Saturday, February 13, 2010

SATURDAY MORNING DOUBLE FEATURE: CORPSE FUCKING ART



It's been a long, long time since I've written about German director Jorg Buttgereit's (right) romantic-necrophile-gorror-psychologically-damaging Nekromantik films, but the time has come again. As XXX-disgusting and morbidly wrong as his films are, Nekromantik and Nekromantik 2 ARE respected as great horror movies, often by critics completely outside the horror genre. I have to agree. These flicks fucked me up good, but I've had to return for repeat viewings ever since my first exposure.
If you've never seen either of the Nekromantik films, well... I can't really recommend them to you in good conscience. But if you're the sort of person that enjoys genital mutilation, decapitation, severe visual trauma, and some good, old-fashioned corpsefucking, maybe you should check 'em out.

The soundtracks to said film were composed by one Hermann Kopp (left), an "electronic minimalist" who previously played in the industrial group Keine Ahnung. His piano-and-violin based compositions are interspersed with strange dronings, buzzing analog synthesizer and the sounds of bones being sawed, beds squeaking, and unidentified liquids dripping to the floor. Unsettling shit.
More recently (2007, in fact) Kopp released an album entitled Psicofonico, which was a study in abstract violin soundscapes conceptually based around Electronic Voice Phonemena. I am intrigued. Even though EVP is about 99.9% scam (or higher), it still creeps me out and I might have to look a little further into this whole thing...


HERMANN KOPP - NEKROMANTIK SOUNDTRACK (1987)


Download HERE


HERMANN KOPP - NEKROMANTIK 2 SOUNDTRACK (1991)


Download HERE


Buy 'em both in the excellent Nekronology compilation (which also includes the soundtrack to Buttgereit's Der Todesking) HERE









Hermann Kopp website

7 comments:

shargaves said...

my fave films. Pople have said the Todesking main theme tune was peter hammill-esque. I have to agree being a buttgereit/hammill afficianado.

And monika m will remain, with carrie fisher, caroline monroe, and the collinson twins, my all time fave cinematic crush.`

In the UK - the distributor of todesking created a publication to promote the release called "headpress" - which remains to this day, the greatest periodical ever!

look for issues on ebay - every one is worth its weight in gold I guarantee!

Counterculture at its finest.

shargraves said...

oh - and of course - the book "sex murder art" -the definitive buttgereit bok. It is an essential purchase for fans of his work.

Cory said...

i used to think i was so cool when i was 12 and had copies of those movies i bought from the back of film threat. shargaves - dont really hear the p. hammill but ill give it another listen.. id like to consider myself a hammill/vdgg afficianado myself ;)

shargraves said...

Coey - todesking main theme is somewhat reminiscient of the song "traintime" rhythm.

Also Hammill's dance pieces for piano are similarly sparce - the album sonix - theres a koepp live performnce knocking aroud that totally reminded me of PH

I'm an absolute vdgg / hammill nut. Got everything they ever did - and I've got tickets to see him solo in March.

Seen vdgg a good few times live too - best. band. ever!

shargraves said...

Cory - sorry about misspelling your name btw. Its a dark room I live in!

Cory said...

i went to go see hammill solo last year with fellow IC contributor erik but we got kicked out for being too drunk and loud.

Crankenstien said...

i just saw Jorg on the special edition dvd of Combat Shock and he does the commentary with Buddy G