Review: Woman of the Photographs

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

Woman of the Photographs (aka Shashin no onna; 写真の女)
Directed by Takeshi Kushida
Motion Picture Exchange; Pyramid Film; Epic Pictures; Dread; MVD Visual
89 minutes, 2020 / 2023
https://epic-pictures.com/film/woman-of-the-photographs
https://womanofthephoto.com/en/
www.MVDVisual.com

Body dysmorphia is a recent buzzword in the news thanks to the attacks on the Trans community. The term, however, is much older, and it has been often used to describe women and more recently men who are not pleased by their own bodies due to seeing, for example, the models in magazines, especially though it is idealistic as many of those images have been digitally enhanced. The desire to appear “picture perfect” is an unrealistic goal and can cause other maladies such as bulimia and anorexia.

In this Japanese release (both English and Spanish subtitles are available), Kai (Hideki Nagai) is a subdued, solitary, early-middle-aged photographer who tends to wear all white (I am guessing as a metaphor for a colorless life). When he is not out in nature snapping pics (he has a fixation with insects, and even has a preying mantis as a pet), he runs a photo shop where he uses his talent of digital manipulation to enhance either old or new photographs for his customers. There is almost no dialogue by Kai to emphasize his quiet life. A slow-burn film, indeed.

Hideki Nagai

Along the way, he meets Kyoko (Itsuki Otaki), an internet influencer/model/ballet dancer, who is aging out of the youthfulness that was her bread-n-buttah. She is lively and talkative, and he is aggressively silent and ignoring (yeah, kind of a dick). While their personalities are quite different, there is a common element of the need to control their own “image”: she to her fans and him by putting up walls of exclusion.

There are only two other characters in the film, the first being a funeral director, Saijo (Toshiaki Inomata), an older man who uses the retoucher’s skill for pictures of the deceased during the ceremonies, and has known Kai his whole life being a friend of his father and thereby being both a spokesperson for Kai to Kyoko, as well as a Greek Chorus for the viewer. The other is Hisako (Toki Koinuma), a woman customer obsessed with her looks, and keeps demanding Kai repeatedly retouch her photo into what she considers perfection.

Itsuki Otaki

At its core, this is a film about obsession: Kail obsesses about his insects, Kyoko keeps looking at old posts of her photographs (which occasionally includes well-done CGI animation), the female customer with changing her looks, and the old friend with his loneliness (despite claiming he is not).

Although an extremely small cast, I am guessing this was shot just before the COVID outbreak, since there is a scene in a public bath, and no one on the streets is wearing masks; also, the budget for this film is not enough to get the sidewalk shut down for filming.

I am not sure if this can be considered as “horror” or even a “thriller,” but it definitely falls into the “art” category. That being said, it certainly has its body horror moments involving an injury (I will not give it away), which is squeamish inducing (well, for me anyway).

I question the relationship between Kai and Kyoto as beyond temporary need and infatuation with what they can bring to the pairing; even though they become more themselves by giving to each other. Certainly, this is a snapshot (no pun intended) of their time as a couple, as it does not seem that it can sustain the pressure of day-to-day reality, and aging. But in an odd way, this is a very strange and off-beat romance, without Hallmark-ish cringe.

The extras start with interviews (16 min; Japanese with subtitles), including the director, Kushida, and the main actors, Nagai and Otaki, as well as make-up artist Yoshiro Nishimura. It is insightful as they discuss the motivations of the characters and the meaning of some obtuse moments. It is a good post-film watch.

This is followed by a short film, “Voice” (Koe; 10 min, trailer HERE), in which Kushida first worked with Nagai. It is without dialogue, of how a lonely factory worker (Nagai) responds and interacts with a shadow of a woman. It reminds me of the work of ground-breaking Canadian filmmaker Norman McLaren. It is a beautiful piece, and Nagai again acts more with his face and body to convey all the emotions needed. There is also a nice level of animation that is not cartoonish. Last, there are two trailers for this film and a few from Dread.

This is director Kushida’s first feature film, that he also wrote, after years of working in television. It shows enormous talent in form and look. He should have a long and storied career.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Prince of the Crimson Void

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

Prince of the Crimson Void
Directed by Dakota Ray
R.A. Productions
58 minutes, 2022
https://dakotarayfilmmaker.wordpress.com/

In his ninth film (I think I have reviewed all of them), Denver's auteur filmmaker / writer / absinthe guzzler Dakota Ray happily strikes again with his newest opus. And, as always, he and his instantly recognizably idiosyncratic, gravelly deep voice and a monochrome filter (this time red) presents another tale of depravity.

