Leben und Tod einer Pornobande

I've just watched it...and I've never been so close to being stunned by a movie. So forgive me if I'm being incoherent. There are many movies that try to be deep, smart...They mostly end up being pretentious. Or you're left with something you're sure not even the filmmaker knows what's it about. They try to be philosophical, but get tangled in it. This movie is simple, very simple. Others want to trick you. They play with your senses for their gain, to achieve their goal. They try to impress you, shock you, make you cry...More often than not, it comes off cheap. This movie uses no tricks. This movie is...what it is. You have to deal with it. You can't discard it, or laugh it off and ignore it, it's too sincere. It enters you and you believe it. You become part of it. You're one of them. You're there, with the gang, standing around the victim, behind Vanja who is filming it all with his camera. And you're scared. Of yourself.

This was the first Serbian flick that had made a movement into the film industry, Serbia was becoming hot and due to the holy 3 from France someone had to make an even more shocking flick. But this here isn't that well known as the other disturbing Serbian flick A Serbian Film. But due the latter things it do came out in Europe. Already causing trouble with the release because it contains some disturbing moments.

I was lucky to catch me a copy at a local famous DVD shop, soon after it's release it was banned from the shop. I was at a horror convention last weekend and they sold official copies already for 40 euro's!! But is it all worth the money? Well, it surely isn't like A Serbian Film. People do compare both flicks on forums and both do win sometime. For me the winner is A Serbian Film because it do add a little creepiness and sickening story to it. This flick goes deeper into the 'porn gang'. But be advised, it do has his moments. But there's a lot of talking in it because you need to get involved with the characters. So by all that talking people will leave it for what it is. But those who carry on until the end are in for a terrible ride. Watch out, IMDb states that it clocks in at 90 minutes, it isn't, mine clocked in at 102 minutes and it was said, full uncut.

What is it that attracts geeks all over the world towards this flick. Well, you will have a lot of frontal male and female nudity. You will see what the war did in former Yugoslavia, there are some sickening shots in it. On the other hand it isn't for the squeamish too or the easily offended because you will see homo penetration straight into the black hole, zoomed in. You will also have a golden shower by some MILF. A hard on of a horse is being sucked by a guy, some decapitations, and some brutal killings.

You really have to love flicks like August Underground to like these kind of flicks. I didn't have any trouble watching it but I admit, I'm a sick buff. If you can catch a copy do so but if you are only into 'normal' horror or flicks don't watch it, you will surely puke!

Gore 4/5 Nudity 5/5 Story 3/5 Effects 4/5 Comedy 0/5

i was quite excited about watching this with a lot of reviewers saying it was better than a Serbian film which came out at the same sort of time. so i watched both in the same week and this one just doesn't cut it.

i wasn't engaged by the characters, their choices seemed stupid and the bad things that happen towards the end didn't shock or ram home any sort of point that hasn't been done better elsewhere.

there was just no interest in watching a gang of poor serbians wander the country in a van having sex in front of farmers.

the acting is below standard, the script rambles and the last hope of sex and violence is a waste of time.

watch 'a Serbian film' (uncut) instead.

I heard a lot about Life and Death of a Porno Gang. Being compared to A Serbian Film, saying it was equally disturbing and thought provoking and that it set the standard for extreme cinema in the future.

Personally i rate this film much higher than A Serbian Film. Both films tried to symbolize the difficulties of life in Serbia, but i felt with A Serbian Film, they tried way too hard to be provocative and the symbolism was lost in translation. However, Life and Death manages to create that sheer depression and desperation perfectly!

We have a group of people, put on the outer of society for the lifestyles they have chosen. They decide, to make money, to form a traveling show that features extreme sex acts. As they tour through the rural areas of Serbia, they are continually being hounded from the secluded communities, which ultimately leads them to even more desperate measures, involving making snuff films.

I am not aware of the situation of Serbia, but from what I hear, it is a pretty hard lifestyle. Survival of the fittest. I thought the movie really captured the cold, dark, dreary and depressing atmosphere of people facing desperation, and how far we will go to get ourselves out of the hole we just dug ourselves. I felt sorry for each character, as they regret all the terrible things they do, but facing starvation, they have little choice, which ultimately paints a VERY disturbing and depressing situation.

The film depicts extreme acts of sexuality and violence, so its definitely not for everyone. But if you want to test yourself and open your eyes to situations facing the less privileged, Life and Death of a Porno Gang comes highly recommended!

Zivot i smrt porno bande (The Life and Death of a Porno Gang) is the rare exception, at least for me, when it comes to extreme cinema. While most extreme films are mainly only made to shock audience members, this clever gem of a movie shocked me in an entirely different way. It was surprisingly funny, the story and characters were intriguing, and it had a certain visual style that could perfectly captured the mood of the film. If you can imagine if a game of Candlyland came to life, went feral, and was all captured on dirty 35mm film cameras, then you'd probably have some idea of what Porno Gang has in store.