Man Bites Dog

About Man Bites Dog

"Man Bites Dog" released in 1992 is a darkly grotesque pseudo-documentary that portrays a charismatic serial killer, Benoit. The story unravels as a team of documentary makers follow him around, carrying out his brutal exploits. Created by Belgians Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoit Poelvoorde, the film initially appears as a commentary on violence in media, but soon degrades into the very violence it was supposed to critique.

Making / Production

"Man Bites Dog" was produced on a shoestring budget and was the final project of film school students Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoit Poelvoorde. The film was shot in black and white which adds to the stark nature of the film.

Actors

• Benoit Poelvoorde as Benoit: A charismatic but sociopathic individual whose casual approach to serial killing forms the main plot of the build.
• Rémy Belvaux as Rémy: A documentary filmmaker who gradually becomes part of the brutality he was documenting.
• Jenny Drye as Jenny: A woman who becomes a victim of the main character's brutal exploits.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was initially a student project.
• "Man Bites Dog" is a title that alludes to an old journalist saying "If a dog bites a man, it's not news. If a man bites a dog, it is."
• The film generated controversy upon its release due to its graphic violence.

Awards

"Man Bites Dog" went on to win the International Critics' Prize at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival and laid the groundwork for the found-footage genre that came later.

Quotes

• "It's hard to be original in the art of murder. Serial killer fashions come and go."
• "When you kill a kid, you have to make a very clean hole."

Soundtrack & Music

• The film's ominous music is composed by Jean-Marc Chenut and Laurent Petitgand. It masterfully adds to the chilling atmosphere of the film.