User Reviews

though I was generally aware of his "performance masochism." I met Bob as a very bright, gifted poet during the early 1970s. I was in my 30s and finishing my post-doc psych internship at the MH Clinic serving Watts and South Central LA. Bob's Cystic Fibrosis was unremarkable to me insofar as my cerebral palsy was, presumably, unremarkable to him. Writing was Bob's fulltime gig. I had hopes of "quitting my daytime gig" - head-shrinking - when/if my own writing ever supported my family. Bob and I were cordial, never close. I admired and, occasionally, envied Bob.

I forced myself to see the movie. It works. Masochism discomforts me in the extreme - yet Bob remains clear, kind articulate as ever. His 'dominitrix' comes across similarly. The truly chilling moments of "Sick" are Bob Flanagan's mother during her brief moments on camera.

Rest well, Bob.

Documentary about writer and performance artist Bob Flanagan who died at 43 of cystic fibrosis. His life was indicated by pain from the beginning and he started to develop sadomasochistic practices, which he developed finally into performances.

Flanagan is featured in the widely banned music video for the song "Happiness in Slavery" by Nine Inch Nails. This is how he was first known to me, and I became interested in him as part of 1990s counter-culture (if such a thing exists). I was aware of this documentary, but never saw it until now (2014).

Roger Ebert reviewed the film quite favorably and said it "is one of the most agonizing films I have ever seen" and Flanagan "was a wry, witty, funny man who saw the irony of his own situation." That is, indeed, what makes it special. A dying man who hurts himself is interesting, but Flanagan has a certain level of charisma that makes him simultaneously revolting and alluring.

I could barely take my eyes off this thoroughly demented movie, except for the parts where I absolutely _had_ to. Flanagan was definitely a crazy man, by all standard measures, but had a sort of bizarre integrity about his approach to life, as unique as that approach was.

Not a good movie for the squeamish, or even for those who don't think they're squeamish. _Alien_ did not prepare you for Bob Flanagan.

I had the chance to see this movie at the First Annual NYC S/M Film Festival in October 2000.

The movie depicts a very honest view of his enthusiasm in Consensual Sado-Masochism and other BDSM activities. Not only did Bob Flanagan engage in BDSM as a performance artist, but he also engaged in it as part of his lifestyle. Viewers should be advised, that there are some very extreme presentations of Consensual Sado-Masochism in this film.

Throughout the documentary, we see very revealing interactions between him and his Dominant "Mistress" Rose, and we are shown a very healthy and loving relationship which is centered around a BDSM lifestyle.

While I would assert that Bob's lifestyle was healthy, it's very clear that as a sufferer of Cystic Fibrosis, his health was never good. Even though a diagnosis of CF, usually means a death sentence by the time a person reaches their early 20's, Bob Flanagan lived an amazing and eccentric life until his 40's.

This documentary can go from absolute joy to utter sadness in a few seconds. Despite his sickness, and his impending death, Bob Flanagan lived with an incredible zest for life, love, and Masochism.

