What makes BENNY'S VIDEO so disturbing is threefold:
#1- Benny (Arno Frisch) himself. We get the definite impression that something isn't quite right about him from the beginning. Mr. Frisch plays Benny with cold, lifeless ease. He is just going through the motions of everyday existence. When the unthinkable occurs, it's very matter-of-fact, like brushing crumbs off a table.
#2- Benny's parents (Angela Winkler and Ulrich Muhe). They are almost as mindless as their son. After watching the video, their reaction is, while not altogether unexpected, jaw-dropping nonetheless.
#3- Director Michael Heneke, who keeps everything clinical and icy. He shows us a psychopath in a "normal" environment, just doing the daily routines. The shocking parts are presented as mere interruptions in the daily grind. The motives of all concerned are what bring out the true terror. There are no masked maniacs here, only upper class people forced to deal with an "unfortunate" problem.
A classic film about the horror of indifference and self-preservation...
#1- Benny (Arno Frisch) himself. We get the definite impression that something isn't quite right about him from the beginning. Mr. Frisch plays Benny with cold, lifeless ease. He is just going through the motions of everyday existence. When the unthinkable occurs, it's very matter-of-fact, like brushing crumbs off a table.
#2- Benny's parents (Angela Winkler and Ulrich Muhe). They are almost as mindless as their son. After watching the video, their reaction is, while not altogether unexpected, jaw-dropping nonetheless.
#3- Director Michael Heneke, who keeps everything clinical and icy. He shows us a psychopath in a "normal" environment, just doing the daily routines. The shocking parts are presented as mere interruptions in the daily grind. The motives of all concerned are what bring out the true terror. There are no masked maniacs here, only upper class people forced to deal with an "unfortunate" problem.
A classic film about the horror of indifference and self-preservation...