When I was exploring the latest listings over at xploitedcinema.com, one of my favorite websites to get some of my weird horror and sexploitation DVDs, not otherwise found at Amazon or Borders, I came across this very limited edition DVD set. It was titled L'Erotisme and was limited to only 40 numbered copies. Although it was a pretty obscure film, I saw that it was sold out and probably only listed for a couple of weeks. These two variables peaked my interest quite high.

 I looked at who the publisher of the DVD was and it stated Cinema Abattoir, obviously French, but of the Canadian kind. I did a quick Google search and found their website. Once there, I saw it was the right place and immediately placed an email inquiry about getting a potential copy. I felt I was it was a loss as the website stated it was also sold out. I emailed anyway and soon after got a reply stating they had one left, which I immediately jumped on. Oh joy! The thrill of getting a super limited edition DVD set that with a case that is hand made just sent me on my tippy-toes for a little ballarina dance.

Ok, so while I sent the money order and awaited for the package to come, I corresponded with Pierre-Luc Vaillancourt, who is the producer of the DVD and one of the directors of this short film collection (Extase de chair brisée). I wanted to learn a little about his company and how things got going for this project, also some background on this set of short films from the DVD. 

The title of the DVD comes from the author Georges Bataille, as Pierre states,

"Bataille wrote a magnificient book in France in the '50's called "L'érotisme", dealing with sexuality, religions, the sacred and transgression. Since the film on the DVD compilation all deal with those subjects and are in many ethics and aesthetics ways linked to Bataille's work, I decided to baptized the DVD "L'érotisme". Also, you can see the image / text on the disc itself, it's a print from a page taken from Bataille's book 'L'érotisme'."

The company, Cinema Abbatoir, Pierre writes:

"I like to call Cinema Abattoir an underground film society, or more precisely an Occult society for a subversive cinema. It's main interest being to public emission (through public screenings) and transmission platform (through DVD release) of iconoclast cinemas.Some influences would arc back to the Industrial culture, musicaly, aestheticaly and ethicaly, with the likes of Throbbing Gristle, SPK and Industrial Records, to more cinematic ones, like Amos Vogel's 1974 book Film as a Subversive Art, the Cinema of Transgression, the New American Cinema of the '60. Some particular filmmaker are also an influence to Cinema Abattoir, like Roland Lethem, Francois Miron and Serge de Cotret.
 
 Cinema Abattoir has been active for about 2 years. At first only as a public screenings organization (we did a subversive documentaries cycle, with Dance of Darkness, Metalstorm: the Scandinevian Black Metal Wars, Chickenhawk and Film as a Subversive Art: Amos Vogel and Cinema 16 and also many short films program) then, since past June, DVD release, with at first "L'erotisme", and coming in the following months "Incarnation" and later on "A rebours"." 

  A small company with a reputable history in two short years. The work, Film as a Suberversive Art has gained popularity, and parallel to that is a book on the film itsef. A recent article was published about Cinema Abbatoir by artist Rick Trembles, giving full props in comic detail! 

While viewing the DVD itself, I discovered quickly that its not something I feel should be critiqued in the traditional sense as each short film is unique unto itself, has its own purpose for existing, and no true narrative that can be explained away. These are not good or bad films unto themselves, but expressive pieces of art that speak in their own right, so what you take away with it is your own inspiration, emotional hang-up or interpretation.

As stated, Cinema Abbatoir is about breaking traditional cinematic language and notions about how film is supposed to be. It is the marriage of the sacred and the profane. So there are really no limitations to what you might see. Some disturbing and off-putting, others curious and a turn-on. Regardless, you will get a reaction where this type of cinema is almost the responsibility of the audience to determine what you want to do with your reactions. But it is film that will confront you if you are prepared for it. Not always on a pleasing level, but sometimes disgust - but it is your own! Because of this, it can be quite involving, intelligent and explorative in the right atmosphere for select audiences. There are scenes of explicit sexuality, and because of this, no one under 18 can purchase this.

