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Intriguingly creepy and unsettling. Read critic reviews

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The Embalmer Photos

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Movie Info

Peppino (Ernesto Mahieux) is a skilled but lonely taxidermist until he crosses paths with Valerio (Valerio Foglia Manzillo), a handsome waiter in search of a better job. Peppino is strangely attracted to the charismatic young man and offers him a cushy position as his apprentice. To curry favor with his pretty-boy aide, Peppino lavishes him with gifts. But when Valerio meets the beautiful Deborah (Elisabetta Rocchetti), a twisted love triangle evolves that can only spell disaster.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

Italian
Director:

Matteo Garrone
Producer:

Domenico Procacci
Writer:

Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso
Release Date (Streaming):

May 18, 2004
Box Office (Gross USA):

$56.3K
Runtime:

1h 41m
Production Co:

Fandango
Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital, Surround

Cast & Crew

Ernesto Mahieux
Peppino

Valerio Foglia Manzillo
Valerio

Elisabetta Rocchetti
Deborah

Lina Bernardi
Deborah's Mother

Pietro Biondi
Deborah's Father

Bernardino Terracciano
Boss

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The Embalmer

All Critics (32) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (6)

In spite of some stiltedness, The Embalmer is an oft-intriguing examination of unquenched desire and the power of beauty.

December 11, 2003 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Gary Dowell
Dallas Morning News
Masterful at concealing its true nature and surprising us with the turns of the story.

November 14, 2003 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
The movie, a keen look at the way passion unravels and obsession destroys, creates a black mood, a sense of truth and an enduring chill that stay with you.

November 13, 2003 | Rating: 3/4

Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
Seductive, suspenseful psychological drama.

October 2, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Mahieux ... builds a character so relentlessly powerful and creepy that The Embalmer leaves an aftertaste -- we can practically smell him.

September 26, 2003 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle
Here's a movie that could keep David Lynch tossing at night.

September 25, 2003 | Rating: 3/4

Glenn Lovell
San Jose Mercury News
A twisted and fascinating tale, with a climax that's as logical as it is unexpected

May 22, 2004

Pamela Troy
culturevulture.net
[Actor Ernesto] Mahieux adds layers of gentleness and false bravado in what could have been a stereotypical role.

April 19, 2004 | Rating: 2.75/5 | Full Review…

Kent Turner
Film-Forward.com
Despite its virtues, the picture comes across rather like something that has itself been disinterred from the fairly remote past.

December 29, 2003 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion
The Embalmer is a movie that will keep fresh on your mind for a few days but probably won't be preserved in your memory for all time.

December 12, 2003 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com
...does just about everything in its power to turn you off. And guess what? It works.

November 14, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Josh Larsen
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL)
With fewer sensational confrontations, The Embalmer is a major work. As it stands, it signals the emergence of an exceptional filmmaker.

November 5, 2003 | Full Review…

Jake Euker
PopMatters