Taxidermia

This film is hard to describe; you must see it, believe in it, absorb it and then just let yourself be astonished by its infinite originality and philosophical message worthy of lengthy discussions. And all the while it’s just a crazy comedy flick. (20.06.2008)

Taxidermia is proof that even movie decadence can be beautiful in a rather twisted way. Unfortunately, the makers remained somewhere half way up the path and the result is a hybrid that is neither sufficiently extreme, nor sufficiently movie-like. Apart from the marvelous visuals, the first tale offers nothing and is just hollow filling. The second is actually absolutely outstanding to start of with, but after the excellent “sporty" into follows a less good ending and the whole thing just seems to fizzle out. Although the last tale is the most well-balanced of all, it isn’t enough to save to rather puzzling impression of a missed opportunity. You can’t deny that the makers had fresh ideas, excellent techs and very fine camerawork. All the same, I would expect rather more from such an ambitious project like this that just a movie that is more interesting than actually being of any quality. (21.01.2007)

The fact that a film is part of Project 100 does not automatically guarantee that it will be valuable. Just because a film is presented as a "distorted mirror of the era and society" does not necessarily mean that it truly is. For me, this Hungarian goulash is just a random mess without any meaningful message, but whoever necessarily needs to find something more in it - as they please. (01.03.2007)

Fans of film escapades, intellectual experiments, and depressive decadence can rejoice, whereas I just shrug my shoulders and say: I mostly missed the point of Taxidermia. The film is divided into three parts, and only the middle part can stand on its own as a bizarre satire on the training of athletes who sacrifice everything for success. Although Pálfi made a real effort to provoke and extract the maximum from the aesthetics of disgust, I couldn't help but feel bored at certain stages, and as a whole, the film disappointed me in terms of content, as it's too self-indulgent and a manneristic affair. Overall impression: 40%. (20.02.2013)

I may sound like a creep, but the modern world, not to mention cinema itself, needs films like Taxidermia. An amoral, twisted, nihilistic and utterly fascinating mockery and disfigurement of the three basic essences of human life that, despite its strict artistic detachment, is impossible to tear your eyes away from, and which offers so many moral clues and messages that a more accessible possible remake should be made by Ingmar Bergman from beyond the grave – I'm exaggerating, of course, but this film simply deserves your attention. It will probably disgust you and kick you into the private parts of your mind, but if you can at least appreciate the construction of the film as a narrative tool or the brilliant camera work, the attention management or spatiotemporal interweaving of motifs or entire story blocks, Taxidermia will at least engage and absorb you in a healthy way – and make you throw up :D 80% (02.11.2016)

The film started off looking like German porn, then turned into a philosophical drama. The Hungarian filmmakers clearly demonstrated that humankind evolved from Mangalica pigs and the subsequent plot was further evidence of that. All that competitive eating must have been hard to stomach not just for the competitors but many viewers as well. The final part was a nice transition to the horror genre. I will be keeping a close eye on both my cats from now on. Overall, I had a great time, and the Hungarians pleasantly surprised me again. (22.12.2016)