In 2021, I reviewed writer-director Johannes Grenzfurthner’s bizarre experimental film Masking Threshold, which aimed to push the viewer’s senses in extreme ways. As a filmmaker, Grenzfurthner is unapologetic in his unconventional approach. While some will find this incredibly off-putting, others will appreciate the beautiful madness unfolding. Being in the latter camp, I was intrigued to see Grenzfurthner’s newest film, Razzennest.
The film premiered at Fantastic Fest 2022 in the “Burnt Ends” category, a “virtual showcase of outlier and outsider media that intersect definitions of genre, avant-garde, and trash art while shattering all traditional borders of taste and convention.” The synopsis reads:
South African enfant terrible filmmaker and artiste-cineaste Manus Oosthuizen meets with Rotten Tomatoes-approved indie film critic Babette Cruickshank in an Echo Park sound studio. With key members of Manus’s crew joining, they record an audio commentary track for his new elegiac feature documentary “Razzennest.” But the session goes down a different path. The ultimate elevation of arthouse horror, just not as you might expect.
Manus Oosthuizen’s (Michael Smulik) commentary is hilariously self-absorbed as he talks about his craft with his ego on full display. Critic Babette Cruickshank’s (Sophie Kathleen Kozeluh) bubbly voice perfectly off-sets his dark and sometimes hysterical rants. Babette’s industry buzzwords and movie references stick out like a sore thumb as the commentary gets darker. The sharp satirical dialogue rarely misses a beat, thanks to Grenzfurthner’s talent for marrying obscure and niche with humor and pop culture.
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While Grenzfurthner again created a unique auditory experience, this film stands apart from his 2021 offering. Whereas Masking Threshold assaulted the senses in graphic ways, Razzennest allows viewers to put their imaginations to work. Even as the story takes a shift from behind-the-scenes commentary to one of horror, the most disturbing images will be in your own mind.
The film is oozing with originality and understated brilliance; how will Grenzfurthner follow it up? I, for one, cannot wait to find out.