I personally felt the experience of the DVD elicited a range of emotions from being sexually turned on (Paranoia), to nauseous (Ass), curious (Ki) and inspired (Maldoror) to concerned (Baby Doll) and frightened (Extase de chair brisée). My personal favorite was Maldoror: A Pact with Prostitution as I felt akin to its references to Ceremonial Magick of the Aleister Crowley type. There are allusions and symbols to magick, as well as influences from Kenneth Anger's Lucifer Rising and Invocation of My Demon Brother. All of the films are professionally handled, and work well together in this compilation and demonstrate, if not a perverseness of the human soul, but also how it can be transformed into a realm beyond just mere satiating of the primal senses. They were either screened in festivals or shown here for the first time.

The entire collection ultimately has little dialogue with musical scores that accompany each piece. There are a total of 11 short films. Although the menus on the DVD are in French, this should not discern you, as I said, there are few spoken words here. To figure out the menus should be relatively easy to navigate (for you English-only speaking folks...like me). The list of films are as follows:

 

1)  Ritualis - Pat Tremblay (2004)

2) Maldoror: A Pact with Prostitution - Micki Pellerano and Nate Archer (2005)

3) Ass - Usama Alshaibi (2001)

4) KI - Karl Lemieux (2001)

5) La Fin De Notre Armour (roughly translated as "The End of our Love") - Helene Catter and Bruno Forzani (2003)

6) Extase de chair brisée (roughly translated as "Ecstasy of broken flesh") - Pierre-Luc Vaillancourt and Frederick Maheux (2005)

7) Baby Doll - Serge de Cotret (2006)

8) The Lonliest Little Boy in the World - Mike Dereniewski (2000)

9) Paranoid - Anne Hanavan (2005)

BONUS:

10) D'Yeux - Monk Boucher

11) Imperatrix Cornicula - Jerome Bertrand (2007)

 

  THE PACKAGE REVIEW

 

Ok, to the point of the article which is a review of the package. Now here is something that is entirely unique to the DVD packaging industry. There is nothing like it out there and perhaps never will be, especially from a mainstream studio. As pointed out already, these are hand made, each individually, so each will have variations, although have a general look to them. They are designed by Canadian artist Jerome Bertrand who also directs the final film Impertrix Cornicula. I do not recall any package that has a printed glass window on both sides! As Vaillancourt says about the making of the set:

"Concerning the special box, Jerome Bertrand is a good friend of mine, who's been a long-time supporter of Cinema Abattoir (in it's public screening format). It took a little more than 2 months to complete the 40 special boxes, since there were all hand-made. He did them all on the floor of his appartement, working (in the last couple of weeks before the release of the DVD) almost full time on them, days and night to complete them for the screening / launch event."

  The case itself is hand painted on plastic both externally and internally with metal corners fastened to it, with a brownish-silver hue. Behind the front glass is a metal honeycomb design that offsets the clear glass, although it does make the type a little difficult to read, it balances the look of it nicely. The center has the glass pieces printing the titles of the films on one side, while the reverse has a quotation in French from Tod Browning, director of the classic Freaks and Dracula. Beneath that is a statement about the company, Cinema Abbatoir, also in French. Vaillancourt was nice enough to translate this for me (but with his disclaimer: "it's definetely not going to be as poetic as the original form"). It reads:

There should be beauty in the representation of all stories, even the most sordid.
-Tod Browning
 
The only truth of the abattoir is the blood of the beast. The only finality of cinema, the illumination of man. When both meet on a shooting set, the defiguration of the "soap opera" transforms the bored audience in a initiated peeping tom.
 
"Cinema Abattoir" proposed a visual eclectism that requires the frequentation of the killers, the saints and the muse-to-be-mutilated that orgasm in the black feathers of angels.
 
"Cinema Abattoir" joins together the voyeur of the retina, the shamans of the invisible and the alchimist of celluloid on the high plateaus of the crowned murder, where lights is transformed in spiritual energy, where the tears of Eros becomes liquid crystals.

  I have taken photos of my own copy here so it might be seen better. While the package is beautiful unto itself, the extras you get are on the minimal side. Upon opening it, which is a lid, versus a case-like set, you see a DVD tray which is attached the edge of the bottom box, fastened by three screws. It appears he has taken a standard DVD tray and modified it by melting and burning three holes into it. Beneath this are a packet of post-card size lobby cards held together by a hair clip. Ten in all, one for each film, except D'Yeux (you can view them below).  

