Review: La Petite Mort 2: Nasty Tapes

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

La Petite Mort 2: Nasty Tapes (aka La Petite Mort II)
Directed by Marcel Walz;
Matador Film; Bogatzki-movie.com Movie Production;
Unearthed Films; MVD Visual
90 minutes, 2014 / 2023
www.facebook.com/la.petite.mort.2/
www.unearthedvideo.com
https://mvdb2b.com/s/LaPetiteMort2NastyTapes/UN-1149

This is the second chapter of this German transgressive cinema directed by goremaster Marcel Walz (who as since moved and started filming in Los Angeles). In the first installment, the yucky stuff was handled by Olaf Ittenbach, who is absent this time. Still, I have no doubt that will not slow down the ultraviolence. Again, the film is in German with English subtitles. But honestly, I get the feeling, the libretto is not going to matter as much as the visual. The gore effects this time are handled by The Gruesome Twosome, and Megan and Ryan (d. 2019) Nicholson. A cult SFX wizard, Ryan also directed the likes of the Gutterball franchise, Hanger (2009), and Star Vehicle (2010). 

In the first piece, LaPetite Mort, released in 2009 (though taking place in 1998), we are introduced to the Masion La Petite Mort in Frankfurt, where travelers are tortured for the deep web viewing pleasure, as well as an opportunity for rich people to fill their violent fantasies (a la the Hostel franchise), but online. Honestly, I would not be surprised if this actually happens, but as I have never been on the dark web and have no intentions of doing so, I will never know, nor do I want to see that.

Yvonne Wolke, Annika Strauss

The new owner of La Petite Mort is sexually amorphous Monsieur Matheo Maxime (Mika Metz; d. 2017), with his two hench – er – women, brunette Dominque (Annika Strauss), who returns from the first film, and blonde Monique (Yvonne Wölke). Both could have been in the video for the Divinyls’ song “Pleasure and Pain.” They are aided by others, such as the Sexy Nurses (Gabriela Wirbel and Nicole Neukirch), the well-named Eva Brown (Bea La Bea), and Matheo’s wife, Jade (Micaela Schäfer).

In the first film, we are introduced to some tourists who end up at the Jail Bar, and how they end up in Masion La Petite Morte, as well as the follow-up. Here, there is no context, just torture broken up into segments that have title cards such as “Sushi Time” with info on the victim, and how much someone is paying to have them eviscerated. As Ralph Kramden may say, “Pins and needles, needles and pins…” Victims are of both sexes, so there is that. There are also “between” segments with testimonials from happy customers who either paid for the chance to kill, or do the body work themselves. And all of it on camera.

Micalea Schafer, Mika Metz

Much of it is from the perspective of the Web cameras, so it is nearly found footage style, but there is also some “backstage” drama with Matheo and the women who work for him. Even this internal tension is caught on video, as the characters occasionally look directly at the camera and comment.

A sort of by-product of this style is that the person watching this is not just a viewer, but is a participant of the feed.

Gabriela Wirbel, Nicole Neukirch

Stylistically, it is actually shot beautifully, focusing on the faces (or parts thereof) in close-ups of most of the characters, in a darkish, reddish tone. Also, for some reason, there is some clips of Carnival of Souls (1962) and Night of the Living Dead (1968) shown on a monitor (the former also of facial close-ups).

Each set piece has a slightly different feel, such as one called “Gasrechnung” (“Gas Bill”) which has a definite World War II feel, with Eva Brown giving herself a Hitler moustache in blood. Most of this segment is in black and white as in a Leni Riefenstahl-style propaganda film. Interestingly, there is an added censor image over certain parts of the uniforms, which show Nazi iconography. German film: detailed torture permitted, but no symbols of the “fatherland.”

Like Tod Browning in films like Freaks (1932), some odd humans are thrown into the mix, such as The Twins (Barbara and Patrizia Zuchowski). There are also some cool cameos throughout from cult genre filmmakers and/or actors, such as Dustin Mills, Haley Madison, Uwe Bowl, Mike Mendez, Adam Ahlbrandt, and Ryan Nicholson (d. 2019).

Despite splashes (drips?) of laughter in a couple of moments, everyone seems to be unhappy, be it through body dysmorphia, boredom while inflicting pain out of repetition, and of course, the subjects of the sharp objects. This is a pretty joyless film, with minimal humor, though there are some dark moments of it scattered throughout.

The first extra on the Blu-ray is the “Making of La Petite Mort 2” (13 min), which is essentially extended scenes showing more detail of some of the tortures. Then there is an “Alternate Scene” (4 min) that is the “Gas Bill” part, without the edited-out images of the Iron Cross, the “SS” Schutzstaffel logo, and of course the swastika armband (wonder if they ever play Lech Kowalski’s 1980 documentary D.O.A. over there).

