Abelard the Castration is an extremely rare '77 Germanic art piece about the discovery of the corpses of infamous early lovers Abelard and Héloïse and more importantly, castration. This piece in particular has been deemed as simple sleaze but there lies a greater destiny for this film. It is indeed a shame that this is a piece that may be outside the confines of arthouse cinema for eternity.
Two art students and part-time lovers experience life at its finest. Interwoven with this timeline is footage of their court case leading to the horrible impending realization of what they were charged for. They share themselves, men, and artistic experiences. I can imagine this lifestyle to be simplistic and very relaxing while not having to worry about presentation or accommodation. These "Art dykes" discover the bodies of the infamous lovers and proceed with caution as the idea of love becomes increasingly familiar.
During an extremely graphic (and real) scene of watching a horse get castrated, these "liberal left wing lesbians" become entranced with a veterinarian doctor whom they share exotic bedroom adventures. Sharing is caring in this film that predates Dead Ringers. Many aesthetics are shared and common ground is marked. If this weren't such a bitch to get a hold of, I'd imagine Cronenberg being partially inspired.
The film takes a brutal and extremist turn when the duo finds him in bed with another woman. Passions over heat and these feeble women eye a set of surgical tools. In a fit of blind rage, they proceed to castrate the knocked out man while security rushes to save the poor bloke. Not exactly shown but implied, this is a very real scene of a manhood being destroyed.
The women, covered in his blood, realize what they've done and run away shrieking. Abelard the Castration isn't a stunning film. The production assets set the film back a couple of notches. I blame the director for not finding a point of interest during his filming. The camera just seems to trail around until finally setting on one of the scorned leads.
I'm very grateful for the basic knowledge of the German language that I'd acquired from my schoolings. Had I not known the basics, the lack of subtitles might have destroyed any chances of me enjoying this film. Abelard the Castration is what I'd expect it to be; cunning, ruthless, and Germany's answer for Audition, albeit a lot more brutal.
Two art students and part-time lovers experience life at its finest. Interwoven with this timeline is footage of their court case leading to the horrible impending realization of what they were charged for. They share themselves, men, and artistic experiences. I can imagine this lifestyle to be simplistic and very relaxing while not having to worry about presentation or accommodation. These "Art dykes" discover the bodies of the infamous lovers and proceed with caution as the idea of love becomes increasingly familiar.
During an extremely graphic (and real) scene of watching a horse get castrated, these "liberal left wing lesbians" become entranced with a veterinarian doctor whom they share exotic bedroom adventures. Sharing is caring in this film that predates Dead Ringers. Many aesthetics are shared and common ground is marked. If this weren't such a bitch to get a hold of, I'd imagine Cronenberg being partially inspired.
The film takes a brutal and extremist turn when the duo finds him in bed with another woman. Passions over heat and these feeble women eye a set of surgical tools. In a fit of blind rage, they proceed to castrate the knocked out man while security rushes to save the poor bloke. Not exactly shown but implied, this is a very real scene of a manhood being destroyed.
The women, covered in his blood, realize what they've done and run away shrieking. Abelard the Castration isn't a stunning film. The production assets set the film back a couple of notches. I blame the director for not finding a point of interest during his filming. The camera just seems to trail around until finally setting on one of the scorned leads.
I'm very grateful for the basic knowledge of the German language that I'd acquired from my schoolings. Had I not known the basics, the lack of subtitles might have destroyed any chances of me enjoying this film. Abelard the Castration is what I'd expect it to be; cunning, ruthless, and Germany's answer for Audition, albeit a lot more brutal.
-mAQ
HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT!
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