Welcome back to Dark Corners physical media reviews. We're looking at another release from Deaf Crocodile, once again showcasing an oddity of world cinema, with an emphasis on the odd and opening with a warning that's not messing about. This four-disk set covers the three films comprising Norbert Fathom Bickler's '2551' trilogy, inspired by Charlie Chaplin's game-changing 1921 comedy, 'The Kid'. Though the inspiration is sometimes explicit, mostly it is not, but the trilogy does use silent film techniques and references other films along the way.
Filmed entirely in a series of World War II bunkers with no dialogue, true to its source, the film is set in a subterranean dystopia in which the masked citizenry live under the heel of a totalitarian regime, represented by the brutal police force which patrols the tunnels. In this setting, an ape-man rescues a child. Fathom Bickler has described the films as dystopian slapstick, and the unexpected moments of comedy are another facet of this bizarre world. Having initially tried to dispose of the child, the ape-man comes to care for him and sets out to get him back when he is taken by the authorities.
Part two, 'Orgy of the Damned', intercuts between the child being indoctrinated into the police and the ape-man's hunt, mostly through a dystopian fetish club, much of which can't be shown on YouTube. While this episode felt a bit tiresome, appearing to push boundaries at the cost of character development or narrative, the final episode, 'The End', unexpectedly made me care deeply, a result partly of Stefan Ber's compelling performance as the ape-man.
Despite the ongoing weirdness into part three, including an unexpected twist, the series offers something for those with a taste for the unconventional. Even at its strangest, it may serve well in the background of a Halloween party. Additionally, the set includes a commentary for each film by different film scholars and podcasters, and a disc full of extras ranging from far-reaching interviews with the director, lead actor, cinematographer, and other crew members, to behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes.
For those fascinated by visual storytelling and silent film influences, Bickler's work also includes short films and essays on these topics. Extras delve further into the production and thematic aspects, giving insight into this imaginative world and the creative process. Though it's not a film for everyone, and despite the challenges posed by the hard-hitting soundtrack, film enthusiasts will likely find something to appreciate.