The Human Centipede (First Sequence) **** (2009, Dieter Laser, Ashley C Williams, Ashlynn Yennie) – Classic Movie Review 6103

Brace yourselves, folks, for this truly, madly, deeply shocking 2009 Dutch horror thriller, made with great flair by director Tom Six, who keeps the suspense, tension and terror on the boil throughout. It is horrible, bad karma stuff that makes you want to have a shower afterwards to wash it off, but no worse (or better) than Saw.

Sick bags were conveniently placed on the seats at the press show for the delicate sensibilities of critics. But this really is not that kind of film at all. It is at heart an old-fashioned Mad Doctor chiller from the Thirties, admittedly updated with a lot of bizarre modern trimmings to make it scary. And scary it is – hellishly scary!

Ashley C Williams and Ashlynn Yennie give their all for their roles as the archetypal women in peril – two dizzy American girls who make the usual movie mistake of breaking down in remote forest terrain on a road trip through Europe.

Dieter Laser cuts through his deliciously mad-as-a-hatter role like a, er, laser beam as dementedly crazed German surgeon Dr Heiter, who agrees to put them up for the night. However, when the friends wake up they find themselves trapped inside a basement with Heiter planning a horrific operation that involves them in becoming part of the title Human Centipede along with abducted Japanese tourist Katsuro (Akhiro Kitamura).

The Human Centipede is not for the faint-hearted, of course, with its sustained strong bloody violence, threat and horror. But, for its classic suspense, slick film-making, sly dark humour and subtly low gore count, this fright fest is a classy, memorable chiller with a thrilling climax. See it if you dare!

It is rated 18 certificate in the UK and R in the US for disturbing sadistic horror violence, nudity and strong language.

The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) and The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence) followed.

German actor Dieter Laser (born 17 February 1942) won the Best Actor award at the Austin Fantastic Fest as Dr Joseph Heiter.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6103

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