Angst

Director - Gerald Kargl (Sceny Narciarskie Z Franzem Klammerem)
Starring - Erwin Leder (Underworld, Gay Hell at Dante Cafe), Robert Hunger-Buhler (The 11th Hour, Labyrinth of Lies), and Silvia Rabenreither
Release Date - 1983
Genre - Horror
Format - BluRay (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     In horror there is always a select few films that fans go rabid over leading to a bit of a notoriety among fans.  Films like A Serbian Film and the August Underground trilogy has gained a huge fan base over the years for being extreme when compared to other horror flicks.  One film that has became notorious for being brutal and over violent is the 1983 Austrian film Angst that was later released in France under the name Schizophrenia.  This is a film I have always wanted to see but had never had the opportunity.  Recently, I made contact with Cult Epics who released the film on BluRay and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a man who was recently released from jail for violent crimes.  He grew up torturing animals and developed a taste for blood.  He graduates to finally killing his mother which lands him in jail.  While in there he fantasizes about killing more people so when he is finally released he heads straight for the home of an older couple and their daughter where he ties the two women up, accidentally killing the woman, and drowns the horribly ill father in the bath.  While doing so, the daughter is able to escape and he follows her into a tunnel where he brutally stabs her to death.  He then steals a car and places their bodies in the trunk to avoid further jail time.  Driving to a spot to hide the bodies he rear-ends a car at a cross walk.  He drives off and stops by a cafe for a bite when the police arrive to inspect his car where they find the bodies.

     Angst is a film I had heard a lot of horror fans praise that love em gory and praised it for it's brutal honesty and savagery.  I was curious.  Most of the time these "extreme" horror flicks are boring.  They lack story and action that I need to hold my attention.  The gore is always fun but you need more than gore and torture to make a film entertaining to me.  Angst is a film that rides one of the simplest stories I have seen in years but was still able to hold my attention.  The acting in this one is definitely one sided.  Erwin Leder is the film's real and only star and his performance is fucking brilliant.  He is methodically leading up to his murder spree and then he switches up to chaotic and beautiful.  He is savage, confused, and amazing.  His performance will forever be etched in my list of favorite performances.  This is shocking how amazing this actor is and his career has never really launched.  Sure, he has worked for over 30 years and did have a small role in the Underworld film but I would expect a lot more from someone who delivered a performance this amazing.  The remainder of the cast is just fodder and there to be slaughtered.  They don't really interact with one another that much and are only present in the film to die.  The story for this one is simple.  In fact, it is so simple that it could have been told in just a 10 or 15 minute short.  That is what is so amazing about this film.  The film maker, Gerald Kargl, was able to turn a small story into a brilliant film with the addition of the character's narrative that really helped stretch the story out.  Normally, narratives are a waste when the film is telling the story anyway, but this narrative delivers a lot of back story along with the character's thoughts while he is committing these heinous acts.  This worked very well especially considering how simple and unoriginal this story is.  Also, the film has a few on screen kills but the film drags them out so we can see every detail and every second of the kills as to not waste a moment.  These kills are nothing original nor are they that graphic considering all the other horror films released around this same time.  What makes these kills so fun is the intensity of the film's main character.  The practical effects in this one is simple in execution but still work.  Finally, this release from Cult Epics has an amazing transfer.  The film looks great and really impressed me.  This is the first Cult Epics release I have seen and it definitely impressed me.  The special features in this one is great.  In this release we get an introduction by Gasper Noe, Erwin Leder in Fear featurette, interviews with Gerald Kargl and Zbigniew Rybzcynski, and commentary with director Gerald Kargl.  Overall, the Cult Epics release of Angst is a must have for fans of horror and film collectors.  The film looks amazing, has great artwork, and the film itself is great.  This is one film you need to pick up...sooner than later.