The ”Behind the Scenes Gallery” (3 min) is lots of nice shots of the make-up and the cast, and I quite enjoyed it. As for the “Advert” (30 sec), I have no idea what I was looking at. Last, there are a few company trailers, as well as two from this film, and the first La Petite Mort.

As I stated in my review of the first film, “The problem with stories like this, and this is my opinion, is the plot revolves around the action, rather than the action being a result of the story…sometimes it goes beyond what even I can tolerate. If this is your idea of fun, well, please, have at it.”

I realize that this film is a few years old now, but I have to say, the whole premise of strangers being tortured for the pleasure of the rich and/or on the Net for clicks/cash, is becoming a bit cliché, and is merely an excuse for some graphic body horror. Sure, I like a bit of ultraviolence, but my tastes run more to the cartoonish violence, even when explicit, than just someone being tied up and put through the wringer. Also, I like more of a narrative than a string of events. How can one feel anything about any character if there is nothing to bolster the why, other than greed.

 MDB listing HERE

Review: No Escape

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

No Escape (aka Escape from Absolom)
Directed by Martin Campbell
Columbia Tristar; Pacific Western; Platinum Pictures;
Allied Filmmakers; Unearthed Classics; MVD Visual
118 minutes, 1994 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDvisual.com

Doncha just love it when a (relatively) older film is a science fiction that predicts the actual year you are in? Released back in 1994, this film takes place in the far future of 2022 (by coincidence, also the year that the leading actor, Ray Liotta, died). Oh, yeah, 2022 is also the year in which Soylent Green (1973) takes place. Gee, I wonder what that year will be like, and how accurate the storyline will be. Will there be an idiot 45th President? Will there be threats of a civil war by some numbnuts in red hats and blue shirts? Hmmmm. I will start watching, and we can see. Odds are, I will be discussing not only the film, but its depiction of the year in which it takes place.

First of all, this film is a sausage-fest. Yeah, there are no women in the film at all, just macho dudes living a Lord of the Flies meets Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981) life. Y’see, it takes place in a penile – er – I mean penal colony. In the opening placard, it states that all prisons are now privatized, something Obama fought against, and his ruling was overturned by the following Republican administration. This film is getting closer to reality in the first two seconds, though the computers we see are still somewhat cathode-looking as opposed to flat-screens.

Right at the opening credits, in Benghazi (yeah, I know), Libya, Special Forces Capt. J.T. Robbins (Liotta) kills his commanding officer and is sent to the remote, desert enclosed Leviticus Maximum Security Penitentiary, run by Warden (Michael Lerner). He gets there by super-cool monorail, similar in means to the AirTrain JFK that cuts through Queens, NY, to get to the airport. The prison is in the middle of a desert that is reminiscent of Dune (1984; 2000; 2021) landscape.

Ray Liotta

Thanks to a major infraction, Robbins is sent to the remote island of Absolom, where he is a stranger in a strange land. It is lush and beautiful (filmed in New South Wales, Australia), but he will learn he is a tough guy in an unfamiliar world run by convicts, much like Snake Plisskin in Escape from New York (1981), but without Adrianne Barbeau. Robbins is captured by “the Outsiders,” a grungy group led by sociopath Walter Marek (Stuart Wilson), who at first underestimates our anti-hero. This society is close to a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) situation, where only the strong survive, and somehow Marek has the only gun (spears and arrows are the weapon of the day). They have stalled in tribalism and cannibalism when necessary.

After a fun Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) moment, thanks to Marek miscalculating Robbins’ prowess, Robbins escapes into the woods with the entire pack in pursuit. The chase scene through the jungle reminds me a bit of Apocalypto, even though it came out years later in 2006.

After a fall into a river that puts Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) to shame, he ends up in “the Insiders” camp. The viewer can tell this is a good place because of the swell of violins in the soundtrack music. It is run by benevolent The Father (Lance Henriksen) and his Head of Security, Hawkins (Ernie Hudson, who is fighting the Outsiders rather than busting ghosts although, apparently, is still wearing gray clothing). Here, life is communal, with farming and metallurgy to show progress.

If I may digress here for a second, and I am almost done with the exposition (and believe me, there’s a lot of action going on I am not mentioning), you may have noticed that I have been referencing many other films. Well, that is because there is some much built on those other releases, and it is fun to ping-pong back and forth between this and the others. There is even a Spartacus (1960) moment. Sure, there is some originality in this, and Liotta is a great Mad Max/Plisskin substitute, but there was a basic formula to these films (as is true with many releases, especially nowadays) at that time, and it mostly proved effective, though this one cost $20 million, and made $15 million back.

