Jörg Buttgereit was born on December 20, 1963 in Germany where he has resided his entire life. Buttgereit grew up in West Berlin at the time when the Berlin Wall was present and the Allied Forces; Britain, France and America, each controlled a section of the Federal Republic of Germany. Hence, young Buttgereit went to the movie theaters to watch films from the aforementioned countries, he particularly enjoyed watching monster movies from the age of four.
His grandmother bought him packs of 'Creature Feature' bubblegum cards while he was in kindergarten and for his first Holy communion he received a Super-8 camera. He began experimenting with film at the age of 14 in 1977.
His first project was called 'Gags und Schwarzer Humor', a parody of TV commercials. He utilised a number of creative ideas to make his next few shorts, like when his camera broke and he brought it to the developers who gave him back black, blank film. After scratching and washing the film a blue, black and green image came out of the projector, much to his delight.
Using this off kilter look, he made, 'Klassenfahrt' a movie about his class in his last year of school. 'Stress' was another short using this bizarre effect. He would continue to make a number of controversial and experiential films until he made his masterpiece of repugnant, sleaze 'Nekromantic'.
Using this off kilter look, he made, 'Klassenfahrt' a movie about his class in his last year of school. 'Stress' was another short using this bizarre effect. He would continue to make a number of controversial and experiential films until he made his masterpiece of repugnant, sleaze 'Nekromantic'.
The films
'NEKRomantik' and its sequel have become two of the most controversial movies ever made. They have been banned in a number of countries, ensuring their status as must see endurance tests for extreme horror fans, due to its audacious use of the taboo subject of necrophilia. The first film centers on Rob Schmadtke (Bernd Daktari Lorenz) our disturbed protagonist, who works for “Joe’s Cleaning Agency”, a company that removes bodies from public areas. This job afords him the perfect opportunity to pursue his full-time hobby and obsession: necrophilia.
Once Rob returns home to his apartment he and his girlfriend, Betty (Beatrice Manowski) engage in an assortment of preserve sexual activities that revolve around the decomposed remains. In one of the most bizarre scenes captured in the film, Rob and Betty along with a freshly discovered rotting corpse engage in a twisted “ménage a trois” that once seen is hard to shake.
The film is full of violent, disturing scenes that seem like daydreams of perverse sexual desires, that ends in a suitably demented combination of death , masturbation, and suicide.
A sequel Nekromantik 2 was released in 1991 also directed by Buttgereit. The film opens with the grisly ending of the first movie, then we meet new protagonist Monika (Monika M.) who retrieves from a church’s graveyard the body of Rob, who died in the previous film.
Monika brings Rob’s corpse into her apartment, where she unwraps him from his body bag. Meanwhile, Mark (Mark Reeder) heads to his unspecified job, and the film then cuts back to a scene of Monika undressing Rob. Mark’s job is thereupon revealed to be dubbing porn films, and this scene foreshadows the next, in which Monika has sex with Rob’s corpse.
A fourth character, Betty (Beatrice Manowski), is then briefly introduced as she discovers, to her disappointment, that Rob’s grave has already been robbed. Once Monika has cleaned Rob's corpse, she takes photos with him using her camera’s self-timer. Mark, meanwhile, makes plans to meet a friend (Simone Spörl) at the movies. Mark’s friend however is late, so he offers his ticket instead to Monika, who happens to be passing by. Monika and Mark hit it off and soon go on a date at the carnival, after which point Monika decides to break up with Rob by sawing him into pieces and putting him into garbage bags - saving just his head and genitals. When Mark spends the night at Monika’s, he discovers Rob’s remains in her refrigerator, and this discovery combined with Monika’s desire to photograph Mark in positions that make him appear dead, plants doubts in his mind about the relationship.
Feeling more like an art-house picture, part 2 is helped by a more coherent story, with the tangled relationship between Monica and Mark, being the black heart of this sicking picture.
On its release Nekromantic 2 was seized by authorities in Munich after 12 days, an action that had not been seen in Germany since the Nazi era. Today these movies are fiercely popular on horror DVD import sites and have become underground cult classics.
A fourth character, Betty (Beatrice Manowski), is then briefly introduced as she discovers, to her disappointment, that Rob’s grave has already been robbed. Once Monika has cleaned Rob's corpse, she takes photos with him using her camera’s self-timer. Mark, meanwhile, makes plans to meet a friend (Simone Spörl) at the movies. Mark’s friend however is late, so he offers his ticket instead to Monika, who happens to be passing by. Monika and Mark hit it off and soon go on a date at the carnival, after which point Monika decides to break up with Rob by sawing him into pieces and putting him into garbage bags - saving just his head and genitals. When Mark spends the night at Monika’s, he discovers Rob’s remains in her refrigerator, and this discovery combined with Monika’s desire to photograph Mark in positions that make him appear dead, plants doubts in his mind about the relationship.
