Gorehounds Unite!

Before shooting the sci-fi feature movies "FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions" (2004) and "PROXIMA" (2007), Carlos Atanes showned his most disrubting and underground side through several short and medium-length films, so indescribable and often so wild than they were not able for be accepted by many TV channels and festivals (the last one, Welcome to Spain, has the suspicious record of have been rejected by more than 30 international festivals). However, people who were at their nineties' legendary clandestine screenings etch them indeliblely at their memory.

 CODEX ATANICUS is a grouping of three films by director Carlos Atanes that he did between 1995 and 1999. These films are some of the most odd, fucked up, bizarre films I have ever had the pleasure of seeing........ Yes I said pleasure of seeing.

 Heres where I should probably start with the warnings..........These films deal with everything from Sex to religion to birth to death and all with the most fucked up imagery youve ever seen on the screen. It doesnt always make sense but to the average viewer some of this could be seen as offensive. If you are a viewer who requires a tried and true plot line to follow, you wont like this film. There is a plot but alot of the plot is shrouded in strange happenings and imagery. The #1 warning I have to give viewers is this.......Do not view this film if you are on any kind of mind altering substances such as Acid or magic mushrooms as your mind may never recover from the shock! It's a crazy enough trip sober............Don't say I didnt warn you!

 This DVD has three seperate shorts on it which include Metaminds & Metabodies (1995), Morfing (1996), and Welcome To Spain (1999). Being that all three films are near impossible to explain I will deal with this film as a whole instead of in seperate parts.

 While there does appear to be a common thread throughout all the films that loosely holds them together I still am unsure if this was intentional or just the directors style coming through. You notice some of the same characters throughout the films with the strangest being a woman thats constantly licking ( I know you have to see it to believe it though). I will say the first film was the one that blew me away and is by far the best of the series with a real feeling of being trapped in hell .....Shit as I said you have to see it, I really can't describe it to you.

  The director of these wild and crazy fucked up movies can best be described as the next David Lynch with a little bit of David Cronenberg thrown in for good measure. Style wise the director definitly takes his cues from Lynch and adds a strange style all his own. If your a fan of ERASERHEAD or films done in that style you will LOVE Codex Atanicus. In fact I'd be willing to say that if Carlos Atanes ever garners a cult status here in the states this will be considered his masterpiece.

 I'd love to go into more detail about the films but I feel that would for one thing be extremely hard as so much is left up to the viewers interpetation and also would take away from your enjoyment of discovering this crazy bizzare world for yourself. There will be some of you that will be titillated & Turned on, while others will be revolted and offended by what they see. Sometimes all at once........but theres one thing everyone will be, and thats engrossed and glued to the screen for the whole 81 minute run time.

 If heapings of sexuality, spirituality and just all around crazy fucked up shit happening at all times is your idea of a good time......well you'll absolutely fall in love with Codex Atanicus. If however you are easily offended, confused, or have a very closed mind  you may want to stay as far away as you possibly can!

Visit the filmmakers at their official website:  http://www.carlosatanes.com/codex_atanicus.html

 Or at the official myspace page:  http://www.myspace.com/codex_atanicus

 Buy the film here:  http://www.amazon.com/CODEX-ATANICUS-stories-historias-salvajes/dp/B00112HFFO/

RATING:

3 out of 5 Severed Heads!