Sound the Alarm: Dogtooth Locks the Doors Again—And Cinema Nerds Are Losing It
Yorgos Lanthimos just broke the internet (again). The 4K re-release trailer for his cult mind-bender Dogtooth—yes, the one where a family's “protection” plan goes straight-up dystopian—dropped this week, and Film Twitter is already clutching its pearls.
The opening salvo: “If you stay inside, you are protected.” Sounds wholesome. Then you remember: this is Lanthimos at his most unhinged, years before The Favourite and Poor Things drenched the arthouse world in surreal chaos. We're talking about a film that cages three grown siblings so completely, childhood becomes a prison sentence—micromanaged by a patriarch whose vibe is equal parts Greek tragedy, basement-dwelling Doomsday Prepper, and Michael Haneke on a tab of acid.
Date with Destiny: Mark June 20th—or Hide Under the Bed
This isn't just a shameless nostalgia cash-grab—it's summer's most deranged litmus test for new audiences. Dogtooth's 4K restoration drops June 20th courtesy of Kino Lorber, with more cities rolling out all summer. Just in time for the “let's argue about whether this is art or psychological torture” festival, a.k.a. every film blog's favorite season. If you survived Saltburn or Kinds of Kindness, gird your loins—Oscar and Cannes never saw this coming.
Why Now? Because No One Else Dares
Here's the kicker: Not content with simple upscaling, the restoration is a full-on resurrection—rebuilt from 35mm negatives, with color and sound polished like an heirloom knife. Lanthimos himself supervised it. This isn't palm-sweaty nostalgia; it's a provocation. Imagine The Truman Show, but instead of Jim Carrey mugging for the cameras, you get Greek siblings brainwashed into believing cats are monsters, flying fish are fables, and sex is a household chore.
And, oh, the details: According to interviews with cinematographer Thimios Bakatakis, the washed-out palette and clinical framing were intended to make the family's insanity look “almost soothing—then you notice the cracks.” Like watching Martha Stewart assemble a Molotov cocktail. (“Restoration interview,” Cineuropa, 2024)
Historical echo: Remember when Michael Haneke's Funny Games (1997, 2007) left audiences arguing if screen violence was meant to critique society—or just traumatize the popcorn? Dogtooth ignites that debate anew, but with Lanthimos' signature cocktail of deadpan menace and bubble-wrap absurdity. “Greek Weird Wave” wasn't just a hashtag; it was a dare.
Hidden Truths: The Family Who Gaslights Together, Stays Together
If you thought Joe Exotic was dysfunctional, wait until you meet this family. The mother's complicity? Chilling. The overgrown “kids'” playtime? Cute until the wounds start to bleed. Every smile in this trailer feels like a loaded gun under the tablecloth—a vibe few directors have pulled off without sliding into parody. Yorgos asks: If you grow up in a box, who gets to decide what's real? (Spoiler: It isn't Alexa.)
From a 2021 interview with Lanthimos: “People find it disturbing, funny, sad… I think it's everything at once. That's where cinema should live.” (The Guardian, 2021)
Now Choose: Cult Classic or Cinematic Torture Chamber?
Would you pay to relive this family's fever dream on the big screen, or burn $20 and never risk the nightmares? No judgment. (Okay, a little.) Bonus—tell us if you spot the “cat murder scene” coming in 4K pixel-perfect glory.
