Dieter Laser. The name strikes like a lightning bolt, commanding your attention. It’s the name of the lead actor in “The Human Centipede: First Sequence,” but once you hear it, you’ll find the actor’s countenance can never escape it, even if he is playing a deranged, possibly Nazi mad scientist. Mr. Laser is about to have his moment, and its good to be on the ground floor for what could be the birth of an unforgettable cinematic boogeyman we haven’t seen since Hannibal Lecter, a misanthrope that would make Daniel Plainview cry.
Superficially made up of the DNA from Udo Kier, Michael Shannon and Christopher Walken, the person Mr. Laser most resembles is actually not even real. Seeing Laser slink around as the wiry Dr. Heiter, architect of the nightmarish creation in the film’s title reminds one of Pixar’s Randall Boggs, the archvillain of “Monsters Inc.” brought to life by Steve Buscemi’s voicework. Like Boggs, Mr. Laser’s physicality defines him, particularly in his razor-sharp cheekbones, eagle eyes and guttural scold of a voice. Which is to say he’s terrifying in several dimensions.
In “The Human Centipede,” Heiter is holed up in a modest single-level abode when two American girls find themselves fleeing from the rain into his home. Disdainful of humans, Heiter nevertheless can’t believe his good fortune, as these two women might be the key to bringing his latest medical creation to life, a shared nervous system linking three humans together. We don’t get to know much about these girls, who are young, attractive, and, we’re led to believe, the life of the party, but in contrast with Dr. Heiter, we’re reminded of that great quote about how audiences will always root for someone who’s good at their job. Dr. Heiter becomes the center of interest not because he’s brilliant, but because he’s automatically an expert, dealing with a subject that medically (we’d like to think) no one has ever tried.
“Centipede,” which has its moments of dark humor, doesn’t exactly become a celebration of the mad doctor, keeping the film in the realm of abject horror. One of the staples of genre, and why so many horror pictures go on to become viable franchises, is because people are inherently fascinated with the loss of control, the vulnerability that results from being completely outgunned. Lately the “Saw” films have strongly capitalized on this, but those efforts seem to increasingly rely on ornate complications placing the obstacles characters have to face close to the realm of science fiction. “The Human Centipede” taps into that insecurity and loss of control by working with a very specific obstacle, in this case the tagline providing a laugh (“100% Medically Accurate”) but also a warning. In keeping with a strong sense of gravity, director Tom Six also limits the actual bloodletting and bodily fluids, providing an experience where, like all great horror, the most disturbing images occur in your mind. Once it becomes clear that, despite being attached mouth-to-rear, their digestive systems will still function normally, its hard not to consider all sorts of scatological matters.
Yes, “The Human Centipede: First Sequence” is in extremely bad taste. It’s focus appears to be narrow, as it shows no concern for the world around these characters, particularly the chain of events that led Dr. Heiter to become the world’s leading expert on separating Siamese twins. The old adage about the unknown being what scares us is proven true again here, particularly considering the motivations of Dr. Heiter. Each time a character asks why he’s performing this feat, his lack of an answer becomes creepier, reaching a head when a particularly optimistic character screams that he’s insane and “needs help.” Mr. Laser pauses during this exchange for just a beat before unleashing a mad cackle before regaining his composure. And by that we mean threatening to cut her tongue out.
Six keeps the film sparse enough to give the film almost an existential chill. Dr. Heiter doesn’t wax poetically, but the underlying theme behind creating this monstrosity is the philosophy that human beings are interchangeable nuts and bolts, and their individual lives would be worth more if it was part of a larger whole. It’s a hopelessness that resonates deeply, particularly considering there’s really no way out once the titular monster makes its appearance at the start of the second act, and the film toys with the idea that somehow, these innocent victims might get away, there might be salvation right over the hill. Several horror films think they’re paying lip service to the idea that no matter what happens, the survivor at the end of the film will be emotionally and mentally damaged for life, but “The Human Centipede” is the only horror film in recent years to illustrate how losing your own identity could be a worse fate than simply passing on. Needless to say, in a weekend that sees the release of a cheap “A Nightmare on Elm Street” remake, “The Human Centipede: First Sequence” is the film that will keep you awake at night. [A-]