2. DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: Mad scientists by no means appear to observe the principles…
Human Centipede
I do not wish to spoil any surprises, however I’ll say that we have now some actually implausible movie suggestions lined up for Scarecrow’s Psychotronic Problem.
At the moment’s entry, although, is… not that.
Nonetheless, once I noticed the immediate to observe a film centered round a mad scientist, I couldn’t not make a case for The Human Centipede (First Sequence), if just for its fascinating place in cinematic and popular culture historical past.
When director Tom Six introduced the primary installment of what would grow to be the Human Centipede trilogy in 2009, the movie was an prompt phenomenon. It was inescapable.
Speaking heads endlessly cited it for example of how desensitized and wicked humankind had grow to be that we may solely be shocked or entertained by one thing as grotesque and inhumane as a “medically correct” depiction of a Nazi physician stitching three strangers collectively, mouth to asshole.
There was an avalanche of unofficial merch, from T-shirts to Christmas ornaments to cat toys. There have been porn parodies of it and references to it on all the massive exhibits on the time, together with SNL, Glee, and The Simpsons. Conan O’Brien featured a Human Centipede menorah on Late Night time (or was it The Tonight Present?), the movie’s plot was utilized in an episode of South Park, after which… poof. All of it however disappeared from the mainstream. Hardly anybody watched it.
In line with IMDB.com, The Human Centipede (First Sequence) solely grossed $12,424 throughout its opening weekend within the US and Canada and $325,113 worldwide. The sequels—The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011) and The Human Centipede III (Closing Sequence) (2015)—didn’t assist drum up new curiosity both. IMDB says they grossed $170,323 and $16,184 worldwide, respectively. Even Hawk Tuah woman was in a position to convert her shorter-lived virality for far more than that.
There’s a cult following, after all—simply check out Six’s Twitter feed to see that die-hards are getting Human Centipede-inspired tattoos within the 12 months of our Lord, 2024—however the movie can solely be thought of a flop.
Is it as a result of it was too disgusting? Or not disgusting sufficient? Did the *thought* of Human Centipede oversell the precise product and make the movie’s medical and sluggish execution much more disappointing? There was a time when The Human Centipede captivated a nation. I used to be positive, simply with that alone, it could’ve maintained a spot in our stratosphere or, on the very least, grow to be a recurrently revisited cinematic time capsule like The Rocky Horror Image Present or A Clockwork Orange or Showgirls.
That it so rapidly and deeply amounted to nearly nothing makes it all of the scarier.
Greatest quote: “Feed her! FEED HER!”
Snack suggestion: Three cupcakes “sewn” along with a single Purple Vine.
The Stranger is taking part in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Problem all month lengthy! Each October, Scarecrow places collectively a listing of cinematic themes and invitations of us to observe alongside and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the factors. This 12 months, Stranger staffers are becoming a member of the enjoyable and we’re going to share our each day suggestions right here on Slog! Learn extra about Scarecrow’s 2024 problem—and get the watch listing—right here. And you may monitor our each day suggestions right here! 💀
