Flesh City Is An Experimental Film, Are You Into That?

I try to champion independent filmmakers. I often get sent requests to look at and promote heaps of films in techniques and genres I don’t care for. In this case, when I saw the trailer for this experimental almost zero-budget film, Flesh City I wanted to be fair. So I reached out to a reviewer friend with wider experience in this area. Colin my guest writer for this piece likes a lot of movies like this. Additionally, after I heard the score for this one, I knew I wouldn’t get through it.

Colin is a reviewer who’s watched a myriad of films from the exploitation and extreme areas as well as many low-budget horror movies. His taste is as eclectic as his personality and I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified to give his thoughts on a film like this. So sit back and relax for this short review from guest reviewer Colin. For a more positive review of Flash City check out this (review)

What is Avant-Garde or Experimental Film?

Basically, in terms of filmmaking, experimental films are usually described as radical or unorthodox. They are typically non-narrative but in many cases take a unique approach when telling a story. The experimental film niche tends to stray away from the ‘normally accepted’ approach general audiences are used to.

Some well-known recent films considered to be in the experimental niche are Raw (2016) and, A Cure for Wellness (2016.) However avant-garde films have been around for some time. If you’ve seen or heard of Eraserhead (1977) or Faust (1926) then you would begin to form a picture of what types of things can be used in film-making of this type. It doesn’t have to be unenjoyable to tell a great story unconventionally.

About the Film-maker Thorsten Fleisch

Thorsten’s background in the experimental film world lies in studying for two years with Austrian avant-garde filmmaker Peter Kubelka. He attended Städelschule in Frankfurt, Germany.

Fleisch’s passion is for horror and exploitation films and with ‘Flesh City’ he tried to combine those two elements that are so very dear to him.

The film was shot with no budget and no funding for four years. Somehow, Thorsten managed to get Shaun Lawton to do a Cameo. Shaun Lawton is best known for Æon Flux (2005) and Possession (1981) the latter of which is one of his favorite films.

‘Flesh City’ shows Berlin-like it has never been filmed before, a brutalist Berlin, full of bleak and hostile concrete.

How Was the Movie? — Words by Guest Writer Colin

First, a warning, if you suffer from photosensitive epilepsy you might well want to skip the title scene (and the end scene) of this movie as I once knew a guy who had a pretty bad reaction triggered by the kind of intense strobing effects featured here. Sadly though, that might well be the only intensity you’re going to find in FLESH CITY. Because for me, it was something of an endurance test just to get through.

The film opens in black and white with some quick-fire shots of decaying German industrial areas. After surveying a bunch of random reprobates queuing up to get into an underground club we go inside where the budget constraints of this magnificent opus are plain for all to see. The acting (if you could call it that) is atrocious, to say the least.

There’s a distinct sense that the Flesh City movie is little more than an experimental student film hoping to punch well above its weight. Imagine if you will, the weirdness of 1982’s LIQUID SKY but set to a contemporary minimalistic techno scene, with all the neon removed and fired up on amphetamines. Then, you might get close to what FLESH CITY is. But if that somehow sounds attractive to you, then I guess I’ve failed here at my explanation.

Flesh City is little more than a cacophony of images and pop-up “music” videos (yes really.) All of which bombard the viewer with puerile nonsense and amateur gibberish. One character states “I want to establish a new neural entropy in my brain” which I suspect the director thought he might achieve for us all. Instead, he just managed to put my brain into stasis.

At Least “Flesh City” has Some Great Music

There’s little in the way of redeeming features here. However, I did like one of the music videos by a band named Trash Gallery, and there’s a mildly passable triphop tune at the end (as the titles go up.) But there are not even any memorable brutality or shock scenes that might have made the precious time invested worthwhile. Therefore the film experience for me was entirely pointless.

This is more than likely going to be the worst movie I’ve seen this year (and it’s only February.) I honestly don’t feel like I’m sticking my neck out too much by saying that. FLESH CITY is a nonsensical assault on the senses that could have been made by someone from a psychiatric ward who once watched a Gaspar Noe film, but that’s not a recommendation. Watch it at your peril.

Experimental Film

Colin reviews many, many films in a movie group I am extremely fond of in the Facebook Universe. While Colin and I have gone to battle in heaps of movies, he is someone I respect. I enjoy the banter between us and others when it comes to my favorite sport— cinema.