As usual, Ray plays the lead character, in this case Fabian, who is a serial killer, drug user, and absinthe drinker (the film uses real absinthe, since Ray is a connoisseur of the beverage). His world is full of death and delusion, of evil and self-glorification.

As in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Fabian has a companion-and-competitor in the form of Kimball (Darien Fawkes). But as in Henry, do not trust a serial killer. In the opening narration monologue, Fabian states he plans to kill Kimball (aka the Necro Wizard), who is as murderous as he, and absorb not only Kimball’s soul but the souls of all his victims. So, this story is going into the supernatural deeper than Ray’s previous films. In many of the earlier ones, Satan has played a role in either influence or presence, but this delves deeper into the metaphysics.

Dakota Ray

Fabian and Kimball are the only two living humans in the film (though there are plenty of corpses in various conditions), and nearly all their dialogue is done in the form of narration. Written by Ray, these inner conversations run from the vile and expletive, to the nearly philosophical…and expletive. There are, as is typical in Ray’s releases, title cards scattered throughout to denote chapters of a sort, with names like “Descending into the Blackened Catacombs of the Necro Wizard.”

There are also lots of shots of close-ups, be it faces, eyes, or mouths, especially as they imbibe in their vices. We also see lots of full moons and clouds, and thunderstorms to represent the mood of the moment. It has nearly a gothic feel to it, especially considering the mood.

After Kimball’s demise, when Fabian delves deeper into the world of Absinthe, oxycodone, and white powder, he feels the power of Kimball inside of him, making him believe he is “god.” This film, as with many of Ray’s, has a central character that has visions of self-grandiosity, and it is this that actually makes him weaker (“need”) and more unhinged. Think about those people who took LSD and thought they could fly, as their last acts. Psychologically, that is where Fabian resides, especially post-Kimball.

Darien Fawkes

But like “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843) by Edgar Allen Poe, Kimbell’s spirit is haunting Fabian; whether it is real or in his imagination is up for grabs, but considering the number of substances (and lack of food) that are absorbed – to the point of nosebleeds – it can easily go either way.

The SFX – all practical as far as I can tell – look excellent. They were done by Ray and S. Donatello, and it is one of the highlights of an already interesting film. That it is just under an hour is actually perfect, rather than trying to bloat it out with filler, and besides, it was filmed during June through October 2022, which means Covid was still a factor, so the small cast makes sense.

I like that there is a narrative line to the story (some of the early works are a bit sketchy in this area), which is the backbone, but not the appendages, which are all the add-ons, such as the sky shots, the asides (e.g., a body in a basement), and the overwhelming, pure atmospheric mood. If you want to get a taste of Ray’s releases, some of them are available on YouTube, but I must say Ray keeps improving over time, so this latest release is one of his better, for those reasons alone.

IMBD listing HERE

Review: Something in the Dirt

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

Something in the Dirt
Directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson
XYZ Films; Rustic Films; Lightbulb Film Distribution; Strike Media
116 minutes, 2022
www.xyzfilms.com/something-in-the-dirt

I belong to a few horror groups on Facebook, and this film has cropped up in comments on occasion. It sounded interesting so I was determined to review it here.

The film centers around two life-stagnant neighbors in Los Angeles, John (co-director Aaron Moorhead) and Levi (co-director and writer, Justin Benson). Scruffy and multiple-tattooed Levi, who drinks a lot, has moved into a new apartment with practically nothing. He meets downstairs neighbor, prim and proper John, who is a math teacher, photographer, and has recently separated from his husband.

Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson

What binds them together is swapping cigarettes (they smoke a lot), and a strange crystal object that Levi has found on his doorstep. At certain times, the rock begins to glow, throw off odd lights, and levitate. They decide to work together to make a documentary about the strange phenomenon, setting up cameras and sound equipment focused on the crystal that Levi initially used as an ashtray.

