Horror News and Commentary

Cannibal from Germany Wins Legal Battle

You might remember our recent update on the various film projects about Armin Meiwes, the infamous German cannibal (if not, click here to be refreshed). Well, the Guardian Unlimited reports that Meiwes has won his battle with the producers of "Rohtenburg" (formerly "Butterfly: A Grimm Love Story"). The horror film based on events from his life will not be distributed as a result--for the time being, anyway.

As the Guardian points out, Meiwes's case was complicated by the fact that his victim, Jürgen Brandes, was alleged to have given his online consent to be eaten and killed. This complication is presumably what has landed Meiwes an eight-and-a-half-year sentence instead of life. But it seems to me that there's also something a little complicated about a German court's assertion that "Meiwes' rights superceded [sic] the artistic goals of the film-makers." Why stop there? Maybe they should name a holiday after him or put up a statue in his honor.

I'm guessing that the documentary-in-progress that Meiwes has "approved" is a bit softer in its handling of the subject matter than "Rohtenburg," but I don't see how it could be possible to paint a perfectly cheerful picture of Meiwes. Is it that he's proud of some of his actions but not of others, or has remorse settled in and left him wanting to tell his story without glamorizing it through the lens of fiction?--Pete Mesling

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Posted by Pete on March 4, 2006 1:35 PM
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