Review of Revisiting Melancholie der Engel on Severed Cinema
Directed
by: Luciano Onetti
Directed by: Magnus Blomdahl
Written by: Magnus Blomdahl
Produced by: Magnus Blomdahl
Cinematography by: Magnus Blomdahl
Cast: Marian Dora, Magnus Blomdahl
Year: 2016
Country: Germany
Language: English (with English subtitles)
Color: Color
Runtime: 51min
Marian Dora has received as much praise as he has loathing
for his body of work. No film brings out more controversy
into the open than what is considered his finest hour(s).
Melancholie der Engelis such film -- a movie about
what Dora describes as life, death and every emotion all
rolled together in many perverse acts on screen. A movie
which Dora has said to have caused him as much strife in the
making as the reaction he gets from some people from
watching. Magnus Blomdahl was so fascinated about the aura
of mystery that surrounds Dora and
Melancholie der Engel
(Dora’s face remains altered in this to protect him due to
fear of persecution), that he had to do a documentary
specifically on
Melancholie.
I have personally conducted an interview with Dora in the
past (interview
here), because I had a lot of questions to ask about
what makes his brain work in regards to featuring some of
the most extreme and obscene acts on film, including
defecation, sodomy, urination, bestiality, animal cruelty,
enema's, anal penetration and so forth. Dora gave me some
brilliant answers, and comes across as a true artist, amidst
all of these disgusting acts, which he believes are a part
of life in all its ugliness and beauty.
With Revisiting Melancholie der Engel, Blomdahl
focuses specifically on visiting the actual locations of
Melancholie der Engel
with Dora, and some locations for Dora's film Cannibal.
We get some equally fascinating and frustrating information.
I love when Dora says how much trouble and horrible making
Melancholie
was, but I wanted this to go into more specifics, with
detailed questions and answers like, how did they film such
fucked up scenes in a church? How did they bear witness and
take part in that pig slaughtering scene? I know the rabbit
died, but why and why did they cut its head off and gut it
for the film? Answers I'm sure I would never be satisfied
with even if I got them.
The mystery and gloom surround
Melancholie
seems to be surreal -- in that, I mean, everything that they
shot, or the scenes that just happened like they were meant
to, was as if some supernatural energy controlled it. The
creepy house they shot in was filled with bones and foul
smelling remains. They used dead mice which just happened to
be laying on the ground, and the perfect natural lighting
for particular scenes when they shot, gave it that
dreamy-like atmosphere. The locations all have such a
natural beauty to them. I was most surprised with the fact
that the house
Melancholie
was filmed in was in such a central location -- I thought it
was a secluded area, and found it amusing the crew had an
audience of onlookers during a goat sodomy scene.
At the beginning of the film we get a look at Dora's home
and the guy has an interesting collection of VHS. We get to
see all the scripts in envelopes for his films in a cabinet,
weird old tools, mannequins laying around and other things.
We also learn Dora's inspiration for everything he has done
came from artwork from a cover featuring a skull and candles
-- a picture that stuck with him early in life and evoked a
morbid curiosity within. In one disturbing scene in the
film, Blomdahl and Dora climb a hill in the German
countryside and spot two pointy rocks Dora says are called
"The Stone Virgins." It was said two girls were raped and
killed on the hill and claims you could kill a 10-year-old
girl up here and no one would know. It’s bit of a bizarre
and specific comment to make. Also, when they visit another
location, Dora exclaims that a random young girl was taking
a shit on the floor so they couldn't film there, okay!? We
also learn that Dora gained great satisfaction from fans who
appreciate his work and was emotional when a fan approached
him for an autograph, and said
Melancholie
helped him get through hard times! It must have really been
one hell of a time to take solace and comfort in such a
film.
Melancholie
is a dark fantasy film, and despite the ugly content
featured, it also displays beauty in nature no matter how
ugly -- and that soundtrack just flows with genius and
transcends the events on screen with abhorrent beauty.
I'm certain Blomdahl could talk with Dora for an eternity
about his movies and this documentary is fascinating for
those who want a closer look at the filmmaker, but he's not
the monster or crazy director people believe. He is a smart,
well-spoken and misunderstood artist whose body of work will
continue to inspire and revolt. Blomdahl has shed some light
on the mystery that is Marian Dora and the passion the
director has for his films.