Referred to by Time Magazine as the film that makes “Eraserhead seem like Ernest Saves Christmas,” Begotten is a jarring cinematic interpretation of the book of Genesis and the spasms of man above ground. The horror film, which lingers gruelingly just over an hour, was written and directed by E. Elias Merhige and released in 1991. For such a low-budget film, its cinematography proves difficult to shake off as it creates a hauntingly nightmarish effect often referred to as a filmic Rorschach test. The soundtrack, too, slides Begotten up the ranks of avant-garde film through its use of nonverbal sound effects like crickets and grunting sounds. The gory scenes that litter this movie were shot using black and white reversal film; each frame was subsequently re-photographed to produce the grainy visuals it is known for. The movie plays in an inky black and white that dares its audience’s imaginations to complete the unforgiving images it presents to them.
The film is full of references to pagan and religious tales as it leads the viewer from a bandaged “God” who disembowels himself to an emergent Mother Earth whom he impregnates. The ensuing tale carries violent and sexual acts committed by Mother Earth’s son and the film’s nomad population. Despite its disturbing nature, Begotten is accepted as an experimental, underground film and, as such, receives a spectrum of reviews. For some, Begotten is a cult classic that challenges the complacent audience with bizarre and brutal images. For others, this is a nearly unwatchable horror film that leaves no viewer unscathed. To capture the film at its best, grab a VHS copy to experience Merhige’s use of total binary contrast in its original form. Then, turn off all the lights and gather round for one of the most unsettling experimental horror films to date.