Tras el cristal

Talk about a movie that lives up to its reputation -- In a Glass Cage is relentlessly intense from start to finish. The story of a Nazi doctor /pedophile in hiding and the strange young man who comes to work as his "nurse," this film explores taboos with relish. Unfortunately, it devolves into horror movie shtick toward its end (thereby obfuscating the very real horrors it has developed to that point), but In a Glass Cage packs a wallop , earning its reputation as one of the more disturbing movies ever made. It 's very much a European movie, and, given its horrifying subject matter -- pedophilia, the torture and murder of children, the relationship between monsters and their victims -- it could never have been made in the U.S. Strongly recommended for viewers who have strong stomachs and are not otherwise easily offended; all others are urged to avoid it at all costs.

but I hasten to add, what the director aims to achieve is neigh unattainable.

In the DVD interview, the director says he was inspired by Georges Bataille and that author's study of Gilles de Rais, the French lord who helped Joan of Arc's campaigns, apparently with exemplary Christian zeal, and who later in life became the world's most notorious torturer and killer of children.

Bataille examines human passion with surgical precision. And he doesn't just analyse: his writings evoke the power chords of 'love' that draw their separate ways sinner and saint.

Villaronga's film falls into 'horror' genre mode at key moments in the story's development. If the director could have depicted his characters' behaviour with sustained realism, his film would , like Bataille's work, tell us more about the nature of evil and be indeed a masterpiece of cinema.

As it is, 'In a Glass Cage' is most beautifully realised with remarkable actors and isn't, finally, altogether a 'horror' film: there's enough realism to give us cause for thought.

Spanish ¨cult movie¨ with astonishing images and deliberately paced . This moving as well as strong story is an emotive recounting and an intense horror drama , including tragedy , deaths and bloody executions by hanging , stabbing and other means . After torturing and murdering his latest victim , a Nazi doctor named Klaus (Gunter Meisner) throws himself off a roof , all of it has been secretly witnessed by a little boy . Some years later, his suicide failed attempt , his wife Griselda (Marisa Paredes, Almodovar's ordinary) decides to contract a worker to care him . As Klaus is forced to be confined to an artifact contains an iron lung and to accept a mysterious boy called Angelo (David Sust) as his nurse under threat of blackmail . Meanwhile , Angelo befriends Klaus' daughter (Echevarria) , and the rare teenager possesses the Klaus's diary, which details his wartime experiments in concentration camps and his ulteriorly descent into pedophilia and killing .

The picture is full of suspense , mystery , screechy bursts of violence and lots of blood and gore . As this terror as well as claustrophobic flick shown to the audience gets more and more violent . This slick horror feast is a triumph of style over movie logic . It's packed with overwhelming as well as upsetting images , excessive violence and grotesque killings . Here is treated some disturbing issues such as fetish for young boys , pedophilia , sodomy , eerie tortures and grisly killings . Good acting by Gunter Meisner as former Nazi doctor-turned-pedophile , paralyzed from the neck down and who subsequently feels guilt . Günter Meisner originally turned down the role , horrified by the story . According to Villaronga , Meisner called him a few weeks later to accept the part, arguing he couldn't stop thinking about it . Gunter was a character actor who worked continuously in movies due to his aristocratic style , making him ideal for typecasting in British and later American films as Nazis and other vile , despicable roles , what was ironic about his typecasting as a Nazi is that he stayed in a Nazi death camp during World War II . Although well-known for playing Hitler and various others warlike movies , Meisner was a fine actor who played several support roles , being specially known for his secondaries in ¨The Boys from Brazil¨ , ¨Night crossing¨, ¨Ace of Aces¨ , ¨Avalanche Express¨ and his character as Mr Slugworth in ¨Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory ¨ . Furthermore , disturbing acting by David Sust as a boy secretly witnessed the doctor's torture , displaying his ambition to follow in the older man's footsteps and finally unleashes his own criminal spree .

