Longs Pigs is a “documentary” that follows in the footsteps of low-budget successes such as Man Bites Dog and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. The film is witty, gritty, and downright entertaining. As part of a generation plagued by short attention spans, I can attest to the fact that Long Pigs is a fun and enjoyable movie to watch, unless you’re turned off by a little blood and gore. If you DO however, enjoy a bit of the old bloody gore, than this movie should leave you satisfied and very impressed. After all, who doesn’t like a good dismemberment?

The scenes of violence in this movie are so ultra realistic that they tread in the same blood soaked waters of notorious cinema verite classic Cannibal Holocaust and supposed snuff films such as Flowers of Flesh and Blood and August Underground. The special effects are so superb that I have heard several people express their shock at the fact that actual human cadavers were used in the movie and their disbelief to later find out that the corpses weren’t real.

I have to say that the decision of the filmmakers to portray themselves in the film was a bold move. Their ethics are more than a little questionable as they become accomplices to many violent crimes while developing a friendly relationship with someone who the law would deem unfit for decent society. They follow around the film’s leading man, Anthony McAllister as he goes about his daily routine, which includes looking after his aging mother, playing hockey with his buddies, and occasionally murdering and eating prostitutes.

Anthony differs from the much overdone they-don’t-look-like-they-would-be-a-violent-killer-but-they-are character because his reasons for homicide are more practical. Anthony is, above all, a foodie. He does not savagely rip at the raw flesh with his teeth, but creates meals that look a little too mouth watering for comfort. What might have been the scariest part about Long Pigs was my craving for ribs after leaving the theatre. He discusses the finer points of consuming human flesh and poses the question: “if it was so wrong to eat it, then why would it taste so good?

As an independent filmmaker I am pleased and inspired by the plethora of awards Long Pigs has received at film festivals including several for best picture. It is obvious that Chris Power and Nathan Hynes know to create a gripping cinematic experience for the audience with extremely limited resources. Long Pigs not only creates a sense of realism that surpasses other recent films of this nature, but actually poses serious questions about the mores of our society. Long Pigs is available on DVD at Amazon.com. If you really want to have fun, pick up a copy to show someone who hasn’t heard of the film and tell him or her that they have just got to see this sick documentary.

                                                                                                                                         -James Oliver