The purpose of their attempted documentary is to gain some possible influence in the world, and perhaps even make some seed money for future projects (and better their lives). What stands in their way is both the dynamics of the two, lack of skills, and also personality differences with each other as time passes. But there is also the influence of the crystal, as it gains more power to influence objects in Levi’s apartment and then beyond.

It's subtle, but the crystal seems to also affect the personalities of Levi and John, making them verbally strike out at one another, even knowing they need each other. Or perhaps their different personalities are just starting to grate on each others nerves from constant close contact, like a band on the road in a van (e.g., Daltrey and Townshend often engaged in fisticuffs on the road early on).

The assemblage of the film is quite interesting, such as when many topics are discussed in conversation, from the intellectual to the mundane, and we are shown examples of it in a number of b-rolls with very quick editing. This definitely breaks up looking at mostly John and Levi, who dominate the cast, with just minutes given to the few other characters present. Most of these are “Interviews” with the pair individually, and with some “experts” in the field. On some level, their desire for fame has been met.

If I was to describe the film in a single phrase, it would be “wordy.” There is a lot of talk and most of it philosophical, math-driven, and then add in electromagnetism and conspiracy theories. The film does not talk down to its audience, but it also was above my head at times (and I have a Master’s), as they try to figure out why this phenomenon is happening. John is more educated than Levi, and shows it off as much as possible. Personally, I found John a bit unlikeable and insufferable. They both have their faults and we learn more oof Levi’s history than John’s, but John is always showing off with his theories. I found him annoyingly self-righteous.

That being said, the acting by the two leads is sensitive and nuanced at the same time, and kudos to them for that. Nearly every other character is seen in snippets, or brief talking heads interview, and are intentionally stiff, as are most in talking heads interviews.

Benson, crystal, Moorhead

The sets are pretty simple, mostly in Levi’s sparse apartment, and the SFX are well done, though mostly lights flashing and levitation of multiple objects (and people). The story itself is both simple and complex, alternatively. The basic premise of a recurring supernatural event(s) mixed with nearly academic-level language (to me), make this an odd stew of the sublime and quirky.

It is no surprise to me this has been getting a lot of attention. It is quite arty, with the b-rolls and general editing and cinematography, and yet it is visually accessible without being too “showy.” Moorhead and Benson have a lot of experience in writing, directing, acting, and cinematography, and I see a lot of those skills represented in here.

Something In The Dirt was an entry in the Sundance Film Festival and is currently in UK Cinemas. It will be on Digital Download and Blu-ray in early December.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Higher Methods

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

Higher Methods
Directed by Nathan Suher
IM Filmworks
97 minutes, 2022
www.highermethods.com/

A little talked about subgenre of the horror field is the meta “ensemble” of actors who struggle on set with dangerous minds and often knives. Be it a film set, backstage at a play, or in this case, a drama acting class, the darkness will be exposed.

There are usually two ways of viewing these: first, is as an actor who can watch and say, “That’s like so-and-so,” or “Been there, done that.” The inside joke, as it were. The other is as a fan of the theater/movies/etc., which is where I approach the topic.

Michael Christoforo

We meet our protagonist – anti-hero? – Matt (Michael Christoforo) literally in the spotlight, in a darken room, as he is interviewed in sharp patter written by playwright/screenwriter Lenny Schwartz, as the room tilts and the tension is immediate. Damn, if it isn’t shot amazingly, right out of the gate. I’m hooked.

Outside the rave is raving and Matt meets Shannon (actor/singer Jamie Lyn Bagley; I’m a fan from way back), as the snuff is sniffed and the hook-up commences. Oh, not for that, but for acting classes with John Edward Marcus (Aaron Andrade; again, a fan), of the Razor’s Edge Acting Studio. Sharp writing. This is when we meet the rest of the esoteric students for the class, as well, filled by a defensive woman, The Muse (Abigail Jean Lucas), a man-child, Shane (Brad Kirton), a mother-figure, Vanessa (Marybeth Paul), and of course, Shannon.

Aaron Andrade

They all are subservient to Marcus’s “genius,” and we get to see his patter/pattern of mixing death threats with sage words, all designed to bring out the actor in the actor. Andrade does a chilling job in the role, making “The Kaminsky Method” look like a merry go round in comparison.

There are a lot of subtle commentaries of what it is like to be a struggling working actor, or in the case of one particular star, Cameron Stark (Anthony Ambrosino), the fickleness and fecklessness of the