Man Bites Dog (1992)

AKA: C’est Arrivé Près de Chez Vous, It Happened in Your Neighborhood
Year: 1992
Directed by: Remy Belvaux, Andre Bonzel, Benoit Poelvoorde
Starring: Benoit Poelvoorde, Remy Belvaux, Andre Bonzel
Country: Belgium; European Cinema; Effed Up Belgian Movies
Language: French (English Subtitles)
Runtime: 01:35:58
Genres: Serial Killers, Rape-Sexual-Violence against Women

Plot – Spoilers:
Benoit, a vastly experienced serial killer, is on camera pontificating on his choice of victims, disposal of bodies and in general, on all that is wrong with the world and his town. The film crew are a bunch of documentary makers on a shoestring budget out to record his work and thoughts, as they follow him around.

Man Bites Dog is a masterpiece in the mockumentary genre and explores the effects of a subject on a film-crew, as they progressively get more involved in Benoit’s world and are unable to stay objective and behind the lens.

Benoit is sharp, alert and dips into his ridiculously vast experience while he’s at work. At other times, he puts on a cocky and intimidating front while unwittingly revealing his insecurities, loneliness and myriad complexes. And all this is down to the skills of Benoit Poelvoorde who IS Benoit for all we could know.

Man Bites Dog douses the grim nature of its subject with dark comedy – I mean, it’s not often you burst out laughing when an old lady is frightened into a heart attack.