Sennentuntschi

"Sennentuntschi" is the most excruciatingly tedious horror movie I have ever watched, and I have seen over a thousand horror movies.

Nothing of any interest happens in the movie.

Even if it did, you probably wouldn't notice, because everything is so drawn out and protracted that you won't be paying attention.

The movie seemed to actually "begin" at about the forty five minute mark. Everything that led up to that was basically irrelevant, or could have been established in about two minutes.

There were a couple of head-scratching (or face-palming) moments right at the beginning of the movie, making me think it was going to be bad, but at least entertaining. In one scene, after a girl says she saw a boy in the wilderness, police show her photos of missing boys on a computer, and she recognizes the one she saw. "That's impossible," the policeman says. "He went missing thirty years ago." Ooh! Mysterious. But not as mysterious, perhaps, as the question of why the policeman is showing the girl photos of boys from 30 years ago, since, if they were even still alive, they'd all be well into adulthood now, and the photos would be hopelessly outdated.

Shortly thereafter, a priest is found hanging by the neck from a bell tower. "So it's suicide, then?" asks an onlooker. Uh? Wouldn't that be perfectly obvious? Either it's suicide, or a murderer carried the victim to the top of the bell tower, tied a rope around his neck, and dropped him - all without alerting anyone near by. Hard to think the priest would have put up no struggle for that ridiculously protracted and painstaking murder-method.

The movie is apparently based on an Alpine myth about the Sennentuntschi. With that kind of ageless pedigree, with a story that would be unknown to most, from a remote region... how could it have been this dull? I guess the myth is about a created woman. That is what the movie is sort of about. It is so light on detail, and so heavy, heavy, mercilessly heavy on padding, that I don't really know and I. Don't. Care.

It is said (or at least was at the screening attended) that Sennentuntschi is Switzerland's first genre film. One hope that they make more, for its quite a cracker. It draws upon a little used myth (I can think of maybe one other film that makes use of it) of lonely Alpine shepherds who sew a lady companion out of straw and cloth. By and by the lady comes to life, loves them and keeps their home, until she falls out of favours and takes her vengeance. Things are a bit more complicated than that here though, with a strange and silent lady (Roxanne Mesquida) coming to a village from the mountains and immediately arousing superstitions. Local inspector Reusch is on her side, but something bad is afoot, and events in the village are parallelled by the affairs of a moutainside shepherd, his son and a city man who joins them. The film is quite a slow burner, focused on the slowly boiling drama of its characters and the tensions between superstition and reason, religion and modernity, man and woman, primal and tamed. Set in 1975 when there were still places in the Alps caught in older times, there's a convincing sense of removal from reality and rustic unease, quiet disquiet that works well with the sublime locations, crisply shot by Pascal Walder. Solid performances across the board give the film an effective dramatic tone, Nicholas Ofczarek giving the character of Reusch a sense of earnest dedication tinged with affecting romantic, longing, Andrea Zogg bringing righteous fire to his powerful priest character and Roxanne Mesquida especially good in her silent role as the rumoured Sennentuntschi, conveying feral grace and danger with an edge of primal humanity. Things come to a head in nicely intense and fairly shocking fashion with a cruelly punching final block, although a slightly tricksy approach to the narrative dilutes the ultimate effect. All in all its a quality and worthwhile watch, though not as potent as it could be. It takes a little too long to really come aflame I think, while things are ultimately satisfying there isn't so much suspense in earlier scenes. And for all the interesting oppositions the film brings up with its narrative, it doesn't really end up saying anything particularly interesting, though never less than satisfying entertainment its standard genre film mechanics do slightly sap its underlying interest. Still recommended though, 7/10

Watched this on Netflix, intrigued by the description about an old folktale. The film turned out to be somewhat contrary to my expectations, but actually in a good way.

Without giving too much away, the film is a slow-burner that moves on multiple time levels. The flow feels natural, and adds to the mystery, so the chosen narrative approach was a good one. The film contains none of the modern Hollywoodian jump-scare crap - another top-notch decision by the director and writers. The main timeline's '70s setting helps to create the slightly skewered atmosphere of the film.

The film can be interpreted on several metaphorical levels, but it works well even when just taken as a genre movie. All in all, I really liked the idea and its execution. Emotional stuff, really well played.

Be warned though. As said, this is a real slow-burner, and the horror primarily comes from the atmosphere and -- well, you should check it out!

I watched it once, would love to watch it again.. One of the best European movies I have seen, plot wise. The cinematography is awesome. The Alps are simply beautiful. The 70's rural male psyche is portrayed well. The way how things play out, is quite plausible and understandable. Lead actress has done such a convincing job, best one could ever have in such limited roles. In-fact all the actors played their characters well. Kudos to the screenplay and the direction, had me till the very end. Super. PS- I actually wrote this review, as one Boogieman seemed to have not grasped the story. The 3 bodies were that of the Temp hands, our Hooch (Potent) maker had previously hired. He may have had a fetish for skinning, especially after a heavy dose of the green fairy. Yes the movie is dark.

This is not a masterpiece, but not at all bad either. I bought this on Blu-ray because it is shot in ''Schwiizertüütsch'' (spiced with some French) and a genre piece at that. The Blu-ray contains English subtitles.

To avoid unnecessary confusion for the viewer it is good to know that the beginning and the end of the film are set in ''the present day'' while the rest in between is set in 1975. Events in 1975 are not told in strict chronological order. To clarify things toward the ending (which is considerably faster paced than the beginning of the movie) two recap sequences are inserted.

The screenplay is perhaps overcomplicated, containing several crossing storylines. In hindsight quite a lot in the course of events depends on coincidences plus the fact that several characters are unable or unwilling to speak. Still, everything comes together neatly.

The present-day sequences, especially the one at the beginning, unnecessarily add to the confusion. They could have been left out without harming the story. I suspect they are there only to provide a final twist, but this could have been done just as well by moving the entire present-day part to the end, as a kind of epilogue.

In conclusion, this is an interesting picture. A bit confusing at times, but to that there is a perfect solution: watch it all over again.

The Blu-ray contains a making-of, information on the shooting locations and a German-dubbed soundtrack as well. Oh, and nice music overall. I liked the Serge Gainsbourg song that at some point breaks the action.