Director/writer Agustí Villaronga said that the origin of the story came when he read about Giles De Rais (1404-1440), a devoutly religious follower of Joan of Arc who fought valiantly on her side and was later trialed and executed by the Catholic Church for heresy and sexual crimes committed against children . As Rais served as a commander in the Royal Army, distinguishing himself by displaying reckless bravery on the battlefield during the renewal of the Hundred Years War . He killed, or ordered to be killed , a great but uncertain number of children after he committed sodomy upon them . In fact , forty bodies were discovered in Machecoul , France , in 1437 . Gilles' body-servant Étienne Corrillaut , known as Poitou, was an accomplice in many of the crimes and testified that his master hung his victims with ropes from a hook . The victims were killed by decapitation, cutting of their throats, dismemberment, or breaking of their necks with a stick . Rais's prosecution would be on charges which included murder , sodomy, and heresy. The precise number of Gilles' victims is not known, as most of the bodies were burned or buried. The number of murders is generally placed between 80 and 200; a few have conjectured numbers upwards of 600 . The victims ranged in age from six to eighteen and included both sexes.

Downbeat and frightening musical score by Javier Navarrete . Dark as well colorful cinematography by Jaume Peracaula . This motion picture titled ¨In a glass cage¨ or ¨Tras el Cristal¨ was compellingly directed by Agusti Villaronga . Agusti was born in 1953 in Majorca, Balearic Islands ; he uses to make films including genuine chills , suspense , mystery and dark atmospheres . His movies pack excellent creation of taut , thriller , emotions and rare atmospheres such as ¨Aro Tolbukhin¨ , ¨El mar¨ , ¨El Niño De la Luna¨ also starred by Gunter Meisner and especially ¨Black bread¨ or ¨Pan Negro¨ , or Pa Negre¨ , this was his greatest success , winning several Goyas .

There are few films as utterly repulsive - but nonetheless distinctive and well-made - as Tras el cristal. This Spanish assault on the senses is the terrible tale of a nazi torturer whose cruel desires for murdering and abusing young boys leads him to attempt suicide. His failure leaves him imprisoned in an iron lung - and us viewers in his grotesque and dirty nightmare. Attended by an assortment of ghoulish figures he deliberates his history. A new nurse is employed, however, who has a special interest in "caring" for this impotent nightmare of an individual. From there the film becomes a black vision of the psychological and physical scars which can destroy individuals and the violent force of tainted memories and shredded, wasted lives. Its a graphic film but doesn't dwell or portray the reprehensible acts of the lead character. It does contain some horrific violence and torture though spares the audience representation of the sexual abuse and more extreme details which the script skirts over.

Marisa Paredes - a familiar face from numerous Pedro Almodovar films - is suitably creepy in a small role. This film will get under your skin like a mite and disturb you for quite a while. Its nonetheless memorable and well-constructed but an endurance text for audiences used to much more "clean" treatments of these issues in American films. The film plays like a nightmare and is continuously and utterly bereft of emotion - one of its most disturbing elements amongst many, many others. But this very lack of emotion goes some way to interrogating the consciousness of the terrifyingly blank lead character. It remains banned in Australia and other territories in the early part of the 21st century. While not deserving this fate, it is not a film many will be able to bear I imagine. Its not certain the point and vision of this film goes anywhere but deep inside, rotting the soul's core. In any case, its reputation has assured it will be seen in the wrong context and for the sake of shock. Not that there's anything wrong with that... except this film begs for a more considered approach even if it goes all grand guignol and over the top in its closing 1/3.

I was expecting to be horrified by this film. I knew what it was about. After watching the opening scene I thought I wouldn't be able to get through the whole film without having nightmares.

I read some reviews about how this film was banned in some places and though I can understand henious nature of the crimes committed, this is the first in your face film that I've seen that deals with the reality of abuse and how these cycles continue unless they are broken. Sometimes you have to be blatantly crass and over the top to get the point across which this film does in an unwavering manner.

Personally, I thought most of the film was boring only because it was predictable. The soundtrack is the standout. But overall, it was fairly well made film and I think anyone who thinks this film should be banned should look in their own Glass cage. They are probably the one's who have children hanging from racks in their basement.

To anyone who has been a victim of abuse and has chosen to break the cycle, will understand what I mean. Others will probably be disturbed.