Looking for extreme/strange Scandinavian film recommendations. Any era and style, documentary, horror, fetish, art films, etc...
"Extreme" changes depending on the context, but Bergman's From the Life of the Marionettes is a dark and interesting proto-Irreversible.
491 is probably one of the more extreme films made in Sweden. At least because of the reaction it generated. The fundamentalist christian party KDS (now KD) was formed on the back tail of the campaign that preacher Lewi Pethrus organised against the release of the film. Based on a great book by Lars Görling. The film was done with the full support of both the Swedish Film Institute and politicians in an effort to test/challenge the censor laws.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/491_(film)
Danish director Kasper Juhl springs to mind. In the same category as Lucifer Valentine and that sort of extreme and low budget "art house" stuff. Wannabe snuff with lots of violence, vomit, torture, self harm, bondage, necrophilia etc. on display. Good? I don't know, but scratches certain itches...https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4972415/
Quote from: Strömkarlen on March 11, 2024, 11:44:53 AM491 is probably one of the more extreme films made in Sweden. At least because of the reaction it generated. The fundamentalist christian party KDS (now KD) was formed on the back tail of the campaign that preacher Lewi Pethrus organised against the release of the film. Based on a great book by Lars Görling. The film was done with the full support of both the Swedish Film Institute and politicians in an effort to test/challenge the censor laws.
One can mention that this director, Vilgot Sjöman, really was giving the Swedish board of censors their hands full. Internationally most known for his sexual-political romp "I am Curious (Yellow)", but I also want to suggest the 1977 film "Tabu" (Taboo). It follows a number of people with (at the time) deviant sexual orientations... gays, crossdressers, exhibitionists, sadomasochists, necrophiliacs... the whole gamut. Quite controversial when it was released, not surprisingly, but bombed at the box offices. Even for the golden age of adult theatres it was too far out. I once saw it at a special screening with Sjöman himself introducing the film.
Finnish director Rauni Mollberg is not so much extreme, but very poignant in his naturalistic portrayal of life in traditional rural communities under a heavy influence from religion/church. "The Earth is a Sinful Song" features hypocrite clergymen taking advantage of repenting female members of the parish, while in "Milka" a handyman (called Christ/Devil) has relationships with both a mother and her under-age daughter at the same time. Very slow and beautiful movies with a good measure of controversial content.
This book will probably be of interest to fans of the topic:
https://www.abebooks.com/9780979616365/Swedish-Sensationsfilms-Clandestine-History-Sex-0979616360/plp
The character on the cover is, of course, from 1973's Thriller: a Cruel Film, probably the most famous entry in this genre.
Would also recommend Breaking Point by the above-mentioned Thriller director.
Not really extreme and quite obvious choices, but first that come to mind would be:
Lilya 4-Ever
A Hole in My Heart
Pusher trilogy
Reindeerspotting
Sick of Myself
Sick of Myself is indeed pretty fucking ... well, sick.
You can always go down the Malga Kubiak route. Malga was a... ehm... quite the character when I moved to Gothenburg in Eighties on her high heels on the cobble stones. Arranging clubs, playing in Miss Mess and making films. https://vimeo.com/785066917
If anyone is in Brussels at the moment I can recommend the Offscreen film festival. This year the theme is Scandinavian Sins - Swedish and Danish sexploitation cinema from the '60s and '70s. Christina Lindberg is the special guest and she was (still is?) introducing her films before the screenings. Wish I was there!
Speaking of ...did anyone mention "Thriller: A cruel picture" from 1973? Great one.
Thriller is great. The XXX footage really adds to the misery of the main character so IMO it is well justified.
Another Scandinavian nasty is The Sinful Dwarf. It is one of those films that will make you feel like you need a shower afterwards.
Quote from: Strömkarlen on March 13, 2024, 11:39:27 AMYou can always go down the Malga Kubiak route. Malga was a... ehm... quite the character when I moved to Gothenburg in Eighties on her high heels on the cobble stones. Arranging clubs, playing in Miss Mess and making films. https://vimeo.com/785066917
any place where one can watch these films ?
Quote from: narcolepsia on March 13, 2024, 01:54:56 PMQuote from: Strömkarlen on March 13, 2024, 11:39:27 AMYou can always go down the Malga Kubiak route. Malga was a... ehm... quite the character when I moved to Gothenburg in Eighties on her high heels on the cobble stones. Arranging clubs, playing in Miss Mess and making films. https://vimeo.com/785066917
any place where one can watch these films ?
Malgas Vimeo has some stuff but you need to scrool. https://vimeo.com/user2472932
Quote from: moozz on March 13, 2024, 01:44:35 PMThriller is great. The XXX footage really adds to the misery of the main character so IMO it is well justified.
Another Scandinavian nasty is The Sinful Dwarf. It is one of those films that will make you feel like you need a shower afterwards.
fun fact is the dwarf and the blonde lady got married after the movie!
Quote from: Strömkarlen on March 13, 2024, 05:01:53 PMQuote from: narcolepsia on March 13, 2024, 01:54:56 PMQuote from: Strömkarlen on March 13, 2024, 11:39:27 AMYou can always go down the Malga Kubiak route. Malga was a... ehm... quite the character when I moved to Gothenburg in Eighties on her high heels on the cobble stones. Arranging clubs, playing in Miss Mess and making films. https://vimeo.com/785066917
any place where one can watch these films ?
Malgas Vimeo has some stuff but you need to scrool. https://vimeo.com/user2472932
thank you !
Quote from: post-morten on March 12, 2024, 12:35:05 AMFinnish director Rauni Mollberg is not so much extreme, but very poignant in his naturalistic portrayal of life in traditional rural communities under a heavy influence from religion/church. "The Earth is a Sinful Song" features hypocrite clergymen taking advantage of repenting female members of the parish.
I was about to post this and would label it under extreme cinema. It's all about abuse, alcoholism and suicide. There's also lots of animal violence right from the start and it's probably off-putting for many. Also kind of odd from todays perspective that this was a huge hit in the seventies. Gelsomina named one track based on this film. I had not seen it at the time, but thought this must be something important due to PPT's impeccable taste in films and art. And indeed it was.