That's not only a theme of this movie, it's part of the lyrics that self-proclaimed (and with good reason)"super-masochist" Bob Flanagan cheerfully sings at a lecture/performance-he did a pretty witty re-working of the "Supercalafraga..."etc song from Mary Poppins. Did I mention he's wearing a little costume including a cape when he performs it? Yep, Bob Flanagan had a pretty good sense of humor. That was one of the pleasant surprises of this movie. When I first heard about this movie, all I heard about was the hammer scene. I also had skimmed the RE-search book, and looking at some of the really extreme mutilations to areas of his body I would rather not name, I actually figured he was slightly disturbed. I'm pretty liberal and am of the opinion that what 2 consenting adults do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else against their will, is their own business. I thought, because of his CF combined with this serious torture that he either was suicidal or hated himself. I also wondered about his relationship with his dominant/lover/partner of 15 years, Sheree Rose, hoping that it was loving and she wasn't just using him. I was glad that this movie proved my pre-conceived notions wrong. This is a very intelligent, sane, witty, talented, likable, and above all, VERY brave guy who happened to enjoy being beaten and tortured sexually. The movie explains-without preaching- that he actually gained strength from his activities. (according to statistics, most CF sufferers die in their 20's. He lived till his early 40's (actually a record)and says his sex life kept him going. He figured for one thing, he had nothing to lose. For another thing, CF is a very painful disease, and he chose to use S&M as a way to take control of his pain and disease. If you find this a hard idea to understand, or are curious, I highly recommend this movie. This has been said before, but I don't recommend it if you're squeamish. I'm jaded, but I had to look away a few times. Interestingly enough, what I found harder to watch than the notorious Hammer of Love was seeing BF racked with pain, coughing his lungs out, and (I don't think I'm spoiling anything here as the movie opens with Bob good-naturedly writing his own obituary) finally losing his battle with CF. I also didn't think this movie would be so touching. Before the end, I realized he had a very loving relationship with Sheree. Not only are they sexually a perfect match, she is his best friend, soulmate, and care-giver, which is no mean feat. Face it, if you don't love someone, you're not going to be sticking around and helping them expel mucus from their lungs on a regular basis. When he starts losing his fight and finally goes to the hospital to die, the scenes of them together, with her gently telling him it's OK to leave her, are some of the most heart-breaking I've ever seen. This is one brave woman. Also, when she's not in her S&M gear, she could easily pass for an kindly elementary school teacher. It's a great contrast to see her tying him up and sticking needles in his groin in one scene, and later to see her rocking and knitting. I was also haunted by the scenes of him dying, the way he looked, and what he said, things that I've heard are very common last words such as, "I never thought this would really happen...this is so weird." Is this a hard movie to watch? Even if graphic depictions of *very* sensitive areas of the body being nailed, pounded, and pierced don't faze you, I cannot imagine anyone who wouldn't be shaken or at least moved watching the later scenes of this man really, literally dying in front of the camera and your eyes. But I'm glad I saw it. My husband, however, loves documentaries, and even talked about seeing the movie when it was in limited release. I made the mistake of telling him about one of the more extreme demonstrations, and now he refuses to see it, no matter how good it is (and he's sat through some pretty nasty stuff). If you're brave and feeling up to it, though, I highly recommend this movie. If you're easily (or even not-so-easily) grossed-out, but have an interest in the life and death of this man, then just cover your eyes during the graphic parts. And when you hear "Hammer of Love" start playing, you may want to take a little stroll out of the room for a minute or two.

This is definitely one of my all time favorite movies. At first glance it looks like one of those movies that might appeal to the 'Faces of Death' crowd or porno fetish lovers, it dealing with S&M and bondage and Bob Flanagan nailing his penis to a board and all, but this is actually a powerful moving insight into the life, and death (he does die in the end) of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist, and one of the longest survivors of cystic fibrosis. The movie delves not only into Bob performance art but also into his personal life, and an interesting life indeed.

This movie is definately not for the squeemish, and does deliver some very bizzarre stuff, and yes it graphically up close shows the nailing th penis in the board. But it's so much more than that. Bob Flanagan was definitely one of the most interesting individuals I can think of, and this movie, I think captures that quality perfectly!

Check it out, if you can find it.

Going into this flick I really didn't know much about Mr. Flanagan. I knew he was obviously a super-masochist (thanks to the DVD cover), and I knew that he was involved in a Nine Inch Nails video. But that's it. When the credits began to roll, you end up with a fantastic idea on who he was and how he lived his life. It's one of the most intimate and best documentaries I've seen.

Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan is a perfect title for this documentary. You discover that Mr. Flanagan does indeed have a hobby that most would consider "sick", but also that Mr. Flanagan suffers from Cystic Fybrosis. A lung disease where the death rate is high and the people who do suffer from it, usually die at a very young age. Truthfully for me, the masochism and the torture play a second fiddle to his life long struggle with cystic fibrosis. Sure seeing his unbelievable sexual performances are truly stunning, but what is more stunning is how he lives his life. Going into this movie I really wasn't expecting such an intimate and touching piece of film. There are some incredibly graphic scenes mixed with fantastic humor, and then there are scenes that display some of the most powerful moments of emotion I've seen on film or in real life.