Injured, the angry, non-joiner, anti-authority Robbins is bound to adjust to the Insiders’ life, and even though I am only 30 minutes in, starting Act 2, I am willing to bet a dollar that at some point, the 600 Outsiders and the 100 Insiders will do battle, with Special Forces Robbins leading the defense.

You really can tell this is a big budget extravaganza (though they ran out of cash near the end), relative to the many films I am used to reviewing these days. Along with the stunning sets (especially the Insider’s camp), the action in Act 2 is larger than the entire budget of many other films. This is not telling anyone anything that is not obvious. In fact, one of the raids reminds me of the renegades attacking the fort, mid-The Road Warrior.

Liotta, Stuart Wilson

You will find a lot of Mel Gibson references in this review, a man I personally despise, but beyond that, The Road Warrior is a film I can watch over and over. And there is certainly a Mad Max moment when Robins tells The Father that himself knows how to help, in the same way Max boasts (rightfully), “You wanna get out of here, you talk to me.”

I believe part of the reason why this film has so many fans and has achieved cult level love, is that is really is action packed, with many scenes of action. Liotta does well as an action hero (he wanted to find out what it was like to be one, and he succeeded), as does his underling/comic relief Casey (Kevin Dillon). A nod should also go to Wilson, who plays the evil yet gallant and highly talkative Sherriff of Nottingham or Hans Gruber type character. As for Henriksen, well, the man makes you forget he’s acting, and while Liotta is superb as always, Henriksen still managed to hold his own, if not more so; why is he not on the poster instead of Dillon, who is okay, but he’s no Lance. The SFX, all practical, are a lot of fun, with explosions, and some surprisingly gory deaths. The make-up and wardrobe are done by the same person who did The Road Warrior, and it shows (meant as a compliment).

There are many anachronistic moments here and there, such as how did the Insiders get all the crossbows? Bow and arrows I can understand, but that is a technology that cannot bd found on an isolated island. And what do they eat? Okay, the Outsiders delve into cannibalism, but you see some turkeys and pigs being harvested in the Insiders’ camp. Where did they come from? It is clear both camps eat rats. And where did the Outsiders get their body armor? They do not have the technology nor the source material where they are stranded. But I’m willing to give up some suspension of disbelief, because It is a fun film. But I’m still aware

Lance Henriksen (left), Ernie Hudson (right)

As for extras, at nearly 2 hours, as much fun as the film was, I was glad there was no full-length commentary. What we do have is still a plethora of material. To begin with, there is “Welcome to the Future: The Sci-Fi Worlds of Gale Anne Hurd” (17 min), a new for this Blu-ray interview with producer Hurd, who worked for Roger Corman on films like Humanoids from the Deep (1980), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), for which she hired James Cameron, and then on to such now-classics of the likes of The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). Obviously, she also produced No Escape. A storied career, and an interesting monologue, and lots of clips.

“Survival of the Fittest: Directing No Escape”(13 min), a new interview with filmmaker Martin Campbell, who would go on to direct the likes of James Bond’s Goldeneye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006), as well as Green Lantern (2011). He has a decent sense of humor, and his stories are fun to which to listen. “Penal Colony: Writing No Escape”(7 min), is a new interview/monologue with co-writer Joel Gross. Which is okay for a one-time listen.

For older material, there is vintage featurettes, starting with “Making of Escape from Absolom” (21 min), the shooting title of the film. It includes on-set interviews with most of the major cast and crew, and is informative about the production. Actually, I enjoyed this one more than the previous three interviews. There is a second Making Of featurette (6 min) that seems to be untitled. It is very similar to the previous one, also shot on set, but is much shorter.

Lastly, there is the “Alternate Intro” (2 min), which is extremely similar to the one used in the film, just less “stylized.” Honestly, either one would have worked. Last are the original theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a photo gallery.

With one last reference, the big surprise for me is that, in some ways, this is a Christmas movie in the same way as Die Hard (1988).

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

 

Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki (aka Shiryô no wana 2: Hideki)
Directed by Izo Hashimoto
Japan Home Video (JHV); Unearthed Classics; MVD Visual
97 minutes, 1992 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDvisual.com/
Before I begin this review in earnest, let us do a bit of house cleaning. First of all, this film is not actually connected to Evil Dead Trap (1981), per se. They have different writers and the director for Hideki is actually better known for writing the screenplay for the classic Japanese anime film, Akira (1988). And rightfully so.

That being said, there are some slim thematic similarities between the two Trap films. Both involve a television reporter/personality, and the other is that of a mysterious child whose origin is unknown: is it real? Imaginary? An evil spirit as in Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)? Though it may seem like slim connections, I would bring up, for example, how many of the more that 100 Amityville-titled films actually have anything to do with The Amityville Horror (1979)? It should be said, though, that Hideki is the name of the furtive child in both Evil Dead Trap releases.

