Man Bites Dog (Spine #165)

"Usually I start the month with a postman." -Ben

Two years before "Natural Born Killers" came out and showcased the media's, as well as our own, fascination with violent culture and serial murderers, four French student filmmakers would come together to make a film, a fake documentary that follows the day-to-day life of a serial killer, that begins as mere spectating but quickly spirals out of control.

The star of the film is Ben (Remy Belvaux, who's also the primary director), a serial killer who's agreed to let a camera crew follow him around on his daily exploits. As we follow Ben he shares his opinions on art, nature, and society all the while interspersed with him murdering random people, primarily the elderly and, his favorite, postmen. We also get a look into Ben's "normal" life with numerous visits to his family and loved ones, which makes the character multi-layered and, when coupled with his biting dark humor, makes him downright loveable. As the movie progresses, the camera crew go from filming Ben's exploits, which are becoming more random and motiveless, to becoming a part of them, leading them all down a path that some of them will never return from.

"Man Bites Dog" is an unflinching look at not only our obsession with violence, but it also serves to make the viewer question themselves and what it is that they find themselves enjoying. By making the killer extremely likeable and funny, we seem to excuse much of the early violence, but as the film progresses and the crimes become more real and gritty, you find yourself conflicted and fascinated all the same. Remy Belvaux's portrayal of Ben is truly incredible and is the primary selling point of the film. He's so believable that you could easily convince someone that it's a real documentary. This realism is also aided by the film's black and white low budget look. Between the acting and the look, the violence can at times take on a very harrowing tone and may be a bit much for some people, as it can feel brutally genuine. To those that can handle it, I highly recommend this film.