Baxter (film)
Encyclopedia
Baxter is a 1989 French horror film
directed by Jérôme Boivin. The title character is a murderous bull terrier
who tells the story of his search for a proper master in voice-over
narration. Baxter was the featured film of episode four of the here! original series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You
.
Baxter enjoys his life with the young couple, splitting his time between the sensual woman and the earthy man. He brings them dead animals in an attempt to show them who he is. His idyll is broken when the couple has a baby and begins to neglect him. Baxter hates the weak and helpless child. He attempts to kill it, but his plans again backfire. Ignorant of Baxter’s murderous intentions, the couple gives Baxter to a neighborhood boy.
Baxter thrills under the firm hand of his new master, a budding sociopath and Hitler
fanatic. Baxter kills a stray dog to show the boy who he is, and Baxter believes that they come to a mutual understanding. The boy begins to see a girl from his school who reminds him of Eva Braun
. Baxter impregnates the girl’s spaniel
, though his own sexuality disgusts him. When the boy commands Baxter to kill a classmate, Baxter refuses and realizes that the boy does not understand him after all.
The girl’s spaniel gives birth to puppies, and Baxter reacts to them with mixed emotions. In an attempt to emulate the final days of Hitler, the boy kills the puppies. In reaction, Baxter decides that the boy must die. The boy attacks first, but Baxter manages to gain the upper hand. When the boy commands him to heel, Baxter finds that he cannot disobey, allowing the boy to kill him. Later, the boy breaks into the old lady’s abandoned house and observes the young couple across the street. In a monologue echoing Baxter’s, the boy plans to kill his parents and be adopted by the couple.
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Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
directed by Jérôme Boivin. The title character is a murderous bull terrier
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier or English Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. They are known for their large, egg-shaped head, small triangular eyes, and "jaunty gait." Their temperament has been described as generally fun-loving, active and clownish...
who tells the story of his search for a proper master in voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
narration. Baxter was the featured film of episode four of the here! original series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You
John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You
John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You is a film anthology series produced by the LGBT-interest network here! in 2006. Shot on location in the Baltimore, Maryland home of director John Waters, each film is introduced by him and includes closing comments as well.-Films:* Freeway* L.I.E.*...
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Plot
Baxter, a bull terrier, is taken from the pens and given to an old woman. Baxter hates the old woman’s bland lifestyle and reacts to her habits with disgust. In contrast, he becomes obsessed with the young couple across the street as he observes their nightly lovemaking sessions. Baxter attempts to communicate his dominance over the old woman by causing her to stumble, but his plan backfires. The old woman’s condition deteriorates, and ultimately Baxter kills her in order to be adopted by the young couple.Baxter enjoys his life with the young couple, splitting his time between the sensual woman and the earthy man. He brings them dead animals in an attempt to show them who he is. His idyll is broken when the couple has a baby and begins to neglect him. Baxter hates the weak and helpless child. He attempts to kill it, but his plans again backfire. Ignorant of Baxter’s murderous intentions, the couple gives Baxter to a neighborhood boy.
Baxter thrills under the firm hand of his new master, a budding sociopath and Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
fanatic. Baxter kills a stray dog to show the boy who he is, and Baxter believes that they come to a mutual understanding. The boy begins to see a girl from his school who reminds him of Eva Braun
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later...
. Baxter impregnates the girl’s spaniel
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
, though his own sexuality disgusts him. When the boy commands Baxter to kill a classmate, Baxter refuses and realizes that the boy does not understand him after all.
The girl’s spaniel gives birth to puppies, and Baxter reacts to them with mixed emotions. In an attempt to emulate the final days of Hitler, the boy kills the puppies. In reaction, Baxter decides that the boy must die. The boy attacks first, but Baxter manages to gain the upper hand. When the boy commands him to heel, Baxter finds that he cannot disobey, allowing the boy to kill him. Later, the boy breaks into the old lady’s abandoned house and observes the young couple across the street. In a monologue echoing Baxter’s, the boy plans to kill his parents and be adopted by the couple.
Cast
- Lise DelamareLise Delamare-Selected filmography:* La Marseillaise * La fausse maîtresse * The Count of Monte Cristo * A Certain Mister * The King of the Bla Bla Bla * Lola Montès * Captain Blood...
as Madame Deville - Catherine Ferran as Florence
- Jacques SpiesserJacques Spiesser-Biography:After having taken courses at the Conservatoire, he made his film, debut in 1972, in Nina Companeez's Faustine et le bel été Nina Companeez with Muriel Catala.He is best known to English-speaking audiences for playing the role of Gilles in Priceless....
as Michel Ferrer - Jean Mercure as Monsieur Cuzzo
- Jean-Paul RoussillonJean-Paul RoussillonJean-Paul Roussillon was a French actor. He appeared in 87 films and television shows between 1954 and 2008. He starred in the film Playing 'In the Company of Men, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival...
as Joseph Barsky - Sabrina Leurquin as Noelle
- Daniel Rialet as Jean
- Evelyne Didi as Marie Cuzzo
- Rémy Carpenter as Roger Morel
- Jany Gastaldi as Anne Ferrer
Reception
Baxter received mixed reviews; it currently holds a 67% 'fresh' rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
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