Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist

That's not only a theme of this movie, it's part of the lyrics that self-proclaimed (and with good reason)"super-masochist" Bob Flanagan cheerfully sings at a lecture/performance-he did a pretty witty re-working of the "Supercalafraga..."etc song from Mary Poppins. Did I mention he's wearing a little costume including a cape when he performs it? Yep, Bob Flanagan had a pretty good sense of humor. That was one of the pleasant surprises of this movie. When I first heard about this movie, all I heard about was the hammer scene. I also had skimmed the RE-search book, and looking at some of the really extreme mutilations to areas of his body I would rather not name, I actually figured he was slightly disturbed. I'm pretty liberal and am of the opinion that what 2 consenting adults do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else against their will, is their own business. I thought, because of his CF combined with this serious torture that he either was suicidal or hated himself. I also wondered about his relationship with his dominant/lover/partner of 15 years, Sheree Rose, hoping that it was loving and she wasn't just using him. I was glad that this movie proved my pre-conceived notions wrong. This is a very intelligent, sane, witty, talented, likable, and above all, VERY brave guy who happened to enjoy being beaten and tortured sexually. The movie explains-without preaching- that he actually gained strength from his activities. (according to statistics, most CF sufferers die in their 20's. He lived till his early 40's (actually a record)and says his sex life kept him going. He figured for one thing, he had nothing to lose. For another thing, CF is a very painful disease, and he chose to use S&M as a way to take control of his pain and disease. If you find this a hard idea to understand, or are curious, I highly recommend this movie. This has been said before, but I don't recommend it if you're squeamish. I'm jaded, but I had to look away a few times. Interestingly enough, what I found harder to watch than the notorious Hammer of Love was seeing BF racked with pain, coughing his lungs out, and (I don't think I'm spoiling anything here as the movie opens with Bob good-naturedly writing his own obituary) finally losing his battle with CF. I also didn't think this movie would be so touching. Before the end, I realized he had a very loving relationship with Sheree. Not only are they sexually a perfect match, she is his best friend, soulmate, and care-giver, which is no mean feat. Face it, if you don't love someone, you're not going to be sticking around and helping them expel mucus from their lungs on a regular basis. When he starts losing his fight and finally goes to the hospital to die, the scenes of them together, with her gently telling him it's OK to leave her, are some of the most heart-breaking I've ever seen. This is one brave woman. Also, when she's not in her S&M gear, she could easily pass for an kindly elementary school teacher. It's a great contrast to see her tying him up and sticking needles in his groin in one scene, and later to see her rocking and knitting. I was also haunted by the scenes of him dying, the way he looked, and what he said, things that I've heard are very common last words such as, "I never thought this would really happen...this is so weird." Is this a hard movie to watch? Even if graphic depictions of *very* sensitive areas of the body being nailed, pounded, and pierced don't faze you, I cannot imagine anyone who wouldn't be shaken or at least moved watching the later scenes of this man really, literally dying in front of the camera and your eyes. But I'm glad I saw it. My husband, however, loves documentaries, and even talked about seeing the movie when it was in limited release. I made the mistake of telling him about one of the more extreme demonstrations, and now he refuses to see it, no matter how good it is (and he's sat through some pretty nasty stuff). If you're brave and feeling up to it, though, I highly recommend this movie. If you're easily (or even not-so-easily) grossed-out, but have an interest in the life and death of this man, then just cover your eyes during the graphic parts. And when you hear "Hammer of Love" start playing, you may want to take a little stroll out of the room for a minute or two.

This was a great movie and truly what I would consider one of the greatest love stories ever filmed.

Yes, this movie is about illness, the dying process and death. But what it truly is, is an in-depth examination of the loving, nontraditional relationship between a master and her slave. There are so many ranges of emotions expressed by both parties. It shows the selflessness of the two, as well as the selfishness (at one point, Sheree expresses her anger about Bob's dwindling sex drive, despite that fact that he is clinically dying).

What I found particularly touching about this film was the inner workings of Bob and Sheree's relationship. He chose to deal with his physical (and emotional) pain by inflicting more pain on himself, and Sheree played into his needs so incredibly. There is a lot to be said about someone who stays with someone knowing the oncoming doom. There is also a lot to be said about a relationship between two people who fit so completely perfectly that every strange want and need is satisfied by the other.

Going into this flick I really didn't know much about Mr. Flanagan. I knew he was obviously a super-masochist (thanks to the DVD cover), and I knew that he was involved in a Nine Inch Nails video. But that's it. When the credits began to roll, you end up with a fantastic idea on who he was and how he lived his life. It's one of the most intimate and best documentaries I've seen.

Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan is a perfect title for this documentary. You discover that Mr. Flanagan does indeed have a hobby that most would consider "sick", but also that Mr. Flanagan suffers from Cystic Fybrosis. A lung disease where the death rate is high and the people who do suffer from it, usually die at a very young age. Truthfully for me, the masochism and the torture play a second fiddle to his life long struggle with cystic fibrosis. Sure seeing his unbelievable sexual performances are truly stunning, but what is more stunning is how he lives his life. Going into this movie I really wasn't expecting such an intimate and touching piece of film. There are some incredibly graphic scenes mixed with fantastic humor, and then there are scenes that display some of the most powerful moments of emotion I've seen on film or in real life.

In a perfect world Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan would be a movie widely seen. It's definitely one of the best documentaries I've ever seen and a movie I'll be recommending for years and years to come.

though I was generally aware of his "performance masochism." I met Bob as a very bright, gifted poet during the early 1970s. I was in my 30s and finishing my post-doc psych internship at the MH Clinic serving Watts and South Central LA. Bob's Cystic Fibrosis was unremarkable to me insofar as my cerebral palsy was, presumably, unremarkable to him. Writing was Bob's fulltime gig. I had hopes of "quitting my daytime gig" - head-shrinking - when/if my own writing ever supported my family. Bob and I were cordial, never close. I admired and, occasionally, envied Bob.

I forced myself to see the movie. It works. Masochism discomforts me in the extreme - yet Bob remains clear, kind articulate as ever. His 'dominitrix' comes across similarly. The truly chilling moments of "Sick" are Bob Flanagan's mother during her brief moments on camera.

Rest well, Bob.

So much has been said and written about the more sensationalistic and shocking aspects of this movie (yes, he hammers his penis to a board) but very little has been said about what it's REALLY about - the will to survive, and a suprising, moving love story. 'Sick' is one of the most honest movies ever made. Bob Flanagan let's us into his life in a way very few people have. He's a sadomasochist and does things most of us would never conceive of doing, sure, but by the end of this movie all you can think of is that he was a hell of a nice guy who will be surely missed by his family and friends. The hammer scene is unforgettable but much more confrontational are the scenes of Bob's death. These alone make this movie unique and truly impossible to forget. I strongly recommend this powerful movie to everyone with an open mind and heart.