The outside on the bottom of the DVD box is individually numbered with only 40 copies made, my set being number 34.

There is also a single-disc version that is still available, but even this one is also a limited pressing of only 500 copies. Xploitedcinema.com has them for sale. If you are in the Quebec area of Canada, you may find some copies in a specialty DVD shop as well, or you can buy one directly at Abbatoir's website.

 Accordingly, Tony at xploitedcinema was integral in helping promote the DVD. "Tony at Xploited Cinema as been the most helpful and kind person involved in the selling of "L'érotisme". Not only was he interested from the beginning, but he help the DVD by recommending it. Most Internet or regular stores are afraid to have this DVD, even those supposly interested in "underground", erotic, horror or alternative cinema, but Xploited has been interest and active in the diffusion of the DVD since the beginning", says Vaillantcourt. 

IN SUM:

From a collector's point of view, limited editions are wonderful as they stand as unique amongst the regular editions that are put out for mass consumption. Here is one set that is not only a limited edition, but specifically this edition, unique all on its own, even as it would stand next to the other 39 copies that were made. The tricky part with this kind of film is its obscurity. We recognize the collector and the seller are sometimes one in the same as both are invested in keeping tabs on the world of hard to find items. As someone who might be interested in making an investment, it would be difficult to place a future pricetag on such an item. Not so much because of its uniqueness, but because of the nature of the content and the obscurity of the films themselves. If we look at some more "popular" filmmakers of this genre, like Anger and  Brakhage, there is definately a cult following for these guys. Even still, we have to consider that the population for these directors are still small, and this set, being relatively new and still finding new audiences, makes this set more obscure. But it is expected on some level that it will reach select audiences as well.

 On the flip side, this does not take away from the fact that there is a population for these kinds of films, regardless of size. There is a large following of people for local bands who want to "discover" them before they make it. Its very possible that this is the cinematic equivalent. I personally find small films interesting to see as they have a creativity that Hollywood would not touch in a thousand years. As already mentioned, even underground distributors do not even want to go near this one due to its experimental erotic horror.  

With the digital medium, its great to see smaller venues breaking the distribution walls and going on their own, taking risks and publicizing on their own. And this is just one example of how it can be done.  Here are the postcards included in this set:

   

 

CONCLUSION:

While the Special Edition is no longer available (not even sure where you would be able to get a second hand copy, save for eBay - there is no Amazon listing), you can still obtain a limited edition of the standard release. It is definately for the curious and willing, but at the same time recommended if you are looking for a break from the traditional stuff that is out there. For this set, although the set was painstakingly made, I would haved liked to see something else than the postcards. I am not sure what else could be added that would be offered as a token symbolic of the films, but those are just my feelings (maybe I am spoiled from all the junk that the big studios tend to offer). Maybe a second disc would be cool. The DVD is the presumably the same as the regular release, and its essentially a bare bones DVD with no extra features.  The photo-cards are nice addition to the set which gives you a glimpse of the films themselves in a photographic medium. They don't fit perfectly in the box container as they are slightly wider, so some adjustment to get them in there is required, as they sit on a slant. Personally, I am happy to be supporting the small cinema in what ever capacity I can, so hopefully this small offering will help. For what it's worth, this truly is a Rare DVD. Grading is for the Special Edition packaging:

• Package Design - A

• Package Quality - A

• Package Contents - B-

• Collectability - B+

If you are interested in this collection or future works by Cinema Abbatoir, here are some updates:

Cinema Abattoir is going to release a new DVD compilation of short films quite soon (around March 2008). It's going to be called "Incarnation", and this time the film are going to be more meditative, contemplative and essentially more transcendental. There's going to be films by some filmmaker also on "L'érotisme", like Serge de Cotret, Karl Lemieux and Usama Alshaibi, but also others filmmakers like Reynold Reynolds, Andronis Dionysos, Ca Ca Ca and Roland Lethem among other. "Incarnation" will also be printed at 500 copies, and each copies will be, in some way, quite special (in the packaging). They are not going to be as extravagent as the special edition of "L'érotisme", but each one will really fit the Abattoir's transgressive and iconoclast aesthetics.

Comments and thoughts are welcome to post in our forum here.