Synopsis
Bjarne and Svend work together at a small butcher shop in a small Danish town. One day they decide to open their own butcher shop, but potential customers don't even notice their store. After an accident where a worker freezes and dies in the meat locker, the half-crazed Svend carves off the thigh of the dead worker, marinates it, and sells it. Soon after, their marinated meat is the town's favorite and slowly, people passing by the butcher shop disappear one by one. Like other cannibal films, The Green Butchers reminds us of our animalistic side. Although humans see themselves at the top of the food chain, like any of the howling and squawking animals on our table, humans too can become a food source. Also the film shows that the act of murder, considered the worst imaginable act in cultured societies, can become a natual part of our lives. If you only look at the plot summary, the film is a black comedy between The Quiet Family and Delicatessen. However, unlike the excessive visual feast that was Delicatessen or the violent comedy of The Quiet Family, this Danish film is calm and methodical. The Green Butchers shows how easy it is to become a connoisseur of human flesh. If you think about it, just because you're cannibal, doesn't mean you're some kind of sick freak. If can even be considered as an act of love. (Djuna)