Tom Six, the Dutch filmmaker behind the notorious horror trilogy The Human Centipede, has disclosed that he has been living as a recluse in a darkened Amsterdam apartment for the past six years following a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The revelation comes in his self-produced documentary, The End of Tom Six, which he describes as his final film.
A Diagnosis Kept Hidden
Six, aged 52, was diagnosed with MS in 2020, a neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary widely but can include extreme fatigue, vision and memory problems, muscle cramps, and mobility loss. In the film, Six confesses, “I can’t walk any more, reducing me to worming through my house like [a] fucking gargoyle. I’m a morbid lump of untouchable howling flesh.”
He chose to keep his condition private initially, stating, “I hate being a victim and get pity.” Instead, he describes a daily routine of lying on a Chinese opium bed in silk pyjamas, binge-watching film noir, smoking Havana cigars, and indulging in chicken curry, chocolate mousse, and peanut butter. He only ventures out at night to a nearby cafe for decaffeinated coffee.
A Career Marred by Controversy
The Human Centipede, released in 2009, depicted a mad scientist, played by Dieter Laser, who surgically connects three tourists mouth-to-anus. Despite modest box office returns, the film became a cultural phenomenon, referenced in shows like South Park and The Simpsons. Six followed with two sequels in 2011 and 2015, creating a “movie centipede” that referenced its predecessors.
In 2018, Six released a trailer for The Onania Club, about wealthy women aroused by human suffering, but it failed to secure a distributor. Six blames this failure on what he calls “woke cowardice” and “safe-space crybabies” in the industry, claiming the film was “densely interwoven with references to global elite conspiracies” and would have been “even more of a success than The Human Centipede.”
The Final Film and Its Release
The End of Tom Six is being released on a pay-what-you-want basis on YouTube on 15 August. In it, Six plays both himself and the interviewer, with a “censor nazi” in SS uniform interrupting to highlight scenes needing cuts or trigger warnings. The second half of the film is a diatribe against political correctness in cinema.
Six’s producer, Maartje Willems, issued a statement saying, “The prolonged, extremely stressful battle accelerated his disease and totally ravaged his body up to the point that he is now nearing the end of his life.” The documentary offers an unflinching look at his decline, blending dark humour with stark reality.
Impact and Legacy
While Six’s health has deteriorated, his impact on horror cinema remains significant. The Human Centipede trilogy pushed boundaries, sparking debates on censorship and artistic freedom. His final work serves as both a personal testament and a critique of an industry he feels has abandoned him.
As fans await the release, the documentary promises an intimate, unfiltered portrait of a filmmaker confronting his mortality. Whether it will be seen as a defiant farewell or a bitter rant, The End of Tom Six is set to be a provocative conclusion to a controversial career.
