Scanialara You won't be disappointed!
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
TheBigSnack In this film of integrity and intelligence, a former French national returns to his beloved native land from America to find news of the true fate of his long lost dead parents. The search takes him to an isolated castle come mental asylum in the forests of France.The setting is the late 1800's, where visitor learns the locals are big steps back in time.He is introduced to the aristocratic chief doctor who takes him on tour of his beloved hospital where patients are provided exactly what they require to develop into persons of rich culture and sophistication. The doctor emphasizes this hospital is a place of understanding and cogent appeal.During the numerous spectacles he encounters during the tour visitor is made aware all is not well in the infamous retreat.At some point the belief in doctor's practises are suspect: it is either his greatest venture or a redundant experiment.It seems doctor is a former patient who has sabotaged the entire administration and imprisoned them in the recesses of the castle.The grand finale exposes him as the ultimate aristocrat and lover of sophistication who stubbornly refuses to surrender his autocratic stronghold.Bird people perform a resplendent death dance as the fate of usurpers is handed down. The fancy impostor is defeated when the imprisoned break free to restore order.
Andy McGregor A journalist, seeking an exclusive exposé visits a mysterious mental institution where he has heard of unconventional treatments for madness. At first he is made to feel unwelcome but, on meeting the head doctor, is invited on a grand tour. As he is lead around the grounds and gardens, there are few surprises with the inmates they observe. But as his tour takes him further into the asylum, these encounters become increasingly disturbing and lurid and the patients more deranged. His journey ends in the grand hall where it is revealed that the patients have overrun the place and the staff have been killed or imprisoned. The "head doctor" is their leader and styled himself on a Napolean-like dictator; he has set his sights further than just the limits of the madhouse.This bizarre Mexican surrealism reaches for the strangeness of "El Topo" and for the demented, hellish imagery of "Caligula", "The Devils" and to some extent "The Wicker Man". Unfortunately, it has not got the same quality of writing or directing as these greatly superior films. Instead it is nothing more than a psychedelic re-telling of a Gothic short-story which makes it feel too much of a gimmick. Granted, there are some heavy hitting aspects to some of the action but by that point you have been desensitised somewhat to the relentless portrayals of madness and madcappery! When the twist comes, it is hardly a surprise. Still, this passes the time and is memorable enough, if not just for the "chickens"!
jonesmatt942 This movie is about some doctor who visits a strange insane asylum.The plot is hard to keep up with because the movie is so boring.It's like some 60's drug trip with all weird costumes and ridiculously acting.The people in the insane asylum basically prance around and act like idiots. An example of this is when a man walks around clucking an acting like a chicken as he spits out feed that is thrown in his face. Even nudity cannot save this flick and there is plenty of it even a rape scene. Every actor in this movie except the protagonist and some of his friends act retarded. Also, there very little physical torture in this film which I originally hoped for. Instead I got some loony nonsensical hippy horror film.
jkahler02 Although I rated this movie a 2 for showing a complete lack of effort in trying to create a quality horror film it was a 10 on the unintentional funny scale. I couldn't figure out what was going on in the movie or who the people were but I didn't care because I knew every scene was going to have something to make me cry with laughter. Dialogue is a minimum throughout the movie but I believe this is because they started filming without a script. The fact that there is no plot line makes the movie extremely versatile. It doesn't matter if you sit down and watch the movie from beginning to end or if you watch it in rewind you will be confused with enjoyment. I particularly like the scene in which the inmates are taking turns running around outside beating each other with sticks. I believe the doctor refers to this as treatment. Genius!