There are three main characters here. First up is Aki Ôtani (Shoko Nakajima), who works as a film projectionist in a theater. She is dumpy and plumpy, preferring to be by herself, though is incredibly lonely at the same time. Her friend is television reporter and ex-pop idol, Emi Kageyama (Rie Kondoh), an ambitious and outgoing personality, but is also lonely in her own way, finding meaningless sex momentarily fulfilling. She is also obsessed with watching herself on television, via tape. Then there is Kurahashi (Shirô Sano), who is married to Noda (Kazue Tsunogae). And floating somewhere in the fringes of reality or fantasy is the titular Hideki (Shôta Enomoto).

Aki has a split personality, we quickly learn. The frumpy loner, and the red dressed serial killer who murders young women and rips out their ovaries with shears. You heard me. Or is she? Though at first we do not see the actual killings in detail (but hidden in arty camerawork which I will discuss later), but the aftermath is shown in quite gory details. Hey, remember, this is an Unearthed Films rerelease.

Meanwhile, Aki keeps seeing a child in the audience of her theater, and Kurahashi and Noda are waiting for their real or imagined child (demon?), Hideki. Kurahashi is a lothario, screwing around with Emi and promising to bed Aki. Most likely there are others, but let’s focus on the events, now that we have the exposition.

According to a psychic, Kan-nadzuki Chiyo (Shino Ikenami), Aki’s psychic powers are stronger than hers, and warns her not to let it control her. But as we have already seen, the other side of Aki shows that it may be too late. But Hideki’s power and influence may go beyond Aki.

I have to, as always, be honest with you. I have watched this twice now, and I have no fucking idea what the hell was going on by the second half. Was there some really good gore? Yes. Was there some really interesting violence? Yes. Did the story make any sense after the halfway mark? Hell, no. I knew what was going on in the moment, visually, but as for the overall arch of the story, I was lost. Perhaps this would make more sense if I was raised in the Japanese culture in a way I am unfamiliar, sort of like all the subtle wolf imagery in The Howling (1981), e.g., a big bad wolf cartoon on the television, which may be lost on other cultures.

I do have to say, the cinematography by Osamu Fujiishi is nothing short of astounding. Overwhelming neon city lights (nearly a cliché in Asian cinema these days), silhouettes, and shadows, play into the characters’ emotions so well. There were a couple of times I played back a certain scene because it looked so good. The editing was a bit choppy (no pun intended) here and there, with a few rough jump cuts, but I am guessing that was meant to be unnerving, and was probably intentional.

Surprisingly for a Blu-ray, there are only two extras, a Stills Gallery, and a bunch of trailers, including the two Evil Dead Trap releases.

 One could consider this Asian Extreme, I guess, but it does not match up to some of the classics, by the likes of Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999). However, I have heard this film compared to the likes of those by David Lynch and Dario Argento. I can see that. There are lots of weird goings on, strange angles, artsy visuals, and a convoluted story.

 If you liked Evil Dead Trap, I would recommend piggy-backing and seeing this as well right after, and then, perhaps, explain it to me.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Premutos: The Fallen Angel (2-Disc Extended Director’s Cut)

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Premutos: The Fallen Angel (aka Premutos: Der gefallene Engel)
Directed by Olaf Ittenbach
IMAS Filmproducktion; Unearthed Classics; MVD Entertainment
106 minutes, 1997 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDentertainment.com

As I said when I reviewed the only other film by Bavarian writer/director Olaf Ittenback that I have seen in its entirety, No Reason (2010), his films are basically bat-shit crazy, and I wanted to see this one because of that, rather than in spite of it. This is the “Director’s Cut” of the film, which is longer and has never before been released in North America. More bizarre for the buck.

For this story, the basis of which is told in narrative form over the credits and lots of bloody violence throughout history shown, the titular Premutos is a fallen angel older than Lucifer, who had power over the dead, with instructions on how to raise the deceased. One man in 1943 uses it to try and revive his dead wife and others who become flesh-gobbling zombies, while villagers with torches search for the madman. This is all presented in a 20-minute prologue before our actual story starts. There is already more blood and gore than most slasher films put together.

Ella Wellmann, André Stryi

The protagonist to start, in the modern era, is ne’er-do-well man-child Matthias (the director, Ittenback), who lives with his S&M-interested sister, Rosina (Heike Münstermann) his mom Inge (Ingrid Fischer), and his military-obsessed, Nazi-era-loving father, Walter (Christopher Stacey, who is arguably too young for the role, but what the Hölle). The latter, while digging up his garden for a plant, finds the hidden potion for raising Premutos. Meanwhile, Matthias is having flashbacks to previous lives during the Plague-ridden 13th Century and in Russia for the Battle for Stalingrad during World War II, among other periods, where he was reincarnated as the son of the titular Fallen Angel, each time meeting a bloody and painful end.

