DVD Review: Sheitan (Satan)

DVD Review: Sheitan (Satan) (Kim Chapiron, 2006, FRA).

Vincent Cassell is arguably one of the best younger actors in the world and yet he will never truly break through into American mainstream cinema. I say this because while he may act in some American films, these are mainly in supporting roles. However, I would say that the main reason is that he is happy in what he is doing for European cinema. Films like Doberman, Le Appartment, La Haine and one of the most contrversial European films ever made, Irreversiable have cemented his place as an important actor. With this kind of reputation, an actor can get films made. He can pick a pet project and get studios interested through their involvement alone. This must have been one of the reasons that Sheitan managed to get made.
After a night at the Styxx Club a day before Christmas Eve ends in Bart (Olivier Bartelemey) getting kicked out for starting a fight, he and his friends, Thai (Nicolas Le Phat Tan), Ladj (Ladj Ly) and Yasmine (Leila Bekhti) are offered the chance to stay at a country place by a girl who Thai is interested in, Eve (Roxanne Mesquida). When they get there, they are introduced to Joseph (Vincent Cassell), a housekeeper who lives with Eve and is looking after the place while her parents are away. What follows involves goats, dolls, a threesome, dolls, and possibly, the birth of the antichrist.
Now usually, I give a more detailed runthrough of the plot to a film I am reviewing but in this case, I am leaving it at this point. I think this film has to be seen to be believed. Whoever read the scropt to this and thought that it could be a viable commercial property is mad. I mean I loved every single bat-shit crazy minute of it but this film is for such a small audience, I don't know how it got made. Some of the things in it are of the blackest kind of comedy you can imagine. Some of it is just plain disturbing. But then some of it is just well... comparable to La Haine. Contreversial maybe, but its look at young French life feels authentic. The dialogue between them feels real, the nightclub feels real and the stunt they oull in the petrol station feels real. Another odd thing about this film, the first half or so seems targeted for a young French audience looking to identify with the protagonists and laugh at the strange village people. Then it takes a more blatantly surreal and creepy film and really kicks into another kind of audience, the cult horror audience. The end result the film is leading to is so odd, so gothic that to think the start ended in it is just bizarre. Bravo to the filmmakers for being able to make this transition and yet not break the diegesis of the film; it feels real in its own self-contained insanity throughout.
The younger people all do a good job of being convincing in their bratty and self-absorbed way, and the girl who plays Eve displays a real seductive quality which makes Thai and Bart's actions all the more plausible. But this film is not about them. This is a film of tour-de-force method insanityby Vincent Cassell. He is virtually unrecognisible for a start, playing what seems like at least 10 years older than he actually is. His character feels like a bunch of improvisations stiched together. His interest in Bart is at first gut-bustingly funny, the look on his face when he gets Bart some milk is prcieless. He deisplays an uneasy friendliness where you could believe tat he is just a tad eccentric. This continues on throughout much of the film. And then we start egtting the scenes with his pregnant "wife" where we realise that he is a lot less innocent than he seems and he is indeed a strange, satanic, psychotic, loon. He just so happens to be very very funny. One more thing - his "wife" although on IMDB seems to be played by someone else, she really looks like Cassell! That just makes the last grinning shot all the more freaky.
This film is an experience, it really is. Demented and yet quasi-mainstream, funny yet creepy, with what will go down as one of my favourite perfomances of the year. So very much an aquired taste, but if you have the taste for it, I think you will love it. I'll be buying it that's for sure.

Video: Looks like it was shot on digital video, so it is free from scartches and genereally looks good. Everything is clear though the contrast is a little disconcerting in the daytime shots. Adds to the atmosphere mind. Good stuff from an occasionally ropey company (when it comes to video transfers), Tartan.

Audio: Your choice of a 2.0 stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 surround soundtracks. I played the DTS and it was very impressive. Great, clear directional effects, and some wickedly strong bass. At one point, I honestly thought that was it for my sub-woofer. I have never had that before so take that as an impressive thing.

Extras: Making Of - 25 minute making of piece hosted by Cassell in a video diary sort of way in which he talks abiut the genesis of the film and his role of producer and how he had a hand in the film. He comes off as a genuinely nice bloke (not only in this but other things I have read/listened to) and this is an interesting watch.

Trailer - Perfectly sums up the cross-genre barminess of the film.

Short: Vampires - This is seen on a small TV screen during the film and starts Cassell's wife, Monica Belucci. Odd, funny thing which fits into the mood well.

Not the greatest selection of extras ever but the soundtrack is something to behold. In my opinion, well worth a buy overall but you may want to rent first off.

Back possibly tomorrow, otherwise Friday. Might well be the Simpon Pegg-David Schwimmer starring Big Nothing, might be something completely different. Have a good night/day.

Ian out.