Dresden
was the center of East German research and technology. That did not make it any more fun than the
rest of the country. Germany has since
unified, but a visiting American scholar finds it still a rather sinister
environment in Eron Sheenan’s Errors of
the Human Body (trailer
here), which
screens round midnights starting this Friday at the IFC Center.
Dr.
Geoffrey Burton is known for once having a promising career. Forced out by his university, he has accepted
a visiting scholar position at a non-profit German research institute. Fortunately, everyone there seems to speak
English, including the British director, Samuel Mead, and Burton’s old flame, Dr.
Rebekka Fiedler. They will reconnect,
but Burton is not exactly good relationship material these days. He still obsessively calls his ex-wife and
grieves the infant they lost to a rare genetic disorder.
Understandably,
Burton’s late son inspired his controversial research. Much to his surprise, it also motivated
Fiedler’s recent work begun with her unstable former collaborator, Dr. Jarek
Novak. She has had tremendous success
regenerating salamanders, but has yet to apply it to anything with fur. However, Burton learns the salamander-looking
scientist has secretly helped himself to her research. Gee, could all that sneaking around lead to a
risk of infection?
Errors is not a bad
dark science fiction cautionary tale.
Since it is set in a non-profit, we are spared the clichéd corporate
demonization. It is also has an
effectively chilly vibe. While the
particulars of Dresden’s GDR history do not factor in the narrative, the city
is certainly portrayed as a severe, impersonal locale. (Those intrigued by the Dresden’s role in
East German techno-industrial history should check out Dolores L. Augustine’s
fascinating book Red Prometheus.) The make-up and visual effects are quite presentable
by genre standards, but Sheenan’s story is more character and concept driven.
Cult
TV veteran Michael Eklund (whose credits include Fringe and Alcatraz)
shows a talent for physically and emotionally self-imploding as Burton. In contrast, Karoline Herfurth is almost
tragically Teutonic as Fiedler. Fortunately,
Tómas Lemarquis dives into Novak’s Faustian scientist villainy with admirable
enthusiasm. It is also amusing to see
Rik Mayall (of The Young Ones) pop up
as Mead, even if he plays it frustratingly straight.