Divided into Zero is as far away from Hollywood as cinema can get. It's a bleak and surreal tale of a man cut at birth during his Caesarian delivery and who then becomes obsessed with razorblades, bodily fluids, and for some reason, kids. I got the movie, like most, as a bonus film on the Subconscious Cruelty DVD (I actually got the limited edition bluray but the quality isn't any better than the DVD so don't bother with it) and it's certainly in the same vein as the main feature. Both films seem almost experimental in their running and the content would probably shock most movie goers if they stumbled across them by mistake, so if you're not up golden showers, seeing a child nailed to a wall with a razorblade in it's mouth, or various cutting of the flesh scenes then stay away. I can't really say I enjoyed the movie, I think it's more about experiencing it, but it's something you sit and watch pondering....wtf?
11 Reviews
surrealism
trashgang27 October 2009
Available on the second disc of Subconscious Cruelty. The comments on this short movie are extremely different, from one of the goriest films to the most boring one. and indeed, it's a special flick. It contains all kind of perverted things, from showing full frontal nudity from girl and man to golden shower to a child nailed to the wall. It's gory, it's indeed slow but I'm sure that some people will be offended by some scene's, especially those with the children. If you aren't into extreme films like Pig or Begotten then this isn't made for you. otherwise you will enjoy watching it. But you will have to find the Subconscious Cruelty DVD for a cheap price to watch it.
The Cinematic Equivalent of S&M...pain and pleasure entwined
DKiller21 October 1999
Out of the wilds of Canada, wunderkind filmmaker Mitch Davis opens his heart and soul to an unsuspecting audience for 34 minutes. In the span of three years, Davis and his team of cineastes toiled on this beast of a short film, alternating between scenes of beauty, perversion, and savagery. There is imagery in this film that will pierce your heart and soul. In many ways, the film carries the multi-pronged attack of a film like El Topo or Martin. However, Divided Into Zero has enough in its' head to carry the weight of such comparisons and create its' own impression. An experience like no other...
a man's twisted life of free sex and violence
grossemarmotte23 July 2001
When a gore fan tries to make a movie ...
This short movie is pointless. Horror in movies illustrate problems or issues in life using surreal images of violence and tension. Divided into zero only shows gore for gore. It's a very personal movie from director Mitch Davis who also works at the Montréal film festival FANTASIA. He probably tried to reunite all his favorite gore scenes from other movie. Being a cinephile before a filmmaker, the graphic part of the movie was probably is most important concern. He says about the movie that it was a tough part of his life. As far as we can understand from his movie, he needed to illustrate nothing but mostly explode with rage. If you want to see someone's twisted mind ... believe me, his is not interesting at all.
This short movie is pointless. Horror in movies illustrate problems or issues in life using surreal images of violence and tension. Divided into zero only shows gore for gore. It's a very personal movie from director Mitch Davis who also works at the Montréal film festival FANTASIA. He probably tried to reunite all his favorite gore scenes from other movie. Being a cinephile before a filmmaker, the graphic part of the movie was probably is most important concern. He says about the movie that it was a tough part of his life. As far as we can understand from his movie, he needed to illustrate nothing but mostly explode with rage. If you want to see someone's twisted mind ... believe me, his is not interesting at all.
High minded, pretentious p.o.s...
LordRussell26 May 2008
Titles that are written, produced and directed by the same person are commercially damned from the beginning. Although I wanted to give this film a zero, facts remain that the story is indeed well worth telling. However, production quality of this film robs the story of its possible impact. College films have done better in the FX department. Although Mitch Davis tries vehemently to convince you that he knows the inner workings of a criminal mind, he still doesn't reach it. Not that I have first hand knowledge, but research is valuable tool best tapped for such an endeavor. Mr. Davis seems bent on trying to become the next Tobe Hooper, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento or even George Romero. When it comes to a subject of the mind more than one (mind) is needed to flesh out a believable story. This movie feels like a whining attempt of Mr. Davis attempting to convince his audience that HE truly knows what drives a man to this kind of self loathing. I am afraid that there are much more better examples (including the independent film makers) of criminal/audience alliances.
Pretty shocking and very bleak stuff.
