L'étrange monsieur Peppino

From beginning to end, the artful use of cinematography is exact. The director conveys the emotion through the use of scenery, "natural" lighting, or lack thereof, and the soundtrack.

The production team and cast did a great job of taking words on paper and creating an original, thought evoking film that has no real category. A sort of twisted love story with a rather unexpected ending, where you are compelled to see what happens next by a feeling of expectation and suspense, not knowing when some major event will happen and actually being surprised when they do.

The actors do a great job of conveying the emotions, thoughts, and tensions in every scene, especially Ernesto Mahieux and Valerio Foglia Manzillo.

Unlike many subtitled films, whoever performed the English translation seems to have converted the Italian flawlessly- bravo to them.

A film that is not likely to see wide distribution, and comes across as not trying to do so. More emphasis seems to be on the personal connection with each viewer, who then takes an interest in the storyline and anxiously awaits the rest of the story.

Possibly a gateway film for those interested in Film Noire or who simply want to take a break from the usual with a bit "darker" film- worth the viewing charge.

It's a noir, no doubt... you even have the dark lady. Take three excellent actors, a well-chosen setting, a young and talented director, and you have L'imbalsamatore. Once again, when an Italian director is really good, like Sergio Leone, he can take an American film genre, turn it upside down and make a great Italian movie. However, Garrone proved how good he is not just by filming this, but by making another masterpiece, that is, Gomorra. If you like this one, try also the other movie. Basically one of the plots of Gomorra is set in the same places where L'imbalsamatore is set.

Another important element of the film is the landscape. When Italian directors are at their best, they can render landscape like no one. Garrone can do this with the wastelands of Northern Campania.

Hats off, then, to Ernesto Mahieux, who delivers an impressive performance that you won't forget easily...

A fantastic dramatic feature that uses the conventional exploitation features. Peppino is a man who suffers from dwarfism and he can't handle it because he's a lonely man who needs attention, love, and most of all, company. His work is creepy enough to keep people away from him; he's an embalmer who has nexus with the mafia of Napoli.

Suddenly he meets the young and handsome Valerio who quickly becomes his best friend because he treats Peppino like a normal person although he's discriminated by a part of society. Peppino suddenly becomes obsessed with him to the point that both their lives are at risk.

Everything turns into a nightmare when Valerio meets and then falls in love with the spectacular and sexy Deborah. Peppino becomes very jealous and does everything possible to keep the couple separated. Sadly enough, his dark intentions lead to a sad and moving ending...

This movie is not 100% exploitation because it's made on a solid plot structure and character development. I would consider this as an Art film with slight exploitation references and black comedy issues.

For example, when I mention exploitation I put as an example Valerio's dream (or nightmare?) where Peppino comes into his bedroom at night and tries to do him oral sex. That scene hints the audience that Peppino is sexually attracted to Valerio even though they party with prostitutes, drinks, and women in general.

Anyways, this movie also displays the complex relationships between a woman-man couple, and a friendship between a physically normal young man and a man with dwarfism. Not a common movie for Hollywood's standards.

I totally recommend this movie for those who are tired of Hollywood's crap.

Oh and I have to mention that it features some DELIGHTFULLY BEAUTIFUL places from the always spectacular Italy. I'm glad I had the chance to visit some places.

A beautiful movie with a STRONG message.

Ernesto Mahieux ... Peppino Valerio Foglia Manzillo ... Valerio Elisabetta Rocchetti ... Deborah

A vision of the psychological extremes that unrequited erotic obsessions can create, L'IMBALSAMATORE has a deceptively placid surface.

Peppino, a dwarfish, homely-looking taxidermist with horrible teeth, takes an interest in Valerio, a gorgeous young man who is biding his time unproductively as a food runner in a cheap restaurant. Peppino takes Valerio on as assistant, even though he can't really afford it, and Valerio is overwhelmed with gratitude for the mentorship. But Peppino's attitude soon begins to take on uncomfortably sexual and possessive overtones, that everyone except Valerio sees - at first.

L'IMBALSAMATORE has an opaque atmosphere of unease. Like THE VANISHING, much of it is shot in cheerful, sunny daylight, and there is plenty of light-hearted humor; like MONSIEUR HIRE, you can't be sure if what seems creepy is your own prejudice or a genuine malice.

Matteo Garrone builds the erotic tension to an almost unbearable intensity. This is an audacious picture that plays with perception and memory; we can never be sure if what we are seeing is really happening, or occurring only in Peppino's twisted fantasies, or in Valerio's bewildered daydreams. Reality and fantasy blur. L'IMBALSAMATORE is feverish and spellbinding.

A story of haunted people from haunted places that doesn't end well. Loosely based on a true story, this is movie is a more of a grim fairytale in which the characters are marginalised people who live in squalor. Definitely not a feel-good movie but worth watching.