The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)

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The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)

November 16th 2011 05:33

To say that The Human Centipede II (2011) is an acquired taste is like mentioning the anchovy and corned beef pizza is a little on the salty side. Writer/director Tom Six warned audiences who had savoured The Human Centipede (2009) that the sequel would make the first movie look like My Little Pony. He was not too far from the truth. The sequel, affectionately sub-titled Full Sequence - does in fact make the first movie, subtitled First Sequence, feel like a colourful stroll in the park. The Full Sequence reaches up from the dark drain as you stroll past, grabs you by the ankle, and pulls you down into the filthy, pitiful depths of hell. The Human Centipede II writhes and squeals in its own bodily fluids and excretions with the kind of depraved glee reserved only for the execrably evil.

The Human Centipede II Laurence R. Harvey

Laurence R. Harvey as Martin

The movie begins showing the last few minutes of The Human Centipede, but in black and white. The credits for the movie begin rolling and the camera pulls back to reveal that it’s being watched on a computer screen. The person watching is London loner Martin (Laurence R. Harvey); our gross and grotesque antagonist who will lead us into the depths of his (nightmare) fantasy. He is a very short and very obese man with bulging eyes and a small mouth. He works as an underground parking attendant, and lives with his abusive, desperate mother (Vivien Bridson). It’s a pathetic and ugly existence, about to get even more ugly, a whole lot more.

The Human Centipede II Laurence R. Harvey and Ashlynn Yennie

Martin fools Ashlynn Yennie into thinking she's going to audition for a Tarantino movie

Martin is obsessed (and that’s putting it mildly) with The Human Centipede. He has a scrapbook on the cult horror movie, and he watches it over and over, poring over the detail, fingering his wet lips as he ogles the poor victims sewn arsehole to mouth. He becomes aroused, but due, no doubt, to years of sexual abuse by his father he can only find gratification through pain, and so he grimaces at the computer screen as he jerks off with sandpaper wrapped around his penis. He’s distracted by a commotion on the surveillance cameras; an arguing young couple ... It’s time to put his burgeoning and hideous plan into action.

Vivien Bridson as Martin's mother

Martin is compelled to take the concept and work of the deranged surgeon from the first movie and push the boundary. Martin wants to make a full sequence. Not three people, but twelve people stitched together arse-to-mouth; a complete human centipede, a mutant pet to keep his real pet centipede (and a ferocious one too) company, perhaps. Martin abducts twelve men and women, including a pregnant one, Rachel (Katherine Templar), and, as fate would have it, his dream centipede head: Miss Ashlynn Yennie herself, one of the stars from the first movie. He rents a dilapidated warehouse space and begins his lengthy opus of fleshy degradation.

The Human Centipede II Bill Hutchens and Laurence R. Harvey

Dr. Sebring (Bill Hutchens) has his eye on Martin

Tom Six is a brave man. I admire his tenacity. There are few horror directors courageous enough to throw all caution to the wind and make a movie that takes no moral prisoners, makes no obvious concessions, and embraces the sexual perversity and appalling repulsion inherent within The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence). The first movie was concerned with mad Dr. Laser’s narcissistic fascination with his own conceptual handiwork, and suggested some of the more nauseous aspects of the human centipede biological mis-creation. It was, however, all 100% medically accurate, according to the movie’s tagline.

Miss Yennie is given the privilege of leading the way

The sequel states clearly, "100% medically INaccurate" and shows more than it suggests. It says that the first movie was pure fiction, and the real nightmare is what you’re watching in grimy black and white. But more disturbing than the sheer body horror - and there are some genuinely horrific moments - is the sexual aberration that rises off the movie like a foul stench. Martin is a confounded carnal monster. He craves to get off over his creation, and he eventually does ... using barbed wire wrapped around his long-suffering member, and poor unfortunate Kim (Emma Lock), human centipede #10. It’s a disturbing and sickening scene to say the least. This scene, and the earlier sandpaper masturbation moment, are the two most significant parts of the movie that sent the British censors into a frothing fury, claiming that no amount of cuts to the film could fix what they saw as a movie irreparably wrong.

With Miss Yennie at the head, young Kim (Emma Lock) brings up the rear

The British board of censors banned the movie in the UK (“Poses a real risk that is harm is likely to be caused to potential viewers.”) The decision was appealed (Six defended his movie by stating, “but shouldn't a good horror film be horrific?”), and the movie was re-submitted. It was slapped with an 18 restriction, but only after around thirty cuts were made, and more than two minutes were excised. In America the movie was similarly cut. But in Australia, the censors (for once) understood that the movie is a complete and utter fantasy. A twisted and horrifying one, but fiction nevertheless, a nightmare illusion no less, a horror movie, fer Chrissake!

Apparently the NSW Attorney General was alerted to the movie being banned in the UK, after it had received an Australian R18 (contains high impact themes, violence and sexual violence). Monster Pictures, the Australian distibutors, have been forced to re-submit the movie for re-examination on November 28th.

A Serbian Film (2010) was about to be released on DVD in Australia earlier this year, in a cut version similar to the UK release, but an article in The Age brought the movie to the attention of the South Australian Attorney General and the movie was subsequently banned in SA. A nationwide ban followed. It is more than likely The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) will be banned.

But putting my neo-conservatism vitriol aside for one moment …

Tom Six has made a powerful nightmare movie, as expressionistic and uncompromising as A Serbian Film. James Edward Barker’s soundscape is brilliant, and the central performance of Laurence R. Harvey is disquietingly inspired (I also take my hat off to Ashlynn Yennie for biting the bullet and returning to the nightmare). And it's perpetually raining.

There are only three locations, the car park, Martin’s home, and the warehouse. No sub-plot, and not much dialogue. In fact Martin doesn’t have a single line. Imagine Eraserhead (1976) fused with Tetsuo (1989) fused with Man Bites Dog (1992) and you’ll get an understanding and appreciation for the movie’s singular vision. There is a minimalism and a sustained tone that embraces the movie like the ghastly insectoid clutches of Martin’s pet centipede. The surreal crawls with realism. And it's perpetually raining.

The monochrome palette intensifies the movie’s grim tone. But there's a very dark element of comedy that rears its head occasionally; Martin laying out an array of DIY “surgical” tools is one such moment. The other is also the movie’s most revolting scene, after Martin injects laxative into the backsides of his ten attached victims. Tom Six shot the movie in colour, but decided in the editing suite to drain all the colour … apart from the above scene where splashes of brown ooze through. Call me sick, but that deliberate injection of very subtle colour made me chortle.

And it's perpetually raining.

The movie isn’t frightening, but it’s very violent, crude, and wickedly vile! Scatological in theme and ethically reprehensible with tongue squirming in cheek. Revolting and appalling in the most gloriously over-the-top way, it will definitely offend some viewers, and all the more power to its nightmare potency, I say! Indeed it is one of the movies of the year ... but consider yourself warned!

Bring on the Final Sequence and join the trilogy in a diabolical full circle!

Here’s the trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

3 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Anonymous

November 16th 2011 07:11

Hmmm Seems nice.

Comment by Amanda Savieri

November 17th 2011 07:37

Cannot believe they are going to try and ban these films and they probably will. They try to stop people from downloading but when fans want to see a film, what other choice do they have when they go and do this?

I have seen both films, both worth it for the hardcore horror fan. Its sad to think that some may miss out now. All because others want to dictate as to what the country should and shouldnt be watching.

Okay, rant over.