In a perfect world Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan would be a movie widely seen. It's definitely one of the best documentaries I've ever seen and a movie I'll be recommending for years and years to come.

OK, why the hell would anyone call this documentary "best movie ever"? I don't get it... Besides the fact that Bob Flanagan shows incredible strength in dealing with the cards he has been dealt with and chose to conquer his constant state of pain through S&M this movie didn't give me anything. I don't get S&M and therefor most of the performance stuff was pretty uninteresting to me. I wasn't even disgusted with most of this... maybe I am desensitized due to watching to many "sick" movies. But my problem is that the "Art" of Bob and Sheree is most of the time pretty non-existent and ridiculous. Taping a bunch of facial expressions to the wall, stacking alphabet spelling cubes or doing monitor installations reminds me of cheap school projects and is as uninteresting as the penis nailing and genitalia close ups could shock anyone who is into being shocked anyway.

I never heard of Bob Flanagan before seeing this movie and I have deepest respect for him trying to live a sexually fulfilled life and expressing himself in his state. But as for the documentary ... there is a bonus on the DVD about Sarahs (a girl who meets Bob through the "make a wish" foundation and suffers of a similar illness) fate after the documentary. I think that one is extremely exploitative and voyeuristic and kind of made me ashamed to have watched the documentary itself (even more than the appalling discussion between Bob and Sheree after Sarah left). It just gave me two insights... I too felt that the deathbed scenes were the hardest to take in this movie and as much as everyone talked about an ugly penis being nailed I really wonder if its me or most of the other people here being desensitized. And secondly Sarahs Husband pretty much sums it up when he says "Don't watch sick... I don't get it". Honestly the bonus gave me the impression that everyone involved in the piece was as disappointed with it as myself because even Sarah didn't appear natural.

So much has been said and written about the more sensationalistic and shocking aspects of this movie (yes, he hammers his penis to a board) but very little has been said about what it's REALLY about - the will to survive, and a suprising, moving love story. 'Sick' is one of the most honest movies ever made. Bob Flanagan let's us into his life in a way very few people have. He's a sadomasochist and does things most of us would never conceive of doing, sure, but by the end of this movie all you can think of is that he was a hell of a nice guy who will be surely missed by his family and friends. The hammer scene is unforgettable but much more confrontational are the scenes of Bob's death. These alone make this movie unique and truly impossible to forget. I strongly recommend this powerful movie to everyone with an open mind and heart.

I was fortunate enough to watch this in an intimate setting with an introduction by Kirby himself. I have never responded so much to a move than this one.

I gave it a 10 because i could not find anything the movie lacked. The way it portrayed the main character, Bob Flanagan, in such a real way was just good. It didn't sway from the point, it didn't have useless commentary like other documentary style movies, and it wasn't ever, ever boring. The vivid images that go uncensored on the screen will make you cringe, laugh, and cry all within a few moments. I am glad i took the time to see this. Rent it soon.

I have loved the film, and the ending poem provoked an unstoppable crying to me.

I just have one small wish (Wish Foundation do you hear me?), that the character of Sheree was as well and as in depth portrayed during the film as Bob's. There are some parts that I would love to know more about her, and also with how she coped with Bob's death and continued after that. But then again, this was a film about Bob anyway, right?

Thank you all for this amazing, heart-breaking, rebel and honest documentary.

Much love Maria

I made the mistake of cooking up a hamburger to eat while I watched this movie - very bad idea. See it on an empty stomach. When I rented this I was not even aware that the subject of the film was dying (I thought it said the life and *times* of...). I rented it primarily for the shock value. I had heard that it has a scene which "beats the opening shot in The Andalusian Dog". After viewing the movie, I'm not quite sure which scene that is a reference to, because pretty much every scene in the film beats it, on the level of shock and disgust. Anyway, I was very surprised to see that this is actually a very sad and profound movie. Also very saddening was the whole thing about the make-a-wish foundation girl.

This film tells the story of a weird couple who produce modern "art". Their "art" is slightly more advanced than smearing poop on a canvas and framing it, but just barely. It's crude, boring, pretentious, and bland.

