Subconscious Cruelty (2000)

An anthology of horror, consisting of four segments all themed around gory subjects.

Director:

Karim Hussain

Writer:

Karim Hussain

Stars:

Sophie Lauzière, Anne-Marie Belley, Brea Asher

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Lauzière	...	Woman On Slab (segment "Ovarian Eyeball")
Anne-Marie Belley	...	Hand (segment "Ovarian Eyeball")
Brea Asher	...	Sister (segment "Human Larvae")
Ivaylo Founev	...	Brother (segment "Human Larvae")
Eric Levasseur	...	Lover (segment "Human Larvae")
Janis Higgins	...	Girl In Photo (segment "Human Larvae") (as Janice Higgins)
Nadia Simaani	...	Female Performer (segment "Rebirth")
Anna Berlyn	...	Female Performer (segment "Rebirth")
Nancy Simard	...	Female Performer (segment "Rebirth")
Sean Spuruey	...	Male Performer (segment "Rebirth")
Scott Noonan	...	Male Performer (segment "Rebirth") / Gloved Hand (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom")
Mitch Davis	...	Male Performer (segment "Rebirth") / Gloved Hand (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom")
Christopher Piggins	...	Businessman (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom") / Doppelganger (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom")
Martin Sauvageau	...	Drunk In Bar (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom")
Annette Pankrac	...	Secretary (segment "Right Brain / Martyrdom")

Storyline

"Subconscious Cruelty" is divided in four segments: Ovarian Eyeball - a naked woman is sliced by a sharp blade and an eyeball is removed from her belly. Human Larvae - a deranged man that hates his sister that is pregnant kills her newborn offspring and she during the delivery. Rebirth - a group of naked people rolls around in mud and blood. Right Brain/Martyrdom - religious symbolism associated with gore and sex.

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Plot Keywords:

incestuous desire | dream sequence | photograph | scalpel | menstruation | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

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Details

Official Sites:

Infliction Films

Country:

Canada

Release Date:

31 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bilinçaltı Zulüm

Filming Locations:

Longueuil, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Infliction Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 80 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Took around six and a half years to make

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Alternate Versions

The Japanese DVD version has all the frontal nudity, but some glimpses of hardcore porn on a television are blurred, and the penis torture scene has been visually fogged.

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Connections

Referenced in In the Belly of the Beast (2001)

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Soundtracks

Jazz Bar Songs
By Mike Cee Cerminara
Copyright Mike Cerminara All Rights Reserved

User Reviews

Four morbid tales of mutilation, incest, rape and sacrilege!

Well, it's safe to say that Subconscious Cruelty is one weird film! Supposedly an insight into the human mind, Subconscious Cruelty is comprises four macabre and bizarre tales of the extreme. The first segment, entitled 'Ovarian Eyeball' is really just a warm up, but it's good in that it gives the viewer an idea of what to expect from the next three segments. It simply sees a naked woman laid out on a table, while another woman cuts into her abdomen and pulls out a human eyeball! I've got no idea what the point is, but it certainly makes for visceral viewing. The following story is the best of the bunch, and takes in the "old favourite" sick movie theme of incest. The segment follows a man who lives alone with his pregnant sister. He's repulsed by her pregnancy - yet he wants to have sex with her anyway, and naturally he gets his way. This story stands out because of the monotonous and 'matter of fact' narration, as well as the ending - which doesn't fail to deliver the shocks. This segment is well acted, well filmed and easily the highlight of Subconscious Cruelty.

Naturally, the next two sections aren't as good as the second one; so the only way from there is down, but director Karim Hussain still manages to pull something out of the bag before the film ends. He doesn't do it right away, however, as the third segment is the weakest of the film, and simply sees a lot of people have sex with the ground. It's very surreal, and therefore memorable for that same reason; but there doesn't seem to be a lot of point to it, and I was in the mood for something a bit more morbid after the second section. The film ends on a high, however, as while I'm not entirely sure what the point was - the final segment features the film's best imagery. This segment focuses on religion, and certainly isn't for anyone that values it! Director Karim Hussain has achieved something here - as while this collection of four 'extreme' stories doesn't come together as a complete whole, the film almost feels tasteful as it's shot in such an eloquent and eye catching manner. The director would seem to have been imitating the highly respected surreal director Luis Buñuel, albeit with gore, rape and incest; and if you ask me, he hasn't done a bad job at all. Not for everyone, but certainly worth a look for extreme fanatics!