Coming to visit for Walter’s birthday party is Matthias’ sister Tanja (Ella Wellmann), who has been away in China, and has been mooning over a lost love, Hugo (André Stryi), now married to spoiled, comic relief Edith (Anke Fabré). They also show up at Walter’s party. Meanwhile, Matthias has some of that Premutos potion spilled on his…sensitive area, so you know that’s not going to be good for the people at the party, but most likely joyous for the viewer.

Olaf Ittenbach

As Matthias transforms into…well, is it the son of Premutos or Premutos himself? – it could be both; given how much Christian myth is also in the story, since Jeebus and “his father” are different but one in the same according to some versions of the Biblical story – he becomes increasingly violent and ugly (reminding me a bit of Rawhead Rex with less of a make-up budget), and the dead rise up from the mortuary to attack the living, including in pub (where someone is wearing a Ramones shirt with the circle design created by Arturo Vega, d. 2013) and, ‘natch, Walter’s party. As a side note, when the zombies attack, there is a sole Black guest, the amusingly named Christian (Fidelis Atuma), who makes me think of Night of the Living Dead (1968)

There is an enormous cast here, and the director has certainly stretched his budget to the max, with weaponry, explosions, a tank(!), and just gallons upon gallons of fake blood, relying heavily on practical SFX. Peter Jackson would, indeed, be proud. The zombies look cool, and on occasion, so does Premutos/son. What was free and well spread was the sharp sense of humor

Christopher Stacey

There is a lot of Christian symbolism, including a back-story scene of Jeebus and the crucifixion/resurrection (thanks to the “potion” administered by Mary). No one in the film seems overly religious, but that doesn’t keep it from getting knee-deep in the imagery. Even without the religious iconography, the style of the film reminds me quite a bit of Michael Armstrong’s classic Mark of the Devil (1970). But there is also a strong influence by the Italian giallo films of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, especially The Beyond (1981), with some George A. Romero thrown in for good measure.

There are some fun extras on this Special Edition, including a “Making of Premutos” featurette (50 min.; available in English and German, and also filmed in 1997). There are lots of interviews with the core cast, and especially the director, discussing the motivation of the characters, the philosophy of gore and free speech without getting preachy, and a large focus on the practical SFX, both the good and bad of it, and discussion about the wintery shooting in Prague. The English dubbed version seems to not translate everything, but the gist is easily gotten and it is worth the watch, even at this length.

“Olaf Ittenbach, ‘The Early Years’” (13 min.), is essentially a “Making Of” of Ittenbach’s earliest films, including Deadly Night (Todliche Nacht) from when he was still a teen, and he was still learning and experimenting. With interview commentary by the director, we see scenes that describe what he is discussing; the main focus is on developing his skills as an SFX artist. If these gore effects interest you, this is both a good primer, and it is interesting to see the limitations of the technology at the time compared to now.

There is also the original cut of the film from its initial release available in both German and an English dub international release. Honestly, I did not watch this, but did see the Director’s Cut in its entirely. There are also some Unearthed trailers, including of this one, and a “Photo Gallery.” Also included is a second CD disc of the film’s soundtrack, which is fun.

This certainly was an insane ride, from the beginning right through to the ironic ending. It was more coherent than I was expecting, I’m happy to say, and it certainly lived up to its reputation. It may be aging like wine over time, because it is so worth the experience.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                  

Review: 2LDK

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

2LDK
Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi
DUEL Film Partners; Micott; Times In; Office Crescendo; Unearthed Films; MVD Entertainment
70 minutes, 2003 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDentertainment.com  

I am pretty sure when you see the title of this Japan-made release, you might be scratching your head, unless you are into real estate. It is shorthand for 2 Bedrooms, Living room, Dining room, Kitchen. And that is where the story takes place, in a Tokyo condominium. But this Blu-ray is on the Unearthed Films label, so you know things are going to get complicated and bloody within those four walls.

Eiko Kolke, Maho Nonami

Living within those rooms are two ambitious actors: there is Nozomi (Eiko Kolke) who has a history in local theater, commercials and print modeling, and redheaded Rana (Maho Nonami), a film buff who likes expensive things, and is on the verge of a breakdown. The chief contention, for the purposes of this, is that they are both up for the same part in something called “Yakuza Wives.”

Smartly presented, we see the two women’s relationships on various levels.  First, there is the almost passive aggressive quality as they are polite to each other with little, subtle digs. But here’s where it gets interesting: we also hear their inner thoughts, and neither one of them has anything nice to say about the other. They are petty and determined, and anger is simmering as both are convinced that they are the ones who will get the part.

