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.

Making fun of one city's urge to become metropolis, at the time that eventually became known as vintage for Belgrade's rock 'n' roll scene whose talented members highly contributed to this Sijan's first big urban movie after two masterpieces placed in rural ("Ko to tamo peva") and small town ("Maratonci...") surroundings.

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.

It's amazing! Somewhere between Hitchcock and Kubrick. So good! It's a Serbian gem

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.