Man Bites Dog
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Man Bites Dog is also a daily news report series in Belgium.
C'est arrivé près de chez vous (Man Bites Dog) is a satirical 1992 Belgian French language black comedy mockumentary starring Benoît Poelvoorde. It has the dubious honor of being the film permitted in the United States that has been banned in the greatest number of non-U.S. countries. In the film, a pair of filmmakers follow a serial killer recording his crimes and grotesquely candid commentary for a documentary they are producing. At first dispassionate observers, they find themselves caught up in the increasingly chaotic violence. The film shows the viewer how 'sick' their own sense of humour is by making them laugh along with the serial killer. The film is shot in black and white.
A literal English rendering of the title would be It Happened close to You, but the film was released in North America as Man Bites Dog.
- Tagline: A killer comedy.
Plot
Benoit is a charming and charismatic young man, he maintains a healthy relationship with his parents, plays the piano and discusses in length whatever comes to mind, be it architecture or philosophy. He also happens to be a complete psychopath, going on murderous rampages simply for his own enjoyment and ego. A film crew made up of three men join Benoit on his sadistic adventures, recording the sickening actions as part of their own documentry about him. Benoit takes them to meet family and friends, while in the meantime explaining in length the "craft" of his work. Eventually, the filmakers take part in the killings, helping him to dispose of the bodies. However, one by one, the crew are killed off through different means, such as being shot by a soon to be victim of Benoit who also happens to be a local Mafioso. At one point, Benoit and his documentarians run across another group of filmmakers making a documentary about another serial killer. They also take part in a drunken gang rape of woman who Benoit and they catch fornicating with her husband after breaking into an apartment. Eventually, the Mafia find that Benoit has killed one of their own and send skewered rats to him and those he cares for as warnings. Benoit is also caught by the authorities and sent to prison. He escapes, nonetheless, and calls his friends from the film crew to drive him back home. There, Benoit is horrified to learn that the Mafia has killed his family and friends. Returning to his hideout, he tells the filmmakers what he intends to do. Just as he is explaining, he and the rest of the film crew are shot and killed off camera by the vengeful gangsters.
Trivia
- For American release, the baby's pacifier was changed to a pair of human teeth on the poster.