The Controversy
These films have taken harsh criticism for their content and subject matter, but some believe that it is meant as a rather serious social commentary on the de-naturalization and dehumanization of contemporary society as a whole. Society is presented as something that, despite nurturing Rob’s existence, begins to destroy his soul and drive him to avenues of perversion as a means of having some sort of control over something in his life. His life has these two parts to it: The larger society that pushes him around and his fantasy world of necrophilia which he has control over.
The sequel also came under heavy opposition, in munich police confiscated the film, leading an interviewer to ask Buttgereit, "How does it feel to be Germany's most wanted filmmaker?" Buttgereit responded, "I'm not sure how to feel. At the moment I'm afraid of a police raid. But I'm not really proud of it if that's what you mean." The reason for the film's seizure was that it purportedly glorified violence. According to Buttgereit, "The thing that people find offensive about 'Nekromantik 2' is that it doesn't accuse it's protagonist Monika."
The sequel also came under heavy opposition, in munich police confiscated the film, leading an interviewer to ask Buttgereit, "How does it feel to be Germany's most wanted filmmaker?" Buttgereit responded, "I'm not sure how to feel. At the moment I'm afraid of a police raid. But I'm not really proud of it if that's what you mean." The reason for the film's seizure was that it purportedly glorified violence. According to Buttgereit, "The thing that people find offensive about 'Nekromantik 2' is that it doesn't accuse it's protagonist Monika."
The European Editions:
NEKRomantik 1987
- Uncut original fullframe version
- Running audio commentary by director Jörg Buttgereit (both English and German language commentaries)
- GAZORRA - Buttgereit Super 8 short (German audio only)
- THE MAKING OF NEKROMANTIK, featuring behind the scenes footage (German audio only)
- NEKROMANTIK FEATURETTE, featuring outtakes and interviews with director Jörg Buttgereit, co-author Franz Rodenkirchen, and producer Manfred Jelenski (German audio only)
- Trailers for NEKROMANTIK, NEKROMANTIK 2, DER TODESKING, HOT LOVE, CORPSEFUCKING ART, and SCHRAMM
- An extensive gallery of over 100 stills from the collection of Jörg Buttgereit and Manfred Jelenski
- Footage from the premiere of the film
Technical Aspects:
- AUDIO: German
- SUBTITLES: English, Spanish, Italian, French
- DISTRIBUTOR: JB
- GENRE: Horror
- SUB-GENRE: Splatter; Gore; Murders
- REGION: 2
- FORMAT: PAL
NEKRomantik 2 1991
Features:
- Uncut Original Fullframe Version
- Full running audio commentary by director Jörg Buttgereit, co-author Franz Rodenkirchen, and actors Monika M. and Mark Reeder (Both English And German Language Commentaries)
- The Making of Nekromantik 2, 25 Minutes of Behind The Scenes Footage (German and English audio options)
- 2 Music Videos
- Jörg Buttgereit's Game of Death and New York / Paris '86 (Jörg Buttgereit shorts)
- Outtakes Reel
- Over 100 behind the scenes photos from the collection of Manfred O. Jelinski and Jörg Buttgereit Trailers for NEKROMANTIK, NEKROMANTIK 2, DER TODESKING, HOT LOVE, CORPSEFUCKING ART, and SCHRAMM
- 32 Page Booklet (English and German Text)
Technical Aspects:
- AUDIO: German
- SUBTITLES: English, Spanish, Italian, French
- DISTRIBUTOR: JB
- GENRE: Horror
- SUB-GENRE: Cult; Gore; Splatter; Sex; Erotic; Violence;
- REGION: 0
- FORMAT: PAL
Arrow Video Blu-rays:
- High Definition Blu-ray & Standard Definition DVD presentation of three Buttgereit films: Nekromantik (1987), Hot Love (1985) [29 mins] and Horror Heaven (1984) [23 mins]
- Optional English subtitles for all three films
- Limited Edition packaging featuring new artwork by Gilles Vranckx
- Individually-numbered #/3,000 Certificate
- Set of 5 Exclusive Limited Edition Nekromantik polaroid postcards
- Exclusive Limited Edition 100-page book.
