Killer Condom

Killer Condom
Killer Condom
	Theatrical release poster
German	Kondom des Grauens
Directed by	Martin Walz [de]
Screenplay by	Ralf König; Martin Walz;
Based on	Kondom des Grauens and Bis auf die Knochen; by Ralf König
Produced by	Ralph S. Dietrich; Erwin C. Dietrich; Harald Reichebner;
Starring	Udo Samel; Peter Lohmeyer; Iris Berben; Marc Richter; Leonard Lansink; Meret Becker; Hella von Sinnen;
Cinematography	Alexander Honisch
Edited by	Simone Klier [de]
Music by	Emil Viklický
Production; companies	Ascot Film; ECCO Film; MBG;
Distributed by	Ascot Filmverleih
Release dates	29 August 1996 (Germany and Switzerland);
Running time	107 minutes
Countries	Germany; Switzerland;
Language	German
Box office	433,000 admissions (Germany)

Killer Condom (German: Kondom des Grauens, lit. 'Condom of Horror') is a 1996 German action comedy horror film directed by Martin Walz [de] from a screenplay he co-wrote with Ralf König, based on the comic books Kondom des Grauens and Bis auf die Knochen (Down to the Bones) by König.^[2]

It was distributed in the United States by Troma Entertainment, which promoted the film at the Cannes Film Festival with the help of "a six-foot-long fanged condom".^[3]

Plot

In the seedy parts of New York City, gay NYPD detective Luigi Mackeroni is investigating a series of bizarre attacks at the Hotel Quickie in which male guests have all had their penises mysteriously bitten off. While at the hotel, he enlists the services of a gigolo named Billy and invites him up to the crime scene. When the two men are about to engage in sex, a carnivorous living condom interrupts them and bites off Mackeroni's right testicle.

Now on a personal vendetta, Mackeroni begins his lone quest to not only bring a stop to the rash of condom attacks, but also to face his true feelings toward Billy the gigolo.

Cast

Udo Samel as Luigi Mackeroni
Peter Lohmeyer as Sam Hanks
Iris Berben as Dr. Doris Riffleson
Leonard Lansink as Babette (Bob Miller)
Marc Richter as Billy
Evelyn Künneke (credited as Evelyn Künnecke) as Forensic Doctor
Hella von Sinnen as Detective Sally
Heribert Sasse [de] as Secret Service Man
Meret Becker as Phyllis Higgins
Gerd Wameling [de] as Her Teacher
Henning Schlüter [de] as Robinson
Ron Williams [de] as Chief of Police
Otto Sander as Mr. Higgins
Monika Hansen [de] as Mrs. Higgins
Gode Benedix [de] as Policeman O'Brian
Adriana Altaras as Tourist

Reception

At the time of its 1998 U.S. theatrical release, New York Times reviewer Lawrence Van Gelder said that this Troma release had "a level of deadpan humor considerably above the company's usual adolescent subnorm", and that in addition to the usual gore, the film "also deals with dislocation, urban anomie, love and tolerance".^[4] On the other hand, Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas called it a "strained, tedious sex-horror comedy that doesn't travel well".^[5]

Otto Sander's "manic" performance in this "cult classic" has been cited as a "good example of his comic gifts".^[6] In an essay entitled "When Condoms Go Bad: From Safe Sex to Five Microns to Killer Condom", film critic Thuy Daojensen wrote that the film, despite its "third rate special effects", provides "comic relief while reflecting tension and anxiety over sexual activity for procreation versus merely for pleasure."^[7]

Home media

The film was restored in 4K resolution from its 35mm original camera negative and released on Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome in 2023.^[8]

References

^ "German Films Top 10 1996". Screen International. February 14, 1997. p. 23.
^ Robert Aldrich; Garry Wotherspoon (2005). Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History Vol.2: From World War II to the Present Day. Routledge. p. 522. ISBN 978-1-134-58313-3.
^ Janet Maslin, "Band-Aids as Couture, Boats as Accessories", The New York Times, May 8, 1997.
^ Lawrence Van Gelder, "Safe Sex It Is Not", The New York Times, July 31, 1998.
^ Kevin Thomas, "Screening room", Los Angeles Times, October 15, 1998.
^ William Grange (2006). Historical Dictionary of German Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-8108-6489-4.
^ Thuy DaoJensen, "When Condoms Go Bad: From Safe Sex to Five Microns to Killer Condom", in Karen Anijar; Thuy DaoJensen (2005). Culture and the Condom. Peter Lang. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-8204-7407-6.
^ "Vinegar Syndrome – Killer Condom". Retrieved August 2, 2023.

External links

Killer Condom at IMDb
Killer Condom at AllMovie

[adm-1] "German Films Top 10 1996". Screen International. February 14, 1997. p. 23.

[AldrichWotherspoon2005-2] Robert Aldrich; Garry Wotherspoon (2005). Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History Vol.2: From World War II to the Present Day. Routledge. p. 522. ISBN 978-1-134-58313-3.

[3] Janet Maslin, "Band-Aids as Couture, Boats as Accessories", The New York Times, May 8, 1997.

[4] Lawrence Van Gelder, "Safe Sex It Is Not", The New York Times, July 31, 1998.

[5] Kevin Thomas, "Screening room", Los Angeles Times, October 15, 1998.

[Grange2006-6] William Grange (2006). Historical Dictionary of German Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-8108-6489-4.

[AnijarDaoJensen2005-7] Thuy DaoJensen, "When Condoms Go Bad: From Safe Sex to Five Microns to Killer Condom", in Karen Anijar; Thuy DaoJensen (2005). Culture and the Condom. Peter Lang. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-8204-7407-6.

[8] "Vinegar Syndrome – Killer Condom". Retrieved August 2, 2023.

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