Philosophy of a Knife (2008)
R1 / NTSC DVD
Unearthed Films / 2008
Directed by Andrey Iskanov
Written by Andrey Iskanov
Cast: Manoush, Andrey Iskanov & Irina Nikitina
Review by Brian Harris

Formed in the 30’s by the Japanese army under the guise of epidemic prevention, Unit 731 used prisoners of war for some of the cruelest human experimentation imaginable. Andrey Iskanov’s “Gore-umentary” details the formation of the unit and, naturally, some of the horrific tests conducted on those held against their will by the Japanese government.

Half-documentary and half-gore film, Iskanov’s Philosophy of a Knife is perhaps his most cohesive film thus far and, without a doubt, one of the most visually disturbing films to see release in years. Iskanov juggles the real-life terror of Unit 731 with his own nightmarish visuals to great effect. If you’ve never seen an Andrey Iskanov film, well, it’s really hard to describe his style but “filthy, gore-soaked genius” does come to mind. If ever a body of work could be labeled “arthouse horror,” it’s Iskanov’s.

The use of authentic WWII film footage and a multi-layered score by Alexander Shevchenko are highly effective but it’s Iskanov’s pure talent for one-of-a-kind visuals that really transform Philosophy of a Knife from just another horror release to four hours of absolute, stomach churning mayhem . Folks, trust me, Andrey Iskanov does torture, mutilation, rape and dismemberment like nobody in the genre. It’s truly a work of absolute beauty and psychotic inspiration; not unlike a Picasso painted in blood and feces.

If you’re a fan of Nails and Visions of Suffering, as I am, this is a no-brainer of epic proportions.
 
 

I cannot recommend Philosophy of a Knife enough to fans of true extreme cinema but be forewarned, this clocks in at a whopping four hour run time so it’s not for lightweights looking for a cheap, easy thrill. This film definitely demands more from its viewers than the average style-starved gore flick but the experience is well worth the effort.
 
Movie:

 

 

Home  Staff Picks  Reviews  Articles  Store  Forum  Blog  Links  Contact

 

©2009-2010 Wildside Cinema. All Rights Reserved. All images copyright of their respective owner.

No written works submitted to and displayed on this website may be re-printed or published without prior written

consent from Wildside Cinema. No mongoose were abused during the creation of this site.