Beg! (1994)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Robert Golden

Writers:

David Glass (play)
David Glass (screenplay)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

A power struggle occurs at a hospital where a murder has been committed. |

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Neo Noir | Black Comedy | Independent Film | Based On Play

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Peta Lily	...	Dr. Penny Second / Sexy Nurse
Philip Pellew	...	Detective Sergeant Stiltskin
Julian Bleach	...	Dr. Rogers
Olegar Fedoro	...	Hal (as Oleg Federov)
Jeremy Wilkin	...	Dr. Melplash
Rex Doyle	...	Pathologist
Chris Banks	...	Dr. Second Senior
Rachel Izen	...	Sister Helston
Stephanie Buttle	...	Karen
Yasmin Pettigrew	...	Nurse to Dr. Second Sr.
Terence Soall	...	Dr. Ruden (as Terrence Soall)
David Tysall	...	Dr. John Lord
James Clarkson	...	Dr. Sterk
Simon Fisher-Becker	...	Dr. Farth (as Simon Fisher Becker)
David Trevena	...	Dr. Scut

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Certification:

UK:18

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Trivia:

The film was voted "Best of the Fest" at the Edinburgh Film Festival 1994.

Soundtrack:

O Del Mio Dolce Ardor

Don't beg for an explanation...

This is out on Troma but not a typical Troma picture, according to Lloyd Kaufman it's an "art" picture and that's about as close as you can get to describing it. It's a dark horror comedy, I guess, and they don't come much darker. Someone describes it on the box as Argento meets Fellini with a dash of Kubrick, and personally I don't understand the Kubrick part but throw in David Lynch, Peter Greenaway, Guy Maddin, and maybe that's a bit closer if you have to compare it to something. And don't beg for any explanation either because this is a film that has its own logic, I guess, and you don't find much in the way of explanations for anything going on here. Good thing I don't think things have to make sense to be enjoyed....films, that is. It's something like this: There's murders occurring at a weird little hospital, involving live dogs sewn inside the victims. Yes, there's a vivisection lab here but "no animals were harmed" says the disclaimer at the end. There's also a women's wing, headed up by Penny, who is not happy about losing her lover to a murder, nor is she happy about having her budget cut. There's also Det. Inspector Stiltskin, who is supposedly a cop but the more we see of him the less he looks like anyone wouldn't question his credentials, because he gets more grimy and beat up and cut up with every viewing. Plus, the good inspector has a radio transmitter with a speaker in his ear and the transmitter in one of his teeth. At least for most of the movie. He's getting commands from some mysterious and creepy looking bald guy, and no further explanation is given as to who he is. I suppose you could say this film has and follows its own logic, so you just have to sit back & watch and try not to hurt yourself figuring out what's going on, because I doubt you will. At least it's visually awe-inspiring to the point of twisted entertainment, but beyond that I can't say too much about it. I watched most of this with my mouth hanging open in disbelief, but I also enjoyed it a lot. I think this one bears another watch. 8 out of 10, for the adventurous only.