Nekromantik

Nekromantik is a West German horror film released in 1988, directed by Jörg Buttgereit. The film features Bernd Daktari Lorenz, Beatrice Manowski, and Harald Lundt in the leading roles, each providing compelling and raw performances which contribute to the harsh edge of the film.

The movie is focused on Rob Schmadtke, played brilliantly by Bernd Daktari Lorenz, who is employed as a "corpses' cleaner" by a company that specializes in cleaning up after gruesome death scenes. His horrifying profession brings him into contact with death on a daily basis, an experience that feeds his dark and morbid fascinations. He begins to develop a twisted obsession with death, pushing the boundaries of the macabre to the extreme. Alluring and stimulating to him, death becomes the center of his personal life outside of his work, which continues to unravel throughout the film.

Lorenz is supported by Beatrice Manowski, who takes on the character of Rob’s girlfriend, Betty. Displaying an equally dark interest in the macabre, she plays a crucial role in driving forward the unsettling narrative. Equally as taken with death as Rob, their shared morbid obsession serves as the foundation for their relationship.

Harald Lundt graces the screen as the Neighbor, adding another layer of macabre fascination and grotesque intrigue to the narrative. The storylines of these characters are explored with raw emotion and stark honesty, delving deep into the psychology of individuals with such unusual obsessions and interests.

One of the most interesting aspects of Nekromantik is its manipulation and reinterpretation of classic horror themes. All the while delivering a unique blend of shock value, dark humor, explicit gore, and intense horror. It employs graphic imagery to provoke a sense of existential dread, regularly pushing the boundaries of taste and convention. The non-linear narrative lends the film a disorientating feel, furthering the unsettling atmosphere.

Despite the harsh nature of the film’s subject matter, Buttgereit employs an element of dark humor that is jarringly juxtaposed with the grotesque horror of the story. The film inserts unusual comedic fragments that walk the line between disturbing and hilarious, reminding the audience of the duality of human nature.

In terms of themes, Nekromantik touches heavily upon necrophilia, a taboo and subversive subject that is not often portrayed on screen. The film's particular way of depicting the dark obsession with death and decay, framed within an unconventional romantic narrative, inevitably leads to discomfort and speculation, which can be seen as part of Buttgereit’s intention to shock and disturb the viewer.

Beyond simple shock value, the film challenges societal norms and dares to present a side of humanity that most would prefer to ignore. Concepts of love, relationships, and sexual attraction are all treated with a subversive slant in this film — skirting societal norms and expectations in an unabashedly confronting way.

The cinematography, editing and artistic direction of Nekromantik are equally deserving of attention. The stark and dramatically lit scenes work in combination with the unsettling subject matter to create an atmosphere that is consistently eerie and strange. It's a film that is highly sensory and visceral, bolstered by the haunting score that pulls viewers in and amplifies the tension throughout the narrative.

Nekromantik is often categorized as ‘exploitation’ and ‘cult’ and its evident why. The film is definitively not for the faint-hearted, and its content has earned it a status of notorious infamy within the horror genre. However, it should be noted that beneath its graphic exterior, Nekromantik is a thought-provoking exploration of extreme fascinations, unconventional romance, and the darkness that can reside within the human psyche.

While Nekromantik may be too extreme for some viewers, it holds considerable interest for those drawn to the more unusual and challenging side of horror cinema. For those brave enough to view it, Nekromantik embodies horror in its purest and most unflinching form.