La Petite Mort II: Nasty Tapes is a 2014 splatter horror film, written and directed by Marcel Walz with additional writing from Annika Strauss. The film is a continuation of the gory horror thriller La Petite Mort (2009), also written and directed by Marcel Walz (check out our review of the first film here).
The film follows the owners of the infamous “Maison de la Petite Mort” as they complete their daily work. After the shocking events in part one, you’ll never guess what the new owner, Monsieur Matheo Maximè, is up to, but it involves torturing for money at its very worst.
Contrary to its prequel, La Petite Mort II decides to drop any inkling of a story to instead present itself as a “documentary Blu-ray” sold by the murder club displaying vignettes of previous services provided to their happy clientele along with testimonies and some behind the scenes interactions between staff. Although the premise of the first film was paper-thin at times, its sequel’s lack of real narrative is certainly noticeable throughout. This absence of direction relegates the film to what the original narrowly avoided—torture porn. Nevertheless, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as many films that fall under this category, such as numerous titles in the Saw series, still deliver an enjoyable experience to some viewers. However, the bitchy interactions between the club’s staff that break up the scenes of torture become slightly monotonous at times, rarely adding anything beneficial to the overall production.
When a film falls into this category, its saving grace is its implementation of some grisly practical special effects and it’s assured that La Petite Mort II delivers in this department. Provided this time by Megan & Ryan Nicholson, the effects exhibit an undeniably savage realism to the torture. A multitude of scenes featuring unspeakable acts of sadism is delivered by the hands of latex-clad beauties for all to discern, executing far more inventive punishments than spotlighted in the first film. Despite this, these effects have an overall sterile feel to them when compared to their predecessor, lacking the visual veracity of practical effects that wizard Olaf Ittenbach, who provided the effects in La Petite Mort (2009), is notable for.
In terms of cinematography, La Petite Mort II contains varying levels of technique, from gritty handheld shots to more polished and stylized sequences. While this inconsistency can be jarring at times, it ultimately serves to enhance the unsettling atmosphere and disorient the viewer.
Falling slightly short of the original, La Petite Mort II: Nasty Tapes is still an interestingly unique and unapologetically unsettling cinematic experience that achieves challenging societal and cinematic norms. With its magnificently naturalistic levels of gruesome special effects and respectable performances from the cast, this 84-minute behind-the-scenes look at your favourite murder-for-pay club is sure to satiate fans of the original and gore-hounds alike!
La Petite Mort II: Nasty Tapes (2014) is available to pre-order from Unearthed Films Website here
More from the Purveyors of Extreme Cinema
Japanese cinema frequently uses Westerners as extras, so much so that is common for people staying in Japan for an extended period to up with an agency and fill background… Satan Claus is an Italian/American low-budget slasher horror, written by Simonetta Mostarda and directed by Massimiliano Cerchi. Well-versed in independent horror, Massimiliano is known for directing such lo-fi additions to… While zombie flicks are a dime a dozen here in the West, the walking dead don’t really occupy the same space in Japanese horror. Not to say that there have… No Escape is a 1994 American action sci-fi, based on the novel The Penal Colony written by Richard Herley. The novel was adapted to the screen by Michael Gaylin and… The Abandoned is a 2006 horror thriller, written and directed by Nacho Cerdá with additional writing from Karim Hussain and Richard Stanley. Mostly known as a director of shorts and… The Sound of Summer (2022) is a disturbing and suffocating Japanese body horror, written and directed by the UK-born creator Guy (Guy Pearce). Although this film is his debut feature-length…
Schoolgirl Apocalypse (2011) Film Review – School’s Out Forever
Satan Claus (1996) Film Review – Won’t You Join My Slaying Tonight?
Undertaker (2012) Film Review – Digging the Undead
No Escape (1994) Film Review – Big Budget Blockbuster with a B-Movie heart
The Abandoned (2006) Film Review – Abandon All Hope
The Sound of Summer (2022) Film Review- Horror in Crescendo
Hey there, I’m Jim and I’m located in London, UK. I am a Writer and Managing Director here at Grimoire of Horror. A lifelong love of horror and writing has led me down this rabbit hole, allowing me to meet many amazing people and experience some truly original artwork. I specialise in world cinema, manga/graphic novels, and video games but will sometime traverse into the unknown in search of adventure.