In the Basement (2014) User Reviews

Powerful, controversial movie

[andychrist27 · 8/10 · 5 February 2015]

Another fine effort from Ulrich Seidl, #1 troll director in Europe. This film shows us what Austrians do in their basements (no, Josef Fritzl doesn't appear). Not sure about the documentary element as surely there was lots of director's influence in many scenes...although the people were apparently real and not hired actors. Several memorable characters such as the S/M couple where the man is a full-time sex slave of her wife. Then there's a subdued middle-aged fascist who has a Nazi museum in his basement where he holds drinking sessions with similarly-minded band buddies. Then there's a middle-aged woman who works at Caritas, stabbed his abusive husband to death and likes to be caned.

The friends I watched this movie with were all grossed out because there was lots of hardcore S/M stuff, penises and vaginae in full view etc. I found it a very engaging and entertaining movie though...it consciously provoked the viewer to make judgments over those people and narrow-minded viewers (including the political correctness crowd) probably did just that. But there was a very strong humanist element behind all this.

Left me speechless and thinking...

[mechanicalme · 6/10 · 11 December 2014]

Saw this movie in an International movie festival, while it sounded very unexpected - it really was. Seeing many people leaving before the end kept me thinking about how long am I going to survive in this madness which is actually happening in Austrian basements. While some of it I could take with humor and actually smile about the old generations habits and being just a little naive for their age and location. Few characters left me wondering - why the hell its not illegal in Austria to be a completely brainless person ? From the other side - a complete mind opener about the society we live in where everything is allowed and no morals exist beyond and past your basement or private property.

Morbid fascination, Hell No? A Must Watch for Seidl's fans

[samxxxul · 7/10 · 4 July 2020]

IN THE BASEMENT, Ulrich Seidl goes downstairs and finds creepy dolls, Nazi man caves, cock and ball torture and gives viewers a tour of the private hobbies practiced. Seidl continues his studies on taboos, social boundaries, the human soul's darkness and his beloved Austria. It benefits from a truly intelligent scenario which uses the form of the fable to give the spectator a complex social discourse. Between taboo and philosophy, the story follows the different things people do in there basement. Under the basement, Im Keller is a documentary film eyeing on different experiences, but also symbolizes here in a threatening way. I enjoyed the film's extremely mannered style. When characters are being "good," the acting is melodramatic, but when they're in the basement it's weird, they're often incoherent and loud, or the film heightens the viscerality.

The Edge of Reality

[jupiter303 · 9/10 · 29 July 2017]

If you aren't familiar with Ulrich Seidl's work than this may not be the film you should start with. I am a big fan of course, so I may be biased.

What I love about his work is probably what many people don't like. You're never too sure if what he is showing is reality or something he created. Some of his films are real documentary and some of them are fiction. But which is which? They all feel similar and all have a similar tone. They are psychological and deep, they leave you wondering about different life situations (Bukowski fans take note).

"Wonder", this was the original intent of cinema, to leave an audience wondering. But a simple Buster Keaton film won't do the trick anymore and if CGI and explosions are your thing, Seidl won't be your thing either.

This brings us to the "actors" and this is where Seidl is making art. No big name actors, not even expensive actors, but the reality is there, it sucks you in piece by piece. Where does he find these people? That alone is an incredible talent, if they aren't actors in the traditional sense of the word. Each one is a deep character unto themselves. Are they actors or are they real people? You'll get dizzy thinking about it.

I recommend starting with "Import / Export" or "Models", then you'll know if Seidl is your thing. If you have a hard time with some of the off-beat realities of real life, or a hard life, you should look elsewhere. It's not horror, but is a bit of shock.

I'm grateful for Seidl because very little cinema moves me anymore in the way that he does. I hope he never stops.

This is art house cinema for the modern age folks.

8 out of 10 stars plus another because it's Seidl.

Condescension out of the Director's Basement

[christophspielberger · 2/10 · 10 August 2015]

The basic approach of the film is interesting: the basement as the place of secrets, of things, that are not acted out, even of the unconscious. Well, Mr. Seidl was born in Vienna after all.

But what he offers is a rather bulky version of Freudian patterns. Mr. Seidl's choice of people, that foster their hobbies in their basements tells more about himself than his exhibits. From a universe of people and their interests, he is very keen on absurd sex, compulsiveness, with guns, puppets and politics, and more absurd sex. His sex thing makes him break the basic requirement of the film, as he interviews one of his exhibits extensively in her flat. Did I mention absurd sex?

Right from the start, he makes it clear, that the people he shows are his material to expose the character of his fellow Austrians. For Mr. Seidl, it is all still 1933, with a scent of anal plugs. His images are very artificial, like simulated. Humour is absent an joy comes by mistake, with heavy drinking. His exhibits look like persuaded in showing it all.

It wouldn't be that bad, if he would treat his protagonists friendly, like human beings. But his view upon them is cold, almost sadistic. There, he proves to be a follower of the Haneke school. The basement becomes a societal residue for low lives. Do expect a lot of revulsion, this is a pornographic documentary, not a documentary porn movie.

