I have obtained the 2007 DVD re-issue of this notorious 'video nasty'. For gore hounds it's a mere curio featuring enough to wet their appetites, but not much they wouldn't have seen before (gore hounds may want to press the mute button whilst watching this as the music is an acquired taste). But for true authentic industrial music fans such as myself it's a real treat, essential viewing in fact. SPK pioneered the disturbing industrial noise music that began with legendary originators Throbbing Gristle in post-punk London in the late 70's (Actually spk re-located from Austrailia to London and recorded their skull shattering debut lp 'information overload unit' in a squat during the brixton riots). As a fan of the scene who understands the aesthetics of the music, i found the juxtaposition of the music and disturbing images quite mesmerizing, particularly on the song 'Wars of Islam'. There is a particular scene which has gained some notoriety in which a SUPPOSEDLY severed head has a SUPPOSEDLY severed penis inserted into the mouth. Don't worry this is mere special effects and not real body parts. In an interview the films creator Dominik Guerin (tone generator of spk) hints: "It's amazing what you can do with a bit of Plasticine". And when you see it in crystal clear detail on the DVD re-issue it is blatantly obvious that it is mere sfx. (And if it was real it surely would be illegal - and i for one would be truly horrified). However there are nauseating images of real horror such as real autopsy footage and real mutilated corpses that will shock those of a faint heart. Dominik Guerin said of Despair: "We were trying to create a radical new aesthetic and be cultural terrorists" - you should bare that in mind when viewing this. It's almost impossible to believe that the founding member of this band Graeme Revell is now a mainstream Hollywood movie composer. For gore hounds its interesting viewing, for industrial fans its essential viewing. If you are neither of these then steer well clear.
