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Wonderful character development!

Purely Joyful Movie!

Expected more

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

'IN THE BASEMENT': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)An Austrian documentary flick; about people, hanging out in their basements, and giving into very perverse obsessions (and demented fetishes). The movie was directed by Ulrich Seidl, and it was written by Seidl and Veronika Franz. I had a chance to see it at at the OSU International Film Festival (at the Darkside Cinema, in Corvallis, OR), but I missed it. I instead recently caught it on Netflix; and I almost wish I hadn't. The film starts out somewhat normal; as it just follows odd people around, doing strange things in their basements. As it goes on, though, the documentary gets weirder and weirder. I wanted to stop watching it, several times, but persisted (so I could do this review). It's only 82 minutes long, but it seems a lot longer (and it's a very painful 82 minutes)!The movie is one of those films, I really wish I could unwatch. It's one of the most disturbing experiences, I've ever had (watching a film of any kind); and I love movies! I also thought I liked domineering women (and femdom fantasy), but I realize (after watching this documentary), that the real thing is definitely not for me (maybe just in role-play). Which is another reason I wish I could 'unwatch' this movie; it ruined my fantasy for me (at least for the time being)! It's well made, and serves it's purpose 'very effectively' though; at being a completely 'F'd up' film!Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://vimeo.com/152789677

"Im Keller" or "In the Basement" is the newest film by acclaimed Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidl and as almost always it is a collaboration with his wife Veronika Franz again. For Seidl, it is a bit of a return back to his roots as he made many documentaries in the early years of his career. Very recently, he got lots of recognition for his work on the "Paradise" trilogy that I enjoyed a lot as well. Certainly one of the finest trilogies of the 21st century so far. That's also why it makes me a bit sad I could not appreciate his 80 minute film here as much. It gives us an insight what people store and do in their basements, not your average Joe mostly, but somewhat different people with (not so) hidden secrets. Of course, you never know how much is authentic and how much is scripted, but I give them the benefit of the doubt here.I thought the first 55-60 minutes were really decent to watch. It was all kinds of interesting people and secrets hidden in their cellars. I am talking about music instruments, about baby dolls, about Nazi memorabilia, about erotic toys and applications etc. Unfortunately, the last half hour of the film really focuses almost exclusively on the erotic aspect and I would have liked the same amount of variety as it was in here for all the time before that. No idea why Seidl focused so much on this topic at the end. These last 25 minutes are also the main reason why I rate this only a 2/5 and not a 3/5. Still to end this review on a positive note, I like Seidl's style as a documentarian. We do not hear him, we only hear the people interviewed and it gives it some raw atmosphere. Also it helps in not letting any judgment by the filmmaker interfere with your very personal judgment about what you hear and see in this film. Nonetheless, I cannot recommend it overall. Or just switch it off at the 60-minute mark.

The basic approach of the film is interesting: the basement as the place of secrets, of things, that are not acted out, even of the unconscious. Well, Mr. Seidl was born in Vienna after all.But what he offers is a rather bulky version of Freudian patterns. Mr. Seidl's choice of people, that foster their hobbies in their basements tells more about himself than his exhibits. From a universe of people and their interests, he is very keen on absurd sex, compulsiveness, with guns, puppets and politics, and more absurd sex. His sex thing makes him break the basic requirement of the film, as he interviews one of his exhibits extensively in her flat. Did I mention absurd sex? Right from the start, he makes it clear, that the people he shows are his material to expose the character of his fellow Austrians. For Mr. Seidl, it is all still 1933, with a scent of anal plugs. His images are very artificial, like simulated. Humour is absent an joy comes by mistake, with heavy drinking. His exhibits look like persuaded in showing it all.It wouldn't be that bad, if he would treat his protagonists friendly, like human beings. But his view upon them is cold, almost sadistic. There, he proves to be a follower of the Haneke school. The basement becomes a societal residue for low lives. Do expect a lot of revulsion, this is a pornographic documentary, not a documentary porn movie.In the American view, this may be inspirational for Tarrantino, in the European one, it shows, that the people that still suffer the most by psychoanalysis and the Third Reich, are some directors, who try to capitalize on this - the Bernhards, Jelineks, Hanekes and Seidls of this world. No need to suffer with them.

Another fine effort from Ulrich Seidl, #1 troll director in Europe. This film shows us what Austrians do in their basements (no, Josef Fritzl doesn't appear). Not sure about the documentary element as surely there was lots of director's influence in many scenes...although the people were apparently real and not hired actors. Several memorable characters such as the S/M couple where the man is a full-time sex slave of her wife. Then there's a subdued middle-aged fascist who has a Nazi museum in his basement where he holds drinking sessions with similarly-minded band buddies. Then there's a middle-aged woman who works at Caritas, stabbed his abusive husband to death and likes to be caned.The friends I watched this movie with were all grossed out because there was lots of hardcore S/M stuff, penises and vaginae in full view etc. I found it a very engaging and entertaining movie though...it consciously provoked the viewer to make judgments over those people and narrow-minded viewers (including the political correctness crowd) probably did just that. But there was a very strong humanist element behind all this.