DISC 1 [BLU-RAY] & DISC 2 [DVD] NEKROMANTIK & JÖRG BUTTGEREIT SHORT FILMS
- Nekromantik audio commentary with Jörg Buttgereit and co writer Franz Rodenkirchen
- Hot Love audio commentary with Buttgereit
- Horror Heaven audio commentary with Buttgereit
- Director s introduction to Nekromantik
- Alternative Grindhouse Version of Nekromantik, newly-transferred for this release from the only existing 35mm print [Blu-ray only]
- In Conversation with The Death King A brand-new 2014 interview with Buttgereit conducted exclusively for this release
- Morbid Fascination: The Nekromantik Legacy A brand-new 2014 documentary looking at the impact of the film on the horror scene both in the UK and abroad, featuring interviews with genre critic Alan Jones, Marc Morris, producer of Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide Parts 1 & 2, and Buttgereit biographer David Kerekes
- Q&A with Buttgereit recorded at Glasgow s Centre for Contemporary Arts (2014)
- The Making of Nekromantik A vintage doc featuring a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage, newly-transferred in HD and viewable with two different audio tracks: an English commentary with Buttgereit, co-author Franz Rodenkirchen and David Kerekes, and a German-language audio track featuring radio interviews with Buttgereit, Rodenkirchen and producer Manfred Jelinski
- Nekromantik Featurette A look back at the film s production, featuring interviews with Buttgereit and Jelinski, produced for the film s 10-year anniversary German VHS release
- Nekromantik Premiere A short featurette comprised of footage from the film s premiere in Berlin, January 1988
- Das Letzte A short featurette comprising footage from the 1985 premiere of Hot Love
- Horror Heaven trailer featuring outtakes from the film
- Two Buttgereit-directed music videos: I Can t Let Go by Shock Therapy (1995) and Lemmy, I m a Feminist by Half Girl (2013)
- Complete collection of Buttgereit feature film trailers: Nekromantik, Der Todesking, Nekromantik 2 and Schramm
- Extensive image gallery including behind-the-scenes stills and the rare, surrealist German-language Nekromantik comic by Berlin artist Fil, reproduced in its entirety.
DISC 3 [CD] SOUNDTRACK: ULTIMATE EDITION LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
- 27-track CD featuring the complete Nekromantik soundtrack composed and performed by star Daktari Lorenz and musicians John Boy Walton and Hermann Kopp, plus rare tracks from Hot Love.
100-PAGE BOOK LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
- Exclusive bound book featuring a new article on Nekromantik from critic Graham Rae, alongside pieces from writers David Kerekes, Kier-La Janisse,Linnie Blake and an archive interview with necrophile Karen Greenlee illustrated with new art and stills.
3-DISC DIRECTOR-APPROVED LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- Original Stereo 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
- Optional English subtitles
- Limited Edition packaging featuring new artwork by Gilles Vranckx
- Individually-numbered #/3,000 Certificate
- Set of 5 exclusive polaroid postcards
- Soundtrack CD
- Limited Edition 100-page book
- DISC 1 [BLU-RAY] & DISC 2 [DVD] NEKROMANTIK 2
- Audio commentary with Buttgereit, co-writer Franz Rodenkirchen and actors Monika M. and Mark Reeder
- Introduction to the film with Buttgereit, Reeder, Monika M. and producer Manfred Jelinski
- Masters of Life and Death a brand new documentary looking at the film s production and release history, featuring interviews with Buttgereit, Reeder, Monika M. and Jelinski
- City of the Loving Dead a walking tour of some of the original Berlin locations with Reeder and Jelinski
- Necropolis: Jörg Buttgereit s Berlin film scholar Dr. Marcus Stiglegger on the significance of the German capital as the backdrop for Nekromantik 2
- The Making of Nekromantik 2 vintage documentary viewable with two different audio tracks: an English track comprising audio interviews with Buttgereit, Rodenkirchen and Monika M., and a German track featuring radio interviews with Buttgereit and Rodenkirchen, with optional English subtitles
- Nekro Waltz: The Music of Nekromantik 2 Reeder discusses his work on the film s score
- Outtakes Reel
- Nekromantik 2 Livekonzert footage from the 20th anniversary Nekromantik 2 concert, with Monika M. and friends performing the live score
- Nekromantik 2 Livekonzert the complete 20-track audio recording of the concert [BD/DVD-ROM content]
- Two Buttgereit short films: Bloody Excess in the Leader s Bunker (Blutige Exzesse im Führerbunker, 1982) and A Moment of Silence at the Grave of Ed Gein (2012)
- Two Buttgereit-directed music videos: Rise Up by Die Krupps (1997), starring Monika M., and Die Frau in der Musik by Stereo Total (2007)
- Complete collection of Buttgereit feature film trailers
- Extensive image gallery
DISC 3 [CD] NEKROMANTIK 2 SOUNDTRACK LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
- 24-track CD featuring the complete Nekromantik 2 score
- 100-PAGE BOOK ANATOMY OF DESIRE LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
- Exclusive perfect-bound book featuring new writing from Electric Sheep editor Virginie Sélavy, writer Kier-La Janisse and others, as well as a new translation of the article submitted to the German government as part of the Nekromantik 2 prosecution case, all illustrated with new artwork and original archive stills