The people who view their "art" at their exhibitions and who are fans of the couple are presumably similarly "sick". There is a cultural sickness that this couple are exemplifying.

The couple are not particularly interesting. Furthermore, I doubt the sincerity of what we see before the camera as they are making a documentary about themselves and they do not come across as very authentic.

Ultimately, the film is another of their pieces of "art", and it's not much different from their other pieces of "art" which are featured within the film. It's an amateur piece which is fairly lacking in any value, other than as a glimpse into the sickness of modern art and the niche that they happen to fit into.

Rarely there is a movie that can in equal measures make you want to cry and embrace the power of love, while at the same time reach for the sick bag. Yet Sick, Kirby Dick's powerful documentary of sadomasochistic performance artist and poet Bob Flanagan, achieves this to a quite startling effect, taking us through his art career, his often bizarre sexual practices, his relationship with partner/dominator Sheree Rose, and his battle with cystic fibrosis. Dick juxtaposes Flanagan's lust for pain and humiliation alongside his crippling disease, which often left him hospitalised for days on end, and what eventually killed him.

Personally, I'm all for people doing whatever makes them tick (as long as it's legal), and if someone gets turned on by someone inserted a large silver ball up their arse, then crack on. But for us with 'normal' sexual preferences, sadomasochism can seem a strange act, especially for someone suffering from an incurable disease. What is remarkable about Sick is the sensitivity in which Dick handles the subject, never patronising and mis-portraying Flanagan, yet showing his acts for what they are - squirm-inducing, but undeniably fascinating - and above all else, it is clearly a tower of strength for Flanagan, a way to control his body while his disease slowly destroys it.

Admittedly, his somewhat simplistic art left a lot to be desired, but it is in his writing where he comes alive. Seen in archive clips playing guitar and singing, Flanagan is so endearing due to his sense of humour. He knows the world saw him as a freak, but he embraced it, turned it into art, and is still one of the longest-living sufferers of CF. But beneath all the chains, scars and piercings lay a warm human being, and as his disease overwhelms him, we have to witness his slow death in front of his partner Sheree. The 'Hammer of Love' scene, in which Flanagan hammers a nail into the end of his penis, will have you covering your eyes in horror, but it is Bob's final moments that will linger in the memory as he stares up at his love, taking his harsh, final breathes. Simply amazing, heart-breaking documentary film-making.

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Very few movies make me simultaneously cry and laugh throughout their entire length. This is a story of a disabled person who lived more than most non-disabled folks - and he made damn sure the others would learn about it without any censoring.

It is touching, it is funny - and above all, it is human.

People like Bob Flanagan should not just be remembered - they should be celebrated.

PS: For the fans of Nine Inch Nails, it is Bob Flanagan who played the part in the notorious Happiness in Slavery music video.

What more can I add? Not for the faint of heart. I am glad I didn't actually spend money to rent this terrible thing. I am only sorry that I cannot get that hour and a half of my life BACK! Do not waste your time unless you enjoy being nauseated. Many people hail this terrible documentary, but I find it to be indulgent and depraved. To (mis)quote my idol, Mink Stole as Peggy Gravel in "Desperate Living," I have never found the antics of deviants to be one bit amusing!

This documentary, put together by film-maker Kirby Dick, focuses on Bob Flanagan, not only an extreme masochist, but also a cystic fibrosis sufferer who managed to live to 43, a record-breaking age for the disease. His way of dealing with the disease was to focus on his pain in other ways. Yes, this film is not for the squeamish (although the only UK TV showing I'm aware of did remove the most graphic sequence), but what comes through is the simple courage of this man who chose to deal with his life in his own way, with the help of his devoted partner, Sheree Rose.

There is a particularly chilling sequence involving a young girl who sees Flanagan as a hero; while some other bits are incredibly touching - his 'poem' describing his condition and solution; the sequences following his death; and funny - 'Forever Lung'. You really should see this documentary, if only for its total honesty and openness in showing the reality of this crazy, but brave person. It will stay in your mind a long, long time.