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Begotten

  • 19891989
  • UnratedUnrated
  • 1h 12m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Brian Salzberg in Begotten (1989)
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  • Fantasy
  • Horror

Presented in a surreal, gory and entirely visual manner, Begotten tells of the death of religion, the abuse of nature by Man and a nihilistic outlook on what life ultimately is.Presented in a surreal, gory and entirely visual manner, Begotten tells of the death of religion, the abuse of nature by Man and a nihilistic outlook on what life ultimately is.Presented in a surreal, gory and entirely visual manner, Begotten tells of the death of religion, the abuse of nature by Man and a nihilistic outlook on what life ultimately is.

IMDb RATING
5.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • E. Elias Merhige
  • Writers
    • E. Elias Merhige
    • Tom Gunning(story consultant)
  • Stars
    • Brian Salzberg
    • Donna Dempsey
    • Stephen Charles Barry
Top credits
  • Director
    • E. Elias Merhige
  • Writers
    • E. Elias Merhige
    • Tom Gunning(story consultant)
  • Stars
    • Brian Salzberg
    • Donna Dempsey
    • Stephen Charles Barry
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 155User reviews
    • 42Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:58
    Trailer

    Photos

    Brian Salzberg in Begotten (1989)
    Brian Salzberg in Begotten (1989)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Brian Salzberg
    • God Killing Himselfas God Killing Himself
    Donna Dempsey
    • Mother Earthas Mother Earth
    Stephen Charles Barry
    • Son Of Earth - Flesh On Boneas Son Of Earth - Flesh On Bone
    James Gandia
    Garfield White
    Arthur Streeter
      Daniel Harkins
      Michael Phillips
      Adolfo Vargas
      Erik Slavin
      Terry Andersen
      • Director
        • E. Elias Merhige
      • Writers
        • E. Elias Merhige
        • Tom Gunning(story consultant)
      • All cast & crew
      • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit
      God disembowels himself with a straight razor. The spirit-like Mother Earth emerges, venturing into a bleak, barren landscape. Twitching and cowering, the Son Of Earth is set upon by faceless cannibals. —Marty Cassady <mcass@mindspring.com>
      • experimental film
      • abstract film
      • surrealism
      • cult film
      • mother earth
      • 72 more
      • Plot summary
      • Plot synopsis
      • Genres
        • Fantasy
        • Horror
      • Certificate
        • Unrated
      • Parents guide

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        Approximately eight to ten hours of optical work - rephotographing, visual treatments and filtering - were required to produce one minute of film. The total post-production period for the 72-minute movie was eight months.
      • Quotes

        Mother Earth: [she impregnates herself with God's semen]

      • Connections
        Edited into Marilyn Manson: Cryptorchid (1996)

      User reviews155

      Review
      Top review
      6/10
      Disturbing, one-of-a-kind neo-psychedelic art film
      This is not a casual movie-going experience; its unnerving, dark, and filled with upsetting imagery. This film has a sort of evil, misanthropic feel to it that's difficult to explain succinctly. For more daring viewers, though, E. Elias Merhige's "Begotten" offers a unique and somewhat terrifying experience that is not easily forgotten. The storyline, if you can call it that, plays out in three loose acts, each personified by the brutalization and unfortunate death of the "character," who are themselves representative of an axiom and/or figurehead in any number of Judo Christean and Pagan religions. Ostensibly, the three defining characters are credited as "God Killing Himself," "Son of Earth," and "Mother Earth," with the remaining, nameless characters credited as "Theatre of Material," which apparently was Merhige's production company. The overall look of the film harks strongly of early silent films, with loose blobs of shadow predominating and copious simulated scratches and aging present in nearly every frame. Its very cool to witness the obvious hard work that went into creating such a look. The imagery itself, though, is quite brutal and strong enough to ward off nearly all of the mainstream. If you like Black Metal, Black Ambient/Industrial, or other dark and uncompromising art, though, you should really dig this movie. Its a terrific, memorable nightmare and arguably a strange sort of milestone. in the realm of avante-gard film. Watch this one with ALL the lights out... ---|--- Reviews by Flak Magnet
      helpful•23
      9
      • Flak_Magnet
      • Sep 10, 2009

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • June 5, 1991 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Languages
        • English
        • None
      • Also known as
        • Порожденный
      • Filming locations
        • New York, USA
      • Production company
        • Theatre Of Material
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • $33,000 (estimated)
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

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      • Runtime
        1 hour 12 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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