HumanoidOfFlesh20 November 2005
Following the life of a murderer and paedophile,"Divided Into Zero" juxtaposes three important stages of a diseased mind:aged 10,as a disturbed boy who suffered the loss of his parents;a dangerous 30-year-old leaving behind hellish tableaux,attempting to wash away his sins among the company of whores;and a twisted old hermit of a man whoat the age of 70kidnaps a girl whom he nails to a wall."Divided Into Zero" is a cold and deeply disturbing horror short which features plenty of unsettling violence with lashings of paedophilia on display.The killeror Wandererdefines his tortured feelings in remarkable and passionless detail.Despite knowing the extent of his problems,he performs them with religious conviction.Like "Subconscious Cruelty","Divided Into Zero" is a bleak and transgressive film.Recommeded only for more open-minded viewers.9 out of 10.
Profound, challenging...horror as art.
JohnnyG-422 January 2001
`Divided Into Zero' is one of my favourite horror films. This haunting reflection of an aged Madman digs deeper into the aberrant psyche than any film I have ever seen. Imagine that same assault you felt when first viewing `Texas Chainsaw', coupled with a heady dose of Dostoevski. `Divided Into Zero' is that good. The disembodied narration of John Alton Jr. exposes the tortured soul of a man who is fascinated by `bleeding fine cuts' and feels relief in the searing urine of prostitutes. Other film portraits of psychosis and serial killers have been more brutal, but none more honest, controlled, and cerebral than what you'll find here. Gritty photography by Karim Hussain; Sound Design by David Kristian; and Score by Teruhiko Suzuki contribute greatly to the film's power. Writer\Director\Editor Mitch Davis strikes dark genius with this one.
Haunting aftertaste, brave and brilliant filmmaking make this film a contemporary classic horrorpiece.
litfuser8 November 2002
Director Mitch Davis has created a truly wonderful breakthrough in contemporary horror with "Divided Into Zero". The film is unlike anything I have ever seen. Although very graphic depictions are illuminated (especially in comparison to today's screen culture), the film does NOT leave you with a nausea. Rather, the film leaves you with a haunted, yet highly inspired state of mind, as the viewer is engulfed in a true work of art. The direction takes the viewer on a journey through avant-garde, art, horror and and the honesty of a one of a kind maverick filmmaker. This film is truly unlike any others in the genre. The cinematography is brilliantly conducted as is the sound design and performances. What I really loved about this film is the all out disregard for belonging to any psarticular genre. Fans of contemporary horror cinema will not be able to catagorize this film very easily and experimental filmmakers and enthusiasts will definately not be able to box the film up into a particular "movement" in today's art and film circles. Lets all hope that more great art-horror films that push cinema into the extreme and present an honesty of humanity, continue through the maverick kind that is Mitch Davis.
Very Strong Horror/Experimental/Art-house Film Dealing With Strong Subject-Matter...
EVOL6667 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
From Mitch Davis - one of the Producers of the superb SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY (one of my personal favorite films) comes his own demon of an experimental film - DIVIDED INTO ZERO. Though personally not quite as strong as SC, it amazes me how intelligent and competent film-making wise both Davis and Karim Hussain (Director of SC) were for their ages (both being about 20 years-old around the time that DIVIDED INTO ZERO and SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY were filmed). These two young Directors show more talent, passion, and potential than most current Directors twice their age and "experience" level...
DIVIDED INTO ZERO is a surreal film that chronicles the nihilistic and warped life of a serial child-molester/murderer. We see this character through three phases of his life - as a young boy, as an adult, and as an old man. The central "theme" that we see throughout the film, is that even though The Wanderer (as he's referred to in the credits) understands that he is a sick individual, he also seems to "embrace" this about himself, and never truly seeks rehabilitation or redemption - but instead indulges in other self-destructive behaviors, such as cutting himself and having deviant sex with hookers, as a means to cope with his mental problems. There is no real resolution to the film - just a glimpse into a twisted mind...
DIVIDED BY ZERO will not be for all audiences. It is not an "enjoyable" film in terms of sheer entertainment value - but it IS a very strong film that uses it's 34-minute run-time to assault the audience with some violent and potentially "offensive" images - while never quite falling into the flat-out "sleazy" category. Davis seems to be very aware of what he's showing on-screen and why, and this is something that I could imagine would be hard to do, given the subject-matter. Davis' "eye" for color and composition is also strong, and is very reminiscent of the type of lighting and camera-work that is also shown in SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY, which I also liked very much. DIVIDED INTO ZERO can really only be recommended for fans of dark, nihilistic cinema, or those that enjoyed SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY - and to those fans, I would consider this a must-see. Most others will find the film too "dark" for their tastes. Personally - I hope to see MUCH more from Mitch Davis (and Karim Hussain as well) and hope that their future projects don't lose the "edge" that these earlier works have...8.5/10
DIVIDED INTO ZERO is a surreal film that chronicles the nihilistic and warped life of a serial child-molester/murderer. We see this character through three phases of his life - as a young boy, as an adult, and as an old man. The central "theme" that we see throughout the film, is that even though The Wanderer (as he's referred to in the credits) understands that he is a sick individual, he also seems to "embrace" this about himself, and never truly seeks rehabilitation or redemption - but instead indulges in other self-destructive behaviors, such as cutting himself and having deviant sex with hookers, as a means to cope with his mental problems. There is no real resolution to the film - just a glimpse into a twisted mind...
