In this episode of The Disturbing Reel, we explore one of the most haunting and unconventional films in cinema history, E. Elias Merhige’s Begotten (1990).

Filmed in stark, grainy black-and-white and entirely without dialogue, Begotten presents a disturbing allegory of creation, death, and rebirth. With images of gods tearing themselves apart, Mother Earth’s grotesque fertility, and cycles of suffering, this experimental masterpiece unsettled audiences from its very first underground screenings.

In this deep dive, I’ll uncover:

🔹 The artistic vision and background of director E. Elias Merhige

🔹 The mythological and symbolic layers woven into the film

🔹 The controversies, bans, and cult reputation surrounding its release

🔹 Why Begotten remains a cornerstone of extreme and experimental cinema

⚠️ Listener Warning: This episode discusses graphic imagery, disturbing themes, and experimental filmmaking techniques.

This is cinema stripped down to its most primal form, terrifying, challenging, and unforgettable.