Where the Dogs Divide Her (2011) Reviews

• Tired of run of the mill clichéd horror? Try this pitch black roller-coaster of a film.

  richardwebb2011-01-07

  Let me begin by saying that this film will be misunderstood by many. For those looking for a straight by-the-numbers horror/slasher, disappointment awaits. I've seen a couple of less than favourable reviews of this film and I think these reviews are a reflection of this initial disappointment. However, if you like your horror a little more cerebral, and a little less obvious, there is much to enjoy within this film. The film unfolds in the manner of a dream/nightmare, a pitch black nightmarish roller-coaster of scenes/images that linger in the mind long after they have left the screen. I will point out that the aesthetic of the film is very image orientated - and beautifully so in many sequences of the film. Sure, the budget is small. But I can honestly say I haven't seen or heard an independent film (the audio/soundtrack is fantastic) like this in a long time. The ambition on display here is to be congratulated. Many people will hate it, but I don't believe that's the fault of the filmmakers. It reminded me of early Lynch with a generous pinch of Chronenberg. Highly Recommended!

• An ambitious art-house movie... a future cult classic.

  GSGachot2011-01-08

  I saw this film as a DVD screener so not in full HD as the film was shot, even so I was struck by how great the film looked. The lighting is near perfect, very sombre and creepy if a little overly dark in places, but overall I really liked the film's aesthetic and gloomy atmosphere. The narrative is... well not really a narrative at all, at least not in any conventional sense, the story plays out more like a nightmare, a series of dream sequences loosely connected by a mystery that the main character has to solve. One of the things I liked best about this film is the performance of the lead actor, newcomer Jon Stoley. He is explosive and expressive and does a first-rate job of conveying a mix of fear and confusion; that said I think he could have handled the emotional scenes a little better so as to draw out some sympathy from the audience in crucial moments like when he is trapped by the head of his Father in a fish tank making what I can only describe as hideous cunnilingual overtures to his own son - yep this warped sort of logic is typical for the Rutley brother's debut feature. For me the best thing about Where the Dogs Divide Her are the soundscapes - dark oppressive attacks of screams, hisses and high-pitched drones combine beautifully with some truly excellent song choices. Chief among these are songs by American singer/songwriter Kristeen Young, an incredible but overlooked talent; and Aubben Renee (someone I'd never previously heard of) who sings the opening track as well as the nightclub song - incidentally the best scene in the whole movie. If you like the work of David Lynch, Tarkovsky and other 'arty' directors then you should definitely give this twisted little gem your full attention.

• Dreck

  arfdawg-12017-04-12

  The Plot. Where the Dogs Divide Her begins amid the aftermath of a family massacre. A nameless man sits in an unfamiliar bathroom, his bloodied hands trembling as he ponders his crime of passion. An amnesiac without an identity, he goes in search of himself, only to unearth a long-buried family secret surrounding the bizarre deaths of his parents. An abstract ghost story populated by ever-threatening specters, shadowy souls with evil motives who inhabit a nightmare world within a troubled killer's psyche. They might offer a smile or a kind word, but their only purpose is to snare others into their Hell. Before the killer can come to terms with his deeds and escape this esoteric prison, he must confront his dead parents and make good on an infant's promise made thirty years ago. Another one of those films where all the great reviews are from people who worked on it. Hands down, this is one of the worst movies I've seen in a decade. The direction does not exist and the story is impossible to discern. The acting is less than sub par and the script must have been stolen before shooting started.

• Fragments in the bottom of a well

  dontcallmehunter2011-11-27

  I'll begin the review by stating what WHERE THE DOGS DIVIDE HER is not: it's not a dreadfully shot, poorly lit, no budget independent with a terrible script and non-existent acting. There, now that we've got the basics out of the way, I can tell you want this film is: WHERE THE DOGS DIVIDE HER, perhaps like the universe from which it has arisen, consists largely of temporal fragments, moments loosely strung together to form a whole which is sometimes plainly lucid and at others anything but. Naturally, the film requires the viewer to give a little too (a rather ghastly proposal these days). There are an abundance of answers to be had, but only if the viewer has formed an inkling of the questions to ask. Wonderfully shot and lit, this little gem of a film achieves truly remarkable things on a tiny budget, and does what the vast majority of films at this level (or any level for that matter) consistently fail to do - it both creates and sustains a believable, inner world of its own – a world both interesting and unique in which its players are often completely lost and terribly at the mercy of. Though at times both literally and thematically extreme, this film is about subtleties - subtleties of mood and atmosphere – the way a patch of greenish light falls across the rich splendour of a mahogany writing desk while a monosyllabic base drone attempts to accompany a fading lullaby can take a moment from untroubled bliss to ungodly wretchedness. Should you plumb such depths, symbolism and metaphors which often mislead as though purely out of spite, must be taken and studied within the context within which they are delivered, otherwise the conclusion drawn will be anything but the road less travelled. It is no good here taking out your trusty blueprint and dropping it across the length of the film hoping for a glossary or an Idiot's Guide, doing so will only lead you astray and have you again reaching for you battered copy of Jacob's Ladder.