Aftermath (1994)

I love this movie so much

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

This really isn't a movie. Hell, there really isn't even a story (nor is there talking). It's just some shock content and an overly long opening credits (around 5 minutes, which is absurd for a 30 minute film). While it's not exactly art it's definitely different. The film concerns a morgue where some morticians are doing autopsies. Later, one of the morticians proceeds to violate a female corpse while he's alone. The film features full-body nudity although I'm not sure if the bodies were fakes, real corpses donated to "the arts", or actors with prosthetic effects. Either way you see full-bodied nudity (both genders).There's a weirdness to the whole thing. The scene with the morticians just going over their bodies is somewhat surreal. There's a bizarre character development that takes place despite the lack of speech and most of the mortician's face being obscured. His eyes convey his bizarre curiosity as he examines one of the men's naked frames, seemingly stopping on the genitalia. Later on when he starts with the female he seems to gingerly cut free her clothes. He plays with his blade delicately against her skin... then he guts her open. And a little after that the film really starts to get graphic, although I will say that he only uses one hand to examine her... There's a definite progression to the depravity.It's a film that I wouldn't really think I'd be interested in but there was a certain oddity to this premise. And while the initial legitimate autopsies were harder for me to watch, a morbid curiosity better kept my attention for the second half especially since it was almost downright funny in places. I'm honestly not sure what they were going for with this, though. It's short, it's a little weird, but mostly it's just pointless. All the same it's really not bad and somehow has a strange charm to it. Ultimately it's more silly than disturbing, almost like an angsty teen's attempt to be edgy.

What happens when you die? What was the first thing you thought of when you read that question? Most people would immediately think about whether there is a Heaven or Hell. "Aftermath", the controversial 30 minute short from Spanish director Nacho Cerdà takes a look at (in graphic detail) what happens to the body after death. This powerful film is not for the easily offended or those with a weak stomach. There is no dialogue and primarily takes place in an actual morgue. "Aftermath" will make you question how you want your body handled after death and it will open your eyes to the horror that is present in the world. Cerdà decided to make a film that covered both issues when I suppose he could have stuck to one. Although this is only 30 minutes, after the second act you will feel as if you have been watching for hours. That is if you make it to the second act. Make no mistake, this is 30 minutes of the raw, uncompromising reality of Autopsy's.That being said...there are some things you should keep in mind while watching in order to understand, respect and ultimately enjoy what Nacho Cerdà has put together. You have to take into account the cinematography, the fact there is no spoken dialogue, the soundtrack and the moral questions it brings out of you. Cerdà did an AMAZING job with the filming using slow moving camera work mixed with an eerie classical soundtrack. Speaking of sound, the sound effects were that of a big budget film. The clarity and realness was nearly more disgusting and frightening than the action on screen. I cringed more from the sound than the visuals at times.This film makes the viewer think about what happens after death. Most people may think their soul leaves them and their "temple" aka body gets laid quietly to rest. They don't think about what goes on between the time of passing and when the body is six feet under or cremated. They certainly don't think about how the autopsy will go or what will happen with their organs if they are an organ donor. The first person doing the autopsy seems to have no care in the world for the body he is mutilating; however, you later realize that he is just trying to do his job (quickly) and get out. I would be the same way. Wouldn't you? Then you're left to realize the second character, meticulously played by Pep Tosar, is really the sicko. This movie may be a lot more than most people can handle, but if you can put aside the "shock" of seeing a graphic autopsy and sickening necrophilia what you are left with is an important film that begs the viewer to confront their thoughts of what happens after you die. A powerful film.http://cinemapat.blogspot.com/2010/10/aftermath-nacho-cerda-1994.html

Well, necrophilia isn't on my top-list of things to enjoy, still I have quite a few movies that involve this subject. What they all have in common is that they have to ability to gross you out, without having to feature a plot involving around it. Movies like "Nekromantik" and "Schramm" are like this. This movie is like that as well, with a touch of Ginî piggu-series added to it.Yet this movie perhaps deserves better than to be compared to any of these movies, since this movie is quality-wise a far superior one. It's a movie that got extremely well directed, in an almost artistic like way at times. Nacho Cerdà is a director who enjoys making shorts and prefers it above making long featured films with an elaborated story, I would guess, judging by this movie. All sequences are being nicely constructed and it keeps you glued to the screen, even though there is no real story to the movie and the it doesn't even feature one line of dialog. The movie it's story is purely being told by its images, as brought to us by the fine directing approach of Nacho Cerdà.Yes sure, it's a pretty gross and gory movie to watch and if you can't handle themes such as bloody autopsies and necrophilia you should simply avoid this movie. If you are able to appreciate the art of film-making this is just one great short to watch, despite of how you think or feel about its subject.The gore wasn't too shocking though, at least not to me, since the cadavers used in this movie were obvious puppets, which perhaps was the only disappointing aspect about the movie; it wasn't always quite realistic enough.Still it obviously didn't prevented me from being drawn into this movie, due to its wonderful directing and artistic, classy approach of its subject.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

If the guys from Cannibal Corpse haven't seen this yet, I'm definitely bringing a DVD to the next show and throwing it onstage. I mean, this is a visual companion to at least two songs in their catalogue. Totally brutal, detached, no dialogue, loaded with sharp and well-placed symbolism. And oh the realism! I don't think I've ever seen a dead woman's vagina on screen, especially not like this. I'd really like to know how he made the cadavers, because as it stands now, it's one of the most realistic depictions of gore I've ever seen. What makes this a rewarding viewing experience is the fact that it's not just gore porn, a la Cannibal Corpse's lyrical subject matter - the director makes a nice sweeping yet clear statement about the social context of death in modern society. All I have to say - when you get to heaven and they greet you with harps and garlands at the pearly gates, remember not to look back down.