C'est arrivé près de chez vous (1992)

Directors:

Rémy Belvaux
André Bonzel

Writers:

Rémy Belvaux (story)
Rémy Belvaux (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 January 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A Killer Comedy

Plot:

A camera crew follows a serial killer/thief around as he exercises his craft. He expounds on art, music...

Plot Keywords:

Reference To Baron Victor Horta | Nudity | Shot In The Bathtub | Waiter | Sound Man

Awards:

6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Benoît Poelvoorde	...	Ben
Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert	...	Ben's Mother
Nelly Pappaert	...	Ben's Grandmother
Hector Pappaert	...	Ben's Grandfather
Jenny Drye	...	Jenny
Malou Madou	...	Malou
Willy Vandenbroeck	...	Boby
Rachel Deman	...	Mamie Tromblon
André Laime	...	Bed-ridden Old Man
Édith Le Merdy	...	Nurse
Sylviane Godé	...	Rape Victim (Martine)
Zoltan Tobolik	...	Rape Victim's Husband
Valérie Parent	...	Valerie
Alexandra Fandango	...	Kalifa
Olivier Cotica	...	Benichou

Also Known As:

Man Bites Dog (UK) (USA)
It Happened in Your Neighborhood (Belgium: English title)
Man Bites Dog: It Happened in Your Neighborhood (International: English title) (informal title)
Anthropos dagonei skylo (Greece) [el]
Czlowiek pogryzl psa (Poland) [pl]
Il Cameraman e l'assassino (Italy) [it]
Man Bites Dog - ammatti: tappaja (Finland) [fi]
Mann beißt Hund (Germany) [de]
Manual de Instruções para Crimes Banais (Portugal) [pt]
Ocurrió cerca de su casa (Spain) [es]
Sucedió cerca de su casa (Argentina) [es]
Zgodilo se je cisto blizu vas (Slovenia) [sl]

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong graphic violence.

Runtime:

95 min | USA:92 min (edited version)

Country:

Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1993) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1997) | USA:NC-17 (appeal) | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Argentina:18 | Singapore:R21 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:Unrated (cut)

Filming Locations:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Company:

Les Artistes Anonymes

Trivia:

Due to budget problems, it took the filmmakers over a year to complete the film. The company ran out of money several times and shooting had to be postponed until more money could be raised. A lot of friends and family of the filmmakers contributed to the film, both behind and in front of the cameras.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At the beginning, Benoît says that four times a child's body weight is needed to sink a dead child. However, at the bar where they drink Dead Baby Boys, Benoît asks René for the weight ratio needed to sink a child, to which René replies "Twice," and Benoit says, "Right!"

Quotes:

Ben: You can tan while you make love. When you're through you've got a brown ass.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#12.2)" (1999)

Absolutely brilliant mock documentary thats both hilarious and horrifying

"Man Bites Dog" is a dark comedy truly unlike anything else you've seen. Its also one of the most brilliant satirical commentaries on the celebrity the media makes of murder and the exploitation often involved. It manages to make these points with much more subtly than "Natural Born Killers". Also, it isn't overloaded with the flashy overindulgence of that film and has a fascinatingly stark and minimalist style. This is one of those films were the low-budget only enhances the proceedings, making it uncomfortably realistic. "Man Bites Dog" is sick and disturbing, but thats the intentions of the filmmakers. If you are unable to understand this, than just go back to your safe, watered down Hollywood serial killer films such as "The Silence of the Lambs" (which treat murder in the way "Man Bites Dog" attacks).

The film works so well because of its seamless blend of dark comedy and shocking violence. The main character, Ben, is quite charismatic if also egotistical and pretentious. Hes witty and its easy to see why the supporting characters are so taken with him. How hilarious his actions can be only make the acts of violence all the more shocking. Hes just an ordinary guy who kills people for no purpose other than to avoid boredom. The fact I've met quite a few people with his personality makes it all the more chilling. Also, the film is quite funny at times, albeit in a very morbid fashion.

The only flaw with the film is that towards the end it slightly runs out of steam (it could've been cut of about ten minutes without losing its impact). Still, its a classic whose originality and audacity require more than just one viewing. In my mind, it ranks with "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" and the original "M" as the most fascinating exploration of a serial killer's mind. (9/10)