In the American view, this may be inspirational for Tarrantino, in the European one, it shows, that the people that still suffer the most by psychoanalysis and the Third Reich, are some directors, who try to capitalize on this - the Bernhards, Jelineks, Hanekes and Seidls of this world. No need to suffer with them.

Abysses of the human soul

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 21 January 2016]

"Im Keller" or "In the Basement" is the newest film by acclaimed Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidl and as almost always it is a collaboration with his wife Veronika Franz again. For Seidl, it is a bit of a return back to his roots as he made many documentaries in the early years of his career. Very recently, he got lots of recognition for his work on the "Paradise" trilogy that I enjoyed a lot as well. Certainly one of the finest trilogies of the 21st century so far. That's also why it makes me a bit sad I could not appreciate his 80 minute film here as much. It gives us an insight what people store and do in their basements, not your average Joe mostly, but somewhat different people with (not so) hidden secrets. Of course, you never know how much is authentic and how much is scripted, but I give them the benefit of the doubt here.

I thought the first 55-60 minutes were really decent to watch. It was all kinds of interesting people and secrets hidden in their cellars. I am talking about music instruments, about baby dolls, about Nazi memorabilia, about erotic toys and applications etc. Unfortunately, the last half hour of the film really focuses almost exclusively on the erotic aspect and I would have liked the same amount of variety as it was in here for all the time before that. No idea why Seidl focused so much on this topic at the end. These last 25 minutes are also the main reason why I rate this only a 2/5 and not a 3/5. Still to end this review on a positive note, I like Seidl's style as a documentarian. We do not hear him, we only hear the people interviewed and it gives it some raw atmosphere. Also it helps in not letting any judgment by the filmmaker interfere with your very personal judgment about what you hear and see in this film. Nonetheless, I cannot recommend it overall. Or just switch it off at the 60-minute mark.

It ruined my fantasy!

[Hellmant · 5/10 · 22 January 2016]

'IN THE BASEMENT': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

An Austrian documentary flick; about people, hanging out in their basements, and giving into very perverse obsessions (and demented fetishes). The movie was directed by Ulrich Seidl, and it was written by Seidl and Veronika Franz. I had a chance to see it at at the OSU International Film Festival (at the Darkside Cinema, in Corvallis, OR), but I missed it. I instead recently caught it on Netflix; and I almost wish I hadn't.

The film starts out somewhat normal; as it just follows odd people around, doing strange things in their basements. As it goes on, though, the documentary gets weirder and weirder. I wanted to stop watching it, several times, but persisted (so I could do this review). It's only 82 minutes long, but it seems a lot longer (and it's a very painful 82 minutes)!

The movie is one of those films, I really wish I could unwatch. It's one of the most disturbing experiences, I've ever had (watching a film of any kind); and I love movies! I also thought I liked domineering women (and femdom fantasy), but I realize (after watching this documentary), that the real thing is definitely not for me (maybe just in role-play). Which is another reason I wish I could 'unwatch' this movie; it ruined my fantasy for me (at least for the time being)! It's well made, and serves it's purpose 'very effectively' though; at being a completely 'F'd up' film!

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fetishism is kinda dull

[GSK23 · 2/10 · 29 March 2022]

As a photographer, I admit that certain aspects of certain fetishistic sex can be, uh, "photogenic". However, the real deal in suburbia is far from photogenic and, quite frankly, kinda boring. Wait, not merely "kinda", but EXTREMELY boring.

That said, this is a documentary about people that are not only sex fetishists, but exhibitionists as well. Everyone, even the non-sex fetishists, puts forth their weirdest crap to be filmed for the sake of "being in a film". Of course, they're all kinda clueless and operate on a very base-level; which never adds up to anything remotely interesting.

If you're here for the sex, just rent porn. If you think this is some kind of anthropological big reveal about the human condition... forget it!

Strictly "Bottom-Of-The-Barrel" Entertainment

[strong-122-478885 · 1/10 · 15 February 2017]

When it comes to "In The Basement" - If Austrian director, Ulrich Seidl was actually trying to prove to the viewer that his fellow citizens were, indeed, all a bunch of imbeciles, then, yes, he certainly achieved his desired goal, commendably.

I mean, had even one of these certified kooks been shown doing something inspiring, or interesting, or worth remembering down in their basements, then I wouldn't have formed such a negative perspective of Austrian people, as a whole, while watching this documentary.

But Seidl sure put these people in an unfavourable and dislikable light.

And, on top of that - I can't believe that these apparently "regular citizens" actually agreed to expose their stupid side to the general public, as they did..... Like, if their neighbours didn't already know about the nonsense that went on in these peoples' basements - Well - They certainly do now.

To be honest here - Since this wasn't a "hidden camera" production, and since these people knew that all this "odd" activity of theirs was being filmed - I think that, for the most part, all of this quirkiness was, in fact, pretty much staged for effect and overall shock-value.

So boring

[alexanderbogdanovbog · 2/10 · 18 July 2021]

I just couldn't watch without skipping almost entirely.