Davitelj protiv davitelja

When it comes to Serbian (Yugoslavian) horror movies, only masterpieces can be found. They all have unique stories, great actors, excellent camera, good pace and very odd twists in stories.

"Davitelj" have cult status in Serbia. It is a story about real people in real situations. Scariest thing is fact that serial killer can be your neighbor, or you can be killed 'cose you wearing pants and dislike flowers! When you watching "Davitelj" you laugh, then you scream, and so on. And you scream very loud. And laugh too.

The movie that you will watch again and again and again,...

And you'll be infected by very good soundtrack.

What makes city a city? What makes it different than a village? Is it the traffic jam? The people who live there? Or is it something else?

According to this movie, the criminals and gangsters define the city. While London has Jack the Ripper, Belgrade has his "davitelj", i.e. the strangler. That's how begins an interesting movie, "Davitelj protiv davitelja" a mix of comedy and horror. It is a story about a guy, flower seller, who turns into a mad man, and commits a series of crimes. Also, we have a police inspector who is trying to stop him. The inspector is getting a lot of help and "help" from a young rock singer and a girl working in a local radio-station. To make the picture complete, there is also a strangler's mother, a character inspired by the Hitchcock's Psycho.

The movie is amusing, I liked it, but people expecting an exceptional movie, like "Ko to tamo peva" or "Maratonci trce pocasni krug", director's earlier works, will be disappointed.

Outrageous dark humour in this film noir style horror. The film is at times genuinely scary, while mostly funny and indulging in dark humour all the way. This is a dangerous ground to tread, not only because of the tonal shifts, but because dark humour can easily become repulsive and alienating. But this film did everything right and remained a thoroughly enjoyable experience from beginning to end. I love this film and I find it equally enjoyable every time I watch it. The noir cinematography and that 80s look, as well as the exploration of the dark corners of Belgrade is quite intriguing and works perfectly, as what we used to think was a pleasant and familiar city turned into a dark place with streets and passage ways that give you the creeps, especially when there is a crazed strangler lurking in the shadows. The strangler, by the way is a sympathetic character, and most of his victims are nasty women we don't really care about. In fact, all characters in this film are sympathetic. There is a real sweetness to it all, which stands in sharp contrast with the murders taking place.

Strangler's handling of deadpan, grotesque cruelty and black humour is somewhat similar to the mixture Alex de la Iglesia would perfect in his movies a decade later. The tonal shifts from horror to humour and back again are done well, with only an occasional unevenness, but the film's artificiality (voiceover narration, intertitles, grotesque exaggeration, etc.) may alienate some viewers. Sijan is to be commended for his courage in parodying a genre that has never been too popular with Serbian moviegoers in the first place. Strangler's thematic and stylistic subversiveness was part of the fresh air in Serbian cinema at the time, inspired by the New Wave movement: a wide front of artists and critics based around Belgrade's Student Cultural Center, involved in alternative rock'n'roll, literature, arts and the movies.

The picture was shown at the San Francisco International Film Festival in the mid-'80s, and I was surprised to meet an American poet there who could recite memorable lines from Strangler a full twenty years later (some of them in Serbian!). It is a testament to this film's lasting power which, unfortunately, remains limited only to Serbian filmgoers since an English-dubbed DVD is still nowhere in sight.

The citizens of Belgrade want their city to become a modern metropolis. But what makes a metropolis a metropolis, if not it's crime!? And not just any crime will qualify your beloved town, of course. Oh no. It's the maniacs that make a metropolis!

This film, however, is first and foremost about misogyny...and you can't help but get your psychoanalysis on.

The opening sequence comes off as a light-hearted, less overtly disturbing, version of Alan Clarke's Elephant- as it details the varieties of crime that you can expect to find in the Serbian capital. Culminating with the introduction of our first strangler: Pera Mitic.

Pera is a sadistically coddled mama's boy with a carnation fetish. He wanders the town from pub to pub, attempting to sell his carnations to local lovers (albeit rather unsuccessfully).

However, not everyone is a fan of carnations...and he takes this very personally. Reject his offer with anti-carnation rhetoric, if you dare. Because, let's just say...as far as he's concerned- all haters must perish.

Finally! Belgrade can be considered a real, bonafide metropolis...all thanks to Pera!!! Word of the local serial strangler hits the airwaves, leaving the police to fear it will incite panic. However, unbeknownst to them...something much more sinister is afoot.

One of the locals taking in this broadcast is an up and coming nazi "punk" musician named Spiridon Kopicl (or Shpira, for short). Shpira also has misogynistic tendencies- arising from the angst directed at his father for marrying a younger woman after the death of his beloved mother.

When Shpira is exposed to the brutal reality of Pera's crimes through the TV, it induces a panic attack...and he starts to believe that he is spiritually connected to this unknown strangler. He finds that he is driven by the same compulsions as the strangler; thus, he starts to walk around town thinking of strangling the various women he happens upon in the street.

Shpira and his band even go as far as writing a song lauding the local strangler as a hero...complete with music video.

This gets the band some hype, and Shpira is asked to make a radio appearance. During his spot, the interviewer asks whether he, like the serial strangler, has urges to take his anger out on unsuspecting woman in such ways...leading to what was almost the world's first live broadcast strangulation.

This has the local police chief worried. He thinks that Shpira's concert will encourage others to engage in copycat crimes. So he tasks a legion of female officers (including one male officer in drag) to go undercover, and see if they can root out the real strangler(s) from the crowd.

--note: what kind of f*cked up music scene does Serbia have, that kids are proud to be nazi "punks" and bring confederate flags to their shows!?!--

(Anyways...)Pera keeps killing, while Shpira can't get himself taken seriously as strangler. Everyone is under the impression that it's all just a gimmick with him.

Meanwhile, the inspector is becoming more and more distraught after losing one of his friends and fellow officers to the strangler. He decides that he cannot go on. Ironically opting to hang himself (effectively strangulation). However, a last second intervention from his cat, George, gives him a change of heart: He decides that he must avenge the death of his friend; capture this demonic strangler; and secure his name in the annals of criminology once and for all.

A short time later, the local music station Rock-o-lada broadcasts a segment on Shpira's concert. Pera happens to be watching at the time, and sees himself on TV- as the host makes critical comments about the crowds' use of carnations to symbolize their support for the strangler. This acts as a trigger and sets him on a rampage- with one particular victim in his sights: the host of Rock-o-lada, Sofija.

Now...we have both the strangler and his apprentice on the prowl, after the same prey. Will the inspector manage to track them down and intervene before it's too late? Just when you think it's over....

What a brilliant dark comedy....and cult as f*ck!!! The whole thing is wonderfully shot; with great characters; and a clever TRIPLE twist at the end. Not to mention all the subtle humour it contains.

It must also be noted that, content matter aside, it seems to act as a polemic against misogyny (as opposed to reinforcing it).

Both Pajkic and Sijan have done an excellent job on the screen writing and directorial fronts. The Pera character- and general style of the film- are reminiscent of the main character and style of Herz's masterpiece of horror: The Cremator.

This is an absolute must see. Unfortunately the available subtitles are kinda sh*t- so you'll have to read in a more proper anglicization as you watch. But that is my only beef...(well that and those f**king Nazi "punks")!

9 out of 10.