Watch Der Todesking

Der Todesking is a disturbing German film from 1990 that follows a non-linear narrative structure, divided into seven days of the week, where different people commit suicide in various ways. Directed by Jörg Buttgereit, this movie is a cult classic, well-known for its unsettling and controversial scenes. The film begins with the arrival of the titular character, the Death King, portrayed as a skeletal figure with a scythe, who represents death and the inevitability of the end. The story then moves on to show different people from different walks of life, all of whom have one thing in common - a profound sense of despair and hopelessness. These individuals eventually choose to end their own lives in different ways, either due to personal circumstances or societal pressure.

The first vignette of the film is set in an apartment where a young man is contemplating suicide as he listens to the radio, which broadcasts the news of an oncoming nuclear war. The second vignette is set in a hospital where a woman with cancer comes to terms with her mortality, using euthanasia to end her suffering. The third vignette features a man who is about to be evicted from his apartment, prompting him to cut his wrists with a razor blade.

Throughout the film, viewers are presented with a series of tragic stories, each one more disturbing than the last. The fourth vignette shows a soldier who commits suicide in a bunker, overwhelmed by the violence and horrors of war. The fifth vignette depicts a young woman who is sexually assaulted by her stepfather, driving her to commit suicide by jumping out of a building's window.

One of the most unsettling segments of Der Todesking is the sixth vignette, which features a man who decides to kill himself in the middle of Berlin's busy streets. He walks around with a loaded shotgun, taunting and provoking people, who are either oblivious, indifferent, or scared. This segment is particularly brutal, and the explicit violence and gore made it very controversial upon its release.

Finally, the last vignette takes place in a gloomy, abandoned factory, where a group of young people engages in a nihilistic game of Russian roulette. The game culminates in a gruesome death, suggesting that the young people are desirable to the concept of death as much as they are to life.

The film's nihilistic themes and graphic content make for a compelling but brutal viewing experience. Der Todesking is not a movie for everyone, but it certainly deserves respect for its unapologetic depiction of suicide and its exploration of the human condition. The film's grainy, black-and-white visuals and minimalistic score add to its dismal atmosphere, making it a haunting and unforgettable experience.

In conclusion, Der Todesking is a somber exploration of the human psyche and the concept of mortality. It presents a bleak, uncompromising vision of the world, where people are left to their own devices and are eventually consumed by their own despair. Despite its disturbing content, the film manages to provoke thought and reflection about our place in the world and our relationship with death.

Der Todesking is a 1989 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 14 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4.