Yet, there is another contention between the two, and that is vying for the attention of the same man, Takuya Ezaki (Daisuke Kizaki; who does all the phone voices), who is only heard on voicemail. All the onscreen time is with just the duo of Nozomi and Rana.

Things begin to ramp up pretty early as pettiness and jealousy seep ever deeper into the psyche of the two women, as well as a dose of vanity. While Nozomi is a bit of a control freak along the lines of Felix Unger (she initials all the food, both her’s and Rana’s), and Rana is a touch schizophrenic, hearing voices and seeing horrible visions of a past event. The internal rancor that we hear in their inner monologue slowly but surely start to come out in the verbal, building the tension further. And the viewer just knows it can only get worse.

And it does. Taking place all in one night, things escalate to the extreme, with household objects being used to do damage to each other, including decorative swords called Jyuttes, a fire extinguisher, a mini-chainsaw, electrocution, and lots of fisticuffs, among others.

The level of violence goes a bit beyond reality, but is mostly relentless (with some lulls for psychotic conversations or primal screams). Both are surprising in the levels to which they will go to punish the other. Of course, this makes it all the more fun for the viewer. Neither of these women are likeable though both are beautiful, at least at the start. The O. Henry-eque ending is completely fitting for the film.

The film is well shot, employing wise moves to both keep it claustrophobic and seeming like they are as far apart as their personalities. There is even a scene where our two pro-ant-agonists are sitting at a table, and as Rana talks (and Nozomi think-comments), the camera circularly swirls around the table, a style used by Tarantino a few years later in Deathproof in 2007.

Both actors in the film are well seasoned, both before and after this film. They worked extensively in cinema, but mostly appeared – often as regulars – in numerous Japanese television mini-series over the years.  This shows in their performances here, which relies a lot on the range of keeping everything inside to exploding on the outside.

There are a ton of extras on this Blu-ray, though I’m not sure how many are new and which are older. For example, there is a full-length commentary by the two actors that was recorded two years after the filming, so that would be about 2005. It is in Japanese with subtitles. It is amusing that they both snuck out from the same film shoot to come record this commentary. The two women don’t get very deep, but what is interesting is their discussions of the likeability (or lack thereof) of their characters, and almost blow-by-blow of what was happening to them as actors playing those characters as it appears on the screen. They talk about how hard a particular move was, what the cameraman was doing, their level of the flu they had caught, etc.

“The Making of 2LDK” chronicles the 8-day shoot, which was done chronologically. This is a featurette handled professionally to be used for publicity, not just cobbled-together scenes. It is shown day-by-day, and includes interviews, behind the camera scenes of table readings and the like, and is interesting throughout. For the “Duel Production Briefing” is a video of the director talking to his production crew. For festivals, there is a “Video Message for Theatre Audiences,” “Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival Interviews,” and the “Screening at Kudan Kaikan Interviews.”

Along with a “Photo Gallery,” there is a collection of Unearthed Film trailers, including this one, and four other international releases, such as Evil Dead Trap and A Serbian Film. 

While a pretty simple storyline, the film is also a complex mixture of the physical and psychological, both focusing on Rana and Nozomi together, and individually. Rather than two trains passing in the night, they are on a single track, barreling full speed to a head-on collision. And the result is both disturbing and bloody. Right the way it should be, after all.

IMBD Listing HERE   

 

 

Review: Evil Dead Trap

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Evil Dead Trap (aka Shiryô no wana)
Directed by Toshiharu Ikeda
Joy Pack Film; Unearthed Classics; MVD Entertainment
102 minutes, 1988 / 2021
www.Unearthedfilms.com/carronamovie/
www.mvdb2b.com

Japanese extreme cinema has thematically come a long way since this was originally released in 1988. There are still some tropes that are often repeated, such as women abused while wearing schoolgirl uniforms usually by middle aged men, adult stars, and especially torture porn. A good example of this is the infamous gore-spectacle Guinea Pig series, starting by predating this film by half a decade. In fact, a couple of the then-top Japanese adult actors were used in the filming of this movie (much as Marilyn Chambers appeared in 1977’s Rabid and Harry Reems in 1980's Demented).

It is pretty obvious where they lifted the title of this film back in the day, but it is arguable whether there is anything supernatural going on here. An insomnia-plagued late-night talk show host, Nami (Miyuki Ono), receives a VHS snuff tape in the mail, that we get to see in loving, grainy detail. Does she call the cops? Of course not, but rather goes out to investigate. You know how in 1980s films you can spot all the stupid decisions and actions that characters make (e.g., going upstairs instead of out the door)? This one sticks out like a knife in the eye. Oh, yeah, the snuff film…

Miyuki Ono

Nami takes off with the future body count: three other women who are her production team, and a goofy, sexist male assistant director, who calls his superiors “girls.” Gotta love the ‘80s. A slight sidebar here: it may sound like I am talking this movie down, but I am not; part of the fun of this period’s genre films is the sometimes sheer ridiculousness of some of the cultural and cinematic motifs, but it is said by me in a full-smile way. This hindsight really is part of the joy of these gruesome releases. If I have a real problem with something, I will certainly let you know, so in the meanwhile, please know the basis of the snark.

