For those of you who know who Frank Henenlotter is, I have no pity for you. Absolutely none. You walked into this movie, knowing it was going to be trashy, gory, full of twisted eroticism, and without any socially redeeming value. And, yet, here you are, shocked after having seen Bad Biology. All I can say is: shame on you. Shame on you for being offended. Shame on you for watching it. Shame on you for saying, "I liked Frankenhooker, but..." Come on! Give me a break. Frankenhooker wasn't some cinematic masterpiece. It was awesome for what it was, and that's all. If this movie pushed the boundaries too far, then I can't wait to see what you say when you watch Henenlotter's next movie, should we be blessed with another.
For those of you who don't know who Frank Henenlotter is, I'd probably caution you against watching this movie, unless you're already familiar with grindhouse/trash cinema, such as Lloyd Kaufman and John Waters. While I think some of the exaggerated (and somewhat melodramatic) reactions are funny, it's probably better to be safe than sorry, when it comes to such transgressive art. Rape, murder, and abortion are all played for laughs. Does that offend you? Good -- that means that you don't suffer from whatever mental illness makes the rest of us laugh. Go in peace, and know that you're normal, in at least this one area. Even if you're a social deviant who has no sacred cows, then I'd still suggest that you wait until watching some of Henenlotter's other movies before you watch this one, because it's a rather stark and offensive introduction. Frankenhooker, Brain Damage, and Basket Case would all be good starting points and would be much more gentle introductions to Henenlotter. If you like his style, then come back and try this movie. You might not like it, you might be offended, or maybe you'll think he was trying too hard, but at least you'll have been a bit more informed about the director's style and sick sense of humor.
Honestly, I didn't think it was all that offensive or transgressive, but that's probably because I'm desensitized. If you consider yourself a sensitive person (or a person of good taste and refinement), then this probably isn't a good movie to watch. Instead, I'd suggest something a bit more mainstream, like Waters' later work (Crybaby, Hairspray, Serial Mom, Pecker, etc). While still brilliant and subversive, these movies don't quite push social boundaries like Pink Flamingos or Bad Biology.
For those of you who don't know who Frank Henenlotter is, I'd probably caution you against watching this movie, unless you're already familiar with grindhouse/trash cinema, such as Lloyd Kaufman and John Waters. While I think some of the exaggerated (and somewhat melodramatic) reactions are funny, it's probably better to be safe than sorry, when it comes to such transgressive art. Rape, murder, and abortion are all played for laughs. Does that offend you? Good -- that means that you don't suffer from whatever mental illness makes the rest of us laugh. Go in peace, and know that you're normal, in at least this one area. Even if you're a social deviant who has no sacred cows, then I'd still suggest that you wait until watching some of Henenlotter's other movies before you watch this one, because it's a rather stark and offensive introduction. Frankenhooker, Brain Damage, and Basket Case would all be good starting points and would be much more gentle introductions to Henenlotter. If you like his style, then come back and try this movie. You might not like it, you might be offended, or maybe you'll think he was trying too hard, but at least you'll have been a bit more informed about the director's style and sick sense of humor.
Honestly, I didn't think it was all that offensive or transgressive, but that's probably because I'm desensitized. If you consider yourself a sensitive person (or a person of good taste and refinement), then this probably isn't a good movie to watch. Instead, I'd suggest something a bit more mainstream, like Waters' later work (Crybaby, Hairspray, Serial Mom, Pecker, etc). While still brilliant and subversive, these movies don't quite push social boundaries like Pink Flamingos or Bad Biology.