ANTIBODIES (2PC) / (SPEC) - ANTIBODIES (2PC) / (SPEC)

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Product Description

Pedophilia, serial murder, Catholic guilt, big-time Biblical imagery: director Christian Alvart bites on some serious issues in Antibodies, but for the most part it's not more than he can chew. Produced in 2005, the German film opens with a riveting sequence in which Gabriel Engel (Andre Hennicke), who has raped, killed, and mutilated more than a dozen young boys, is finally captured by the police. Enter Michael Martens (Wotan Wilke Mohring), a part-time policeman (and full-time farmer) in Herzbach, a small country town where a crime with an M.O. similar to Engel's has taken place (in investigating the incident, the rigid and humorless Martens has so alienated his fellow townsfolk that his own father-in-law shoots his dog). Marten comes to the city to interview the bad guy, whereupon a relationship heavily reminiscent of the Hannibal Lecter-Clarice Starling pas de deux in The Silence of the Lambs evolves; Engel, a stereotypical lunatic who dismisses Jack the Ripper and Charles Manson as wusses, will talk only to the guileless country cop (who undergoes some fairly radical changes as he succumbs to the lurid temptations of big city life). But are the killer's denials of responsibility for this latest atrocity true? Could Martens' own son, the trouble-prone Christan (Hauke Diekamp), be the actual perp? To find the answer, viewers are obliged to wade through some pretty heavy-handed scenes (a symbolic re-enactment of the Biblical tale of Abraham and Isaac is fairly ludicrous). But Antibodies is also filled with gorgeous and creative cinematography and stylish use of lighting, art direction, and set design, all of which help make the film eminently watchable. This two-disc special edition includes a "making of" documentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, and other bonus features. --Sam Graham

• Actors: Norman Reedus, Christian von Aster, André Hennicke, Waltraud Witte, Konstantin Graudus
• Director: Christian Alvart
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Audience Rating: Unrated
• Format: Color, DVD-Video, Special Edition, NTSC
• Language (Original Language): German
• Region Code: 0
• Release Date: 2007-08-28
• Running Time: 128 minutes
• Theatrical Release Date: 2005

Customer Reviews

Reviewed on 2008-05-18 Hardcore! Great movie, crazy story! I watch alot of foreign films and in doing so, I've watched alot of pure garbage, not "Antibodies", it grabs hold and sucks you in. Excellent characters and twists and turns, German movies are no holds barred, by that I mean, anything goes and when I say anything, I mean anything. This movie has blood, guts, sex and a great story wrapped around it all. Recommended!

Reviewed on 2008-05-10 rape of better movies I really though this was going to be a good find. I was not impressed. Now this is how I felt. It was a rip off of the movie Se7in and Silence of the Lambs. The beginning reminded me of seven, but could not come close. The rest reminded me of Silence of the Lambs, and fell hard at that. I love foreign movies because there are a lot of good ones you dont usually find. The translation may have played a part in it being lame. The story was not a bad one at all but it did not play out in a strong way. You would think that this movie would be disturbing in a psycolocical sense but it ended up trying to hard for weak results. I would rent it first. When you get to the ending, if you like things to be real, you will be dissapointed. It does not end like a GOOD psycological thriller should.

Reviewed on 2008-05-07 A Thriller to Enjoy "Antibodies" A Thriller to Enjoy Amos Lassen "Antibodies" is a first class thriller and it creates the almost perfect nightmare. The characters are intriguing and technically the film is near perfection. It entertains and it grips the viewer and does not let him go. Director Christian Alvart uses imagination and invention in ways we do not often see. The movie deals with the effect of strong faith and belief on a person and on a family. The main character and lead of the film begins as a religious believer and nice all around person but as the film progresses he loses faith and doubt comes into his mind. In brief, the plot is about a long wanted serial killer named Engel is arrested in a large police strike, Michael Martens, a small town cop, travels to where Engel is in order to interrogate him. He thinks that Engel may be involved in a brutal murder case and hopes to get a confession from him. This does not happen and the two total opposites cause Martens to become a dangerous threat to those around him. There undoubtedly be comparisons between "Antibodies" and "The Silence of the Lambs" but let me say that Engel makes Lecter look like Santa Claus. Engel is a pedophile child-killer who uses psychological mind games with Marten and almost drives him mad. A lot of the movie supplies discomfort to the viewer. Yet these scenes are not on the screen but in the imagination of the viewer. Likewise there are several realistic sex scenes that titillate. But above all is the intelligence of the film. The tension never slackens. This is a film that you should look for. It will both scare you and keep you thinking for a very long time.

Reviewed on 2007-12-31 BERGMAN? Bergman MIGHT applaud ~ and a work Van Sydow may have considered ... something along the lines of "Assault in Broad Daylight" [the underrated Gert Froebe] .... we explore "infection" along the lines of Biblical Proportion. The end is too "Disney" .... hopefully Hollwyood would consider a remake with Brad Pitt [if he can be lured out of retirement.] Very seductive and addictive ...

Reviewed on 2007-10-12 Amazing storytelling This film starts off right away with action! It immediately draws you in and you care about almost everyone present in the film. In some way or another, each character contributes to the story which is told in a very well structured script. Of course, with the dark subject matter you are taken to some places where you wouldn't want to go. But it's a testament to this film that as an audience member I felt like I had gone right along with the journey and actually appreciated the experience. It's something to watch with as many people as you can gather because there are so many different levels to the story, you'll want to discuss it (and experience this film) with others.

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