The video tape leads our intrepid-but-not-so-wise group to an abandoned military base (filmed at Camp Drake, a deserted since the 1970s US Army/Air Force quarters, in Saitama, Japan) from 1956 says a sign, which is not on the map (of course). And what’s our group to do once they get there? Why lift and separate into two groups of two, with Nami off on her own. They seem to repeatedly rejoin and cleave into individuals roaming around the expansive space, down long corridors or into booby-trapped rooms.

Yuji Honma

The base setting is actually superb, if you are fascinated by abandoned buildings as I am. It is incredibly atmospheric and creepy as hell with dusky rooms, boarded windows, old furniture and equipment. You can just feel the destitution practically reeking off the screen, and the anticipation for the violence to come. And come it does. A perfect setting for a torture abattoir. Dark shades mixed with flashes of color make it a labyrinth of decay and death.

While the kills are violent, I would not categorize it as torture porn. Most of the butchery is pretty quick (albeit explicit) and not lingering.

While all hell breaks loose in malevolent ways, there are also some interesting characters floating around the base that show up at unexpected times. such as a relatively stoic man, Daisuke (Yuji Honma), who is in search of his younger brother, a man who is being systematically tormented and ordered to kill to be free, and the mysterious masked and hooded parka-wearing killer himself.

This all sets up for a third act of mano e majer, or I guess, otoko tai on’na. Throughout the film, Nami shows an interest – if not attraction – to the mindset of the mentality that would cause such a wave of nasty behavior. This helps set up the final extended showdown that is both psychological and physical, and by far the most interesting part, even though it is pretty obvious early on who is the killer and certain aspects of his behavior. That is not to say this is the only segment that will keep the viewer riveted, but the build-up is worth the nail-biting wait.

Booby-traps abound, and one might wonder if this was possibly an inspiration for the Saw franchise, especially the first one, but as with most proto-films, the ideas are there, just not as detailed in their execution, though bloody enough. And by the end, you could easily sing, “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.”

Of course, I won’t give away the ending, but while I had a close approximation of where the story was going, it certainly took a left turn that could have been influenced by the likes of David Cronenberg or Frank Hennenlotter that I did not expect, I am happy to say.

I cannot emphasize how beautiful this film is shot by cinematographer Masaki Tamura and edited by Akimasa Kawashima. The visuals are stunning, with artistic (yet not heavy handed) elan, close-ups, and the occasional (and sped up) blue-filtered monochrome. It seems a bit ahead of its time, and is jaw-droppingly framed. The gore is plentiful, of course, and looks amazing, unsurprisingly, handled by Shin’ichi Wakasa (who has also done special effects for Godzilla and Mothra films since the 1990s). This is overlaid by a repetitive and eventually annoying electronic soundtrack that reminds me of the Italian giallo films of the period.

Extras on the 4K Blu-ray include three full-length commentaries. The first is by director Toshiharu Ikeda (d. 2010) and SPFX Manager Shinichi Wakasa (badly dubbed into English) from the mid-2000s, which is somewhat sparsely discussed, mostly innocuous anecdotes about the filming, rather than deep meanings. I jumped around a bit on this one after about 30 minutes. Next is by filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake, director of films like Gun Woman (2014). It is contemporary and in English, and much more in-depth and interesting than the previous one.  The last is with James Mudge (English), of the Website easternkicks.com. Mudge not only tells anecdotes about the film, but also places it in the context of Asian Cinema – especially Japanese – writ large.

There is also a contemporary featurette, “Trappings of the Dead: Reflecting on a Japanese Cult Classics” (19 min.; English), focusing on cinema academic and author Calum Waddell. He shows both the influences of other films that led to this one, and how Evil Dead Trap has influenced others that followed, dropping dozens of names and others such as some of the ones I mentioned above, and the likes of Dario Argento and Oliver Stone. Also, he puts the film in context of Japan’s relatively modern history, from its role in World War II and the post-atomic period. Then there is the Storyboards, Behind the Scene Stills, Promotional Artwork, and a few Unearthed Trailers, including for this film.

In 1992, there was a sequel of sorts to this release, Evil Dead Trap 2 (aka Shiryô no wana 2: Hideki) that perhaps will be a future Unearthed Films release. I would definitely watch it, though it was directed by Izô Hashimoto, rather than Ikeda.

