The Human Centipede (The Complete Sequence)
Director: Tom Six
Cast: Dieter Laser, Laurence R. Harvey, Eric Roberts
Shout! Factory/Scream Factory
October 27, 2015
Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons
Yeah, these movies. All together in one package and in HD so that you don’t miss a thing. But is that a good thing? Well that depends on who you are. It is undeniable that these grosser than gross movies have their fans; if they didn’t, there wouldn’t be three of them and now this new Blu-ray boxset. So if you are a fan of these flicks then this is the boxset for you. If you hate these movies, this collection won’t do a thing to change your mind. And if you somehow haven’t heard about these movies and need some more info on them, then where have you been? Oh, and keep reading.
It all started with the first movie, The Human Centipede (First Sequence), where a crazy German mad scientist kidnaps three people and stitches them together, butt to mouth, so he can have his lifelong dream: a human centipede. And that’s about it for story. What fans like about this movie is the over-the-top premise, some of the gross out moments, black comedy, and an awesomely insane performance by Dieter Laser as the centipede-loving surgeon. And for all those reasons I, god help me, like it too. No it’s not for everyone, but if this first entry is too much for you, then you have no business watching what follows.
The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) is set in a world where the first THC movie was just that: a movie. That film has become the obsession of a very odd man living with his bitter mother in England. Shot in black and white for a number of reasons, the demented man wants to make his own human centipede, only bigger and with no medical training whatsoever. This one really pushed the boundaries of good taste with the bigger centipede, lack of surgical skill, rape with barbwire condoms, the stomping to death of a newborn, and on and on it goes. This one I don’t like as much as the original for all its one-upmanship parts, but the main creep, played to abhorrent perfection by Laurence R. Harvey, is creepy as all hell, and if you’re looking to be physically ill, this one might do that for you.
Last, and in some ways least, is The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence). Here we have the stars of the first two movies, Dieter and Laurence, playing two new characters: Dieter is the crazy warden of an American prison and Laurence is his all-too-willing henchman. Looking to create the ultimate punishment for the convicts, the demented duo take inspiration from the Human Centipede movies and try to create a 500-man-long centipede. Yes, this chapter pretty much pushing everything to the limit but other than some spectacle, there’s not much to it. Still, a 500-person-long centipede, it does have that.
As for special features found in this new boxset from Scream Factory and IFC Midnight, the first two movies are presented here in their unrated director’s cut, while the third movie was never rated to begin with so you are sure to get all the wonderful poop eating that promises. The first movie has new interviews with “the ladies of the Human Centipede” which is all of the female actors from the film. There is a commentary track with writer/director/madman Tom Six and an interview with him. There’s some behind the scenes footage, a collection of deleted scenes, casting tapes, behind the scenes with the Foley artists, poster galley and a trailer.
The second film comes with a new color version of the movie, so you can experience all the wonderful colors this movie could offer for the first time. There is an audio commentary with director Six and star Laurence R. Harvey. There is another interview with Tom Six, Mr. Harvey’s audition tape, and a tour of the bloody warehouse set. In addition there are more Foley sessions, deleted scenes, poster gallery, a segment about making the poster, trailer, teaser, and a promo.
Part three has the least amount of goodies, but it is by no means barebones. There is a commentary with Tom Six, a making of featurette, an alternate ending, deleted scenes, teaser and a trailer.
So yeah, The Human Centipede (The Complete Sequence) is all the ATM (if you don’t know what that is, don’t Google it) action you could ever hope for. If you like these movies, get this three pack as it really is well put together and while the movies are gross, they look amazing in HD. If these aren’t the movies for you, then stay the hell away. Consider this a conditional recommendation depending upon your stomach for the disgusting.
