eROTik (2018)
Film Review
By the Geezer of Oz
“A loner madman necrophiliac, with a passion for ancient Egyptian culture, start to mummify the bodies of young victims to satisfy his desire for love and sex.” [IMDb]
Domiziano Cristopharo, as
self-described “extreme filmmaker”, has been involved with his fair share of films that have been widely controversial. Cristopharo seems to have a knack of giving us visuals that are both repulsive and beautiful, stories that both excite and disgust. Domiziano, an independent artist making films in ways that some others will not dare, has been doing so to quite considerable success for some years now. In eROTik, he brings us more of his meticulous touch and flair for the visually dramatic. It is one of several feature film projects Cristopharo is set to release in the near future and it seems that the sheer volume of projects does not hinder quality in the least.
The script by Cristopharo (who also shot, edited and was FX Artist on the film), is mainly dialogue-free. Films with little to no dialogue have always been a large part of Cristopharo‘s repertoire and this one fits this style perfectly. There are few voice-overs into (or from) the mind of our main character, which as I have expressed in the past, I am not a huge fan of. I believe that in most cases (most, not all), if voice-overs can be avoided, they should be. I am not sure that they could have been avoided in eROTik, but in my opinion it is likely that without them the film may have been more powerful to an extent. Most of what was expressed in our depraved killer’s inner monologue was pretty clear without it. Yet, it didn’t hurt the film too much, which was a plus.
The plot centers around a man who brutally, yet mechanically, kills victims and uses their remains in numerous fun ways, most evidently to satisfy his sexual desires. A loner, he seems to almost prefer the company of human remains as opposed to living humans. We see him in sexual activities with both alive and otherwise, and he clearly seems more passionate about the “less than alive” variety of company. As this is a non-spoiler review, there is really no way for me to tell you too much more about the story without spoiling. I can say that there seems to be signs of, however little, regret and self-hatred by this hairy individual (yes, he spends most of the movie naked and is clearly due for a waxing), which is quite a contrast when compared to the rest of his behaviour. The film, in some ways, highlights the contrasts in our world, be it life and death, light and darkness, beauty and downright ugliness, yet shows that mostly, it is all in the eye of the beholder.
Adam Western is very effective in the lead role. He performs this role almost mechanically, as though the character bears no ill will toward his victims, but simply does what he needs to do to satiate his desires (did I mention contrasts?). At certain points, we can almost feel sorry for the character… but not for too long. That uneasiness works perfectly here.
The only other character in this largely “one man show” is an innocent bystander who gets pulled into a situation he never imagined could happen to him. Simone Avincola does very well in quite a short time on screen to add another layer to the dark and grim life of our protagonist. Also, his character is almost entirely hairless, another contrast to add to the list.
It bears mentioning that the fantastic Score for eROTik should not go unnoticed. Antony Coia and Domiziano Cristopharo put together some great music to accompany this dark tale. The Score is tense and foreboding, captivating the viewer all the way to the simple, yet oh so meaningful, twist at the end. Fantastic work.
The cinematography and attention to detail Cristopharo brings is always nothing short of exceptional. Some of the gore scenes will be viewed by some as “showing way more than we need to see”, but that is exactly what Domiziano wants to show us and make us confront it all and potentially find some beauty in the vile and macabre. People will simply say that this film is just about Necrophilia, yet it is definitely more than that. It is a film of contrasts, much as life is. It shows that right and wrong simply depend on the point-of-view they come from and with a small, yet important twist, it tells us that not all is as it seems.
It is not a secret that I am a fan of Domiziano‘s work. I do like some of his films more than I do others, but there is one thing I NEVER doubt and that is the artist’s love for the craft and for indie film and filmmaking. I can see it in each and every one of his films, whether I love the film or not. I respect that tremendously. In the case of eROTik, Domiziano brings his “A Game” and captures an inner look into the mind of a depraved individual, who might just know something we do not.
I’m not sure if I can call this film entertaining, but it is definitely captivating and thought provoking, which I’ll take over entertainment any day of the week. I have said this about a different film not so long ago, but I’ll use it again… this film is artistic and deep, just as it is disgustingly gory and disturbing.
Not for everyone. Dark and upsetting, yet rewarding. 8/10.
eROTik is available via TetroVideo Distribution, click HERE to order. The title recently sold out, but keep following for a re-release in the near future.