 

Review: Star Vehicle

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Star Vehicle (aka Bleading Lady)
Directed by Ryan Nicholson
Plotdigger Films; New Image Entertainment; Unearthed Films; MVD Visual
76 minutes, 2010 / 2021
www.plotdigger.com/movies/hanger-2009/
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDVisual.com

Apparently, Unearthed Films – one of my fave labels at the moment for both its original content and reissues – has purchased the hardcore gore films of the late Vancouver director, Ryan Nicholson (d. 2019, way too young of natural causes). Nicholson’s love of the ‘80s slashers is evident here right from the start, be it the tone of the film, and even the synth score over the credits.

Dan Ellis

As with the recently released Hanger (reviewed HERE), this film also stars Dan Ellis, as Donald Q. Cardini, who stole every scene he was in during Hanger, and not just because of the prosthetic nose. One of the things the opening prologue scene made me think of is the multitude of videos available on YouTube about abusive Lyft and Uber passengers. For this film, Don is a driver for a movie company, shuttling cast and crew from accommodation to location, and back. His take on these privileged back seaters is certainly a fantasy of drivers, on occasion, I’m sure.

As grumpy as Donnie is, he is smitten by Reversa Red (Sindy Faraguna), “the Scream Queen,” who has an unknown stalker lurking about. He knows all about her life and career, and is super protective of her, even smashing a friend and fellow driver’s (Mike Li) face into a fence for suggesting he’d like to…well, you know. Don is egocentric and a buttinsky, needing to make his presence known, even if it means lipping off Luke (Nathan Durec), the newbie indie director of the film within the film (meta-film). I was wondering if she is a metaphorical or ideological stand-in for Debbie Rochon, the star of Ryan’s previous release.

Sindy Faraguna

He spends a lot of time on set, as we watch the director shooting his low-budget horror flick. This leads to some very dry humor that can be appreciated by the viewer, if they have been on a similar set, or not. The meta-film shooting of the horror epic are some of my favorite parts. Thing is, you can guess this is actually what it is really like on some sets, with some bad acting and minimal accommodations, including food.

There are some good action scenes (i.e., kills) throughout the first two acts as Don gets more and more deranged, reminding me of other nutty overly enthusiastic fanboy films, like The Fan (1981), The Fan (1996), or The King of Comedy (1982). Being an aspiring filmmaker with no direction or means, who is watching shoddy work, along with the presence of his idol, Don snaps, which affects Reversa, her co-star Sienna (cute Erindera Farga), the make-up person Jenny (Paige Farbacher), and Luke. Assisting Don on camera to film the debacle is the “Lodge Boy” (Nick Windebank). The latter becomes a willing accomplice to the mayhem.

Of course, things get increasingly erratic and especially bloody as these filmmakers get caught up in the vision of a maniac. I will not, of course, go into detail, and ruin the joy for the new viewer. Let’s just say, as this is a Ryan Nicholson release, that things are not all smooth sailing.

The thing is, most of the characters, with some exceptions (such as Luke), are actually likeable, and even with little to no backstory on any of them, it is easy to feel some sympathy for them, which of course makes the kills all that more engaging. There are a lot of prosthetic goodies from the meta-film, but the actions of Don feel more visceral, even if they too, in reality are compositions, like in Hanger, created magnificently by Michele Grady.

It is pretty easy to figure out who the stalker is, though, which is a nice ribbon-and-bow tied on the story that made a really nice soup with all the bits coming together. There are still plenty of surprises that pop up and can make the viewer go, “oh, I was not expecting that!” or admire how even some well-worn tropes are used (stalker) to an advantage.

Though I do not have the disk, some of the extras will include an archival full-length commentary with the director and lead actor Dan Ellis, “On the Set of Star Vehicle” presented by Left Coast TV, “Behind the Wheel of Bleading Lady,” a “Making Of” featurette, “Make-up Students + Acting Students,” Deleted Scenes and Alternative Opening, opening at Splatterfest at the Plaza Theatre, a photo gallery, and the trailer. The discs are available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Unearthed Films and MVD Entertainment at the links near the top. 

While I do not believe this is one of Nicholson’s strongest works that I have seen to date, it’s still heads over many others from either that period or even some that are being released now. I am sad that Nicholson died so early because he could have easily outshone some majors like Eli Roth, and many of his films have done just that; they just haven’t been recognized as such yet because of his passing. Unearthed re-releasing his catalog will hopefully shed more light on his fine work. Think of the early releases by Cronenberg and Peter Jackson; you know how some say, “His early works were amazing even though they were cheesy at times, but you could see the brilliance there”? Nicholson never got past that beginning point, so we will never know what kind of The Fly or Lord of the Rings opus he might have eventually given us. For now, thanks to Unearthed, we have the opportunity to enjoy what we have.