The End of Tom Six

The Censorship Beyond the Shock.

A documentary that tells more than a story behind an artist, a director, but a person, his art, and the censorship the movie industry is facing.

A raw but elegant journey into the price artists are constantly battling when provoking an industry that doesn’t want to be provoked.

Is this really a debate? Perhaps yes. Extreme horror and disturbing movies are becoming so politically correct to the point of boredom, becoming repetitive and not brave enough to let reality be translated into something truly unsettling and free of restrictions.

The industry and film festivals want to look provocative enough, but still stay in a safe place, avoiding becoming a vessel for social issues while imposing limits and re-proposing the same topics. And that’s where Tom Six’s critique is still very relevant.

We live in a fucked up world, we see it every day, we talk about it every day, so Tom Six’s “The End of Tom Six” is very on brand and sharp. And if we add his personal struggles with health issues, this is no joke.

What didn’t convince me is the part where he talks about the unreleased movie “The Onania Club,” which the documentary is basically about.

There is something really sad and unfortunately true about labels and distribution companies claiming themselves open to thought-provoking projects and being there to help those movies get released… but at their conditions.

This is not something new, and we all know about it. We can see it in how barely a few degrading underground features have seen the light, while the ones with a safer spot are the ones that actually get released.

So what didn’t really convince me?

First, I do get the reasons behind “The Onania Club” difficulties finding distribution, with rejections from distributors and festivals, and I totally agree with Tom on how this can impact your mental and physical health.

So, a little statement before going into my thoughts on this. He has all my support to live the best life he can with a terrible diagnosis of MS. But at the same time, this cannot be an excuse to give up on releasing something that you desperately want the world to see.

And that’s where I don’t completely understand why he still hasn’t found a way to release it, when traditional distribution seems so harsh on a project that has already been seen by some critics and industry professionals. According to them, it’s a project with a very interesting and current theme.

And for what we know about it, it’s more relevant than ever: people getting excessively excited about world tragedies and seeing them through the lens of women.

Actually, there is a reason why Tom Six chose women for “The Onania Club” which is explained in “The End of Tom Six,” with brilliant dark humour, always supported by his partner in crime, Maartje Willems… but you will find out if you decide to watch it.

In this fucked up world and industry, there are also alternative ways of showing your work. But especially at the end of this documentary, he leaves me with a question: why don’t you put it out for rental or purchase on your website?

Yes, it might not be the way he wanted the movie to be seen, but at least people will see it. And I’m sure people will pay for it… I’m one of those.

So here is the contradiction I can’t really get.

The documentary runs for 88 minutes and is shot in black and white with pure elegance, reminiscent of the cinema of the 1930s/1940s—which Tom is a huge fan of, so no coincidence here but a conscious choice—with Tom Six at the centre of everything, because this is his version of the story.

The supporting cast of characters, from the director to the editor, reinforces his argument by giving each of them a specific role representing the film industry, censorship, and the hypocrisy of the inclusive figures of our society.

It’s deliberately genius and gives a theatrical twist to a documentary that goes beyond being just a documentary, demonstrating the absurdity of the whole thing.

And this proves how Tom Six is not just a man of culture but a real artist with a deep love for cinema, and knowledge of pop culture.

If “The Human Centipede” trilogy was very controversial but extremely satirical, here we get to know a bit more about the ideas and behind-the-scenes of this extreme piece of cinema, proving again that it was more than just three shocking movies about people nip/tuck mouth to anus.

The contradiction of Tom Six criticising an industry afraid to take risks is also his unwillingness to compromise his vision (or business sense?), but at the same time it raises the question: what if this is all part of a marketing strategy to grow the hype and curiosity around “The Onania Club” and get it released next year?

The documentary is available now for a limited period for free on YouTube… and donations are welcome, which makes me think this is a mise-en-scène to hide the fact that the movie sucks? Probably we will find out soon. Or never.

Whatever the options are, what I know is that I’m still here waiting to see it. And I definitely recommend watching “The End of Tom Six.”