review: Begotten

A very difficult movie to review because it is so deeply embedded in the realm of a film lover’s tang that it is almost not even a movie for anyone who isn’t a die hard devotee to the experience of film. I paid over $100 to own the VHS version and will buy the DVD when it is available because I think that Begotten is downright profound. But it is not for everyone and, to be honest, not for most. I am NOT in any way trying to come off like some film aficionado full of intellectual snobbery, because I hate that tripe, but in all honesty, you have to be REALLY into the art of filmmaking to get through this one. I have shown my copy to only 5 friends, all of which were film lovers and 3 of them literally fell asleep while watching. The film is cut into three long and drawn out philosophical segments, is presented in a high contrast black and white (and the original film was actually splashed with bleach to help enhance the fading shape of the film), and it works much like the early work of surrealist filmmakers (for a perfect example, see the classic L’Age D’Or). My advice is this: Watch David Lynch’s Eraserhead and if you are willing to go even further, do whatever you can to see Begotten. If Eraserhead was too much for you, don’t even bother. For those of you who do decide to go there, please enjoy a film (Begotten) that reevaluates all life as we know it and pays homage to that fact that all life comes from and recognizes itself through it’s ability to feel pain. My opinion: this is one of the most brilliant works of art put onto film EVER!