Deeply disturbing Spanish masterpiece
The only word that spontaneously comes to mind when briefly describing Agustí Villaronga's "In a Glass Cage" is WOW! This is definitely one of the most intense and harrowing European films ever made. You're most likely to find it in the horror-sections of specialized cult stores/catalogs, but it's SO much more than just horror! It's a traumatizing post-WWII portrait, a deep psychological drama and a devastating tale about pedophilia & child murder. "In a Glass Cage" is the disturbingly cold and emotionless depiction of a former Nazi figure that escaped to Spain in time, but continues his sick rituals of kidnapping and murdering young boys there. Until one day, feelings of shame and remorse take over and Klaus (Günter Meisner) attempts to commit suicide by jumping of a high building. He survives but becomes bound to an iron lung machine and a huge burden to his unknowing wife and daughter. Then, a handsome but strange adolescent man volunteers to be Klaus' nurse. Angelo seems to know a lot about Klaus' past and unorthodox desires, yet he doesn't betray him and even offers him the chance to pick up where he left off. An odd escalation of happenings causes Angelo to turn into the most powerful person in the house AND an even bigger monster than Klaus ever was. This often shocking and uncompromising film shows, in a truly alarming style, what possibly could happen to the young and vulnerable minds of pedophilia victims. It might not sound very realistic at first, but when you think it over more carefully, it becomes frighteningly real. Angelo's heartless attitude and charisma come across exactly like those of someone whose childhood innocence was taken from him. Apart from being a truly thought-provoking piece of cinema, "In a Glass Cage" is also an impeccably made and mesmerizing stylish film. The atmosphere is creepy and sinister throughout, with depressing set pieces, sober music and monotonous camera-work. Unquestionably the most staggering piece of scenery is the large iron lung (the titular glass cage, also) that breathes for Klaus. This impressive and advanced medical device constantly produces uncanny noises and it looks like the absolute last type of machinery you want your life to depend on. It's a very original and genuinely horrifying object to feature in a tense film like this. Furthermore, there are a couple of shocking scenes that you aren't likely to see in many other films. It already requires a lot of courage to tell a story about pedophilia and child murder, so you can imagine the brutal impact of actually showing these topics graphically! Villaronga's directing is straightforward and acting performances of the entire cast are flawless and deeply moving. "In a Glass Cage" is a brilliant film, perhaps not accessible for everyone, but enormously recommended to hardcore cult fans.score 10/10
Coventry 17 October 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1499255/35287
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