and Life
What a f-ing brilliant review, Bryn. I would like to see this for many reasons but I'm not sure I could handle the confronting, gory scenes. I know they need to be there but I'm not very good with them.

But I would like to see it to see her reactions and reasons for doing what she does.

I worked with young girls who self-harmed and have studied it but I haven't seen much of it in a film. I think it would stretch my understanding further.

This might sound silly but I wonder if I could watch it without seeing the gory parts (which I know need to be there), as I really want to hear/see her reactions.

I guess it's one of those films that is hard/uncomfortable to see but would be worthwhile.

Thanks, Bryn.

Comment by Bryn

October 2nd 2008 00:52


Horrorphile
Tracy, actually the scenes of actual mutilation are not really that graphic at all, the director (who's also the lead), uses sound more than imagery (which in some ways is even more intense!) ... Still, I had to cover my eyes, which is very, very, very rare for me.
I'd be very curious to know what you think of this. She resists trying to rationalise the character's behaviour and instead presents it quite frankly. It's more about trying to read between the lines. I guess people who do this kind of thing are hard to reach, psychologically, anyhow.
Thanks for the props!

Comment by Tracy

October 9th 2008 21:55


Movies and Life
Hi Bryn

I really want to see it, even more so after your last comment. It's a survival behaviour that is quite misunderstood in society,even stigmatised. In many ways, it makes sense, inflicting physical pain can deflect emotional pain.

I'm going away for a month so it will be a while until I get a chance but I do want to see it.

I'll be back though...

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.


CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag
Home Page (optional)
Comments
Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Separator Left Center Right Separator Quote Insert Link Insert Email
Notify me of replies
Notify extra people about this comment
Is this a private comment?
List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment


One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.


One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)
Your Email Address
(optional)
(required for reply notification)
Submit
More Posts
July 2010
18 Posts
June 2010
22 Posts
May 2010
14 Posts
Older Posts
791 Posts dating from August 2006
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
0
[ View Blog Summary ] [ Create A New Post ] [ Add A Comment ]
Moderated by Bryn
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]