DIVIDED BY ZERO will not be for all audiences. It is not an "enjoyable" film in terms of sheer entertainment value - but it IS a very strong film that uses it's 34-minute run-time to assault the audience with some violent and potentially "offensive" images - while never quite falling into the flat-out "sleazy" category. Davis seems to be very aware of what he's showing on-screen and why, and this is something that I could imagine would be hard to do, given the subject-matter. Davis' "eye" for color and composition is also strong, and is very reminiscent of the type of lighting and camera-work that is also shown in SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY, which I also liked very much. DIVIDED INTO ZERO can really only be recommended for fans of dark, nihilistic cinema, or those that enjoyed SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY - and to those fans, I would consider this a must-see. Most others will find the film too "dark" for their tastes. Personally - I hope to see MUCH more from Mitch Davis (and Karim Hussain as well) and hope that their future projects don't lose the "edge" that these earlier works have...8.5/10
`Divided Into Zero': a hybrid horror film following Antonin Artaud...
vinylbrikol30 December 2002
In `Le théâtre de la cruauté' Antonin Artaud wrote of a theatre that shakes and awakens the heart and the nerve of the audience. Director Mitch Davis transposes this point of view in cinema with his movie `Divided Into Zero'. The power of the images contribute to provide an intense experience into psychological violence and aesthetic research: through a non-linear structure, a freedom of reading is given to the viewer. The presence of cruelty, the fabric of violence includes in a poetic aesthetic; in this way, the violence depicted isn't gratuitous. It has a deep significance which takes its source into a slow narrative thread and fast short scenes which give the film all of its rhythm. The composition of the frame is a force of Davis. The closeup on the young girl's face, bleeding, (played by Mikaeka Davis, the director's young sister, who doubles actress Stephanie Keepman in this scene) is unforgettable: her intense, mouth-gaping gaze, makes me shudder. David Kristian's sound design goes with fluidity with the entire film; the ambient music compositions of Teruhiko Suzukia and Kristian are becoming a discreet actor.
`Divided Into Zero' is a hybrid film, navigating between horror and art film; it brilliantly demonstrates and stretches the spectrum of horror film's possibilities.
`Divided Into Zero' is a hybrid film, navigating between horror and art film; it brilliantly demonstrates and stretches the spectrum of horror film's possibilities.
Eight Blades Out of Ten
Thanatos-2612 October 1999
Without a doubt, this is one of the most unshakeable visions of hell I have ever encountered. Divided Into Zero rubs in it's bleak logic with a slow, eerie calm. Predictable comparisons with 'Salo' and 'In A Glass Cage' are inevitable and probably justified, but Divided Into Zero is all the more disturbing in that we have only one character during it's 40-odd minutes to attempt any understanding of. In the end, we become as deeply rooted in this soulless man's agony as he is.
Many viewers will be incapable of absorbing it's uncompromising graphic sensibility, with long shots of self inflicted razor punishment, piss drinking, and child murder. Those who do, however, will have a part of themselves forever changed.
Whether this is a good thing or bad thing, I can't say, and don't feel is very important, ultimately. The film offers vitality, anger, and extreme images that have more purpose, more INTENT, than simple minded shock value.
It's true cut-throat cinema.
A remedy...not only for mediocre filmgoing, but for any unaffirmed need to see your own taboos brought to life in color, screaming.
Many viewers will be incapable of absorbing it's uncompromising graphic sensibility, with long shots of self inflicted razor punishment, piss drinking, and child murder. Those who do, however, will have a part of themselves forever changed.
Whether this is a good thing or bad thing, I can't say, and don't feel is very important, ultimately. The film offers vitality, anger, and extreme images that have more purpose, more INTENT, than simple minded shock value.
It's true cut-throat cinema.
A remedy...not only for mediocre filmgoing, but for any unaffirmed need to see your own taboos brought to life in color, screaming.
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