IFC Picks Up ‘The Human Centipede’ for VOD
by Marc Patterson
News broke earlier today at ShockTillYouDrop.com that IFC has picked up The Human Centipede for distribution, which will include giving it a launch on their successful VOD programming. Taking a chance on edgy material that otherwise might not see a major release isn’t a first for IFC, which has found its success in supporting other independent horror releases this past year such as Antichrist and The House of the Devil. Currently a date has not yet been set for release.
The official synopsis: Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe. In Germany they end up alone at night with a broken car in the woods. They search for help and find an isolated villa. The next day they awake to find themselves trapped in his terrifying makeshift basement hospital along with a Japanese man. An older German man identifies himself as a retired surgeon specialized in separating Siamese twins. However his three “patients” are not about to be separated, but joined together in a horrific operation. He plans to be the first person to connect people via their gastric system, in doing so bringing to life his sick lifetime fantasy “the human centipede”.
IFC President Jonathan Sehring commented, “Echoing back to the early works of David Cronenberg, ‘The Human Centipede’ is a landmark work in the horror genre, taking the “mad doctor” conceit and perversely twisting it into a mind-boggling roller coaster ride. Everyone at IFC is excited to introduce such a unique talent as Tom Six to American audiences and it’s a perfect film for our theatrical and VOD platforms.”
What’s amazing to me is that in everyone’s year end lists there was no mention of The Human Centipede, yet this film has to go down as being one of the most sadistically brutal films to have played to audiences last year. Maybe with a more “wide release” this year it will ring in on a few lists come December. You can read our official review of the film from Fantastic Fest ’09 right here.
For your enjoyment we’ve also included two clips for you below. The first where the director, Tom Six, talks about bringing the film to life, during Fantastic Fest and the second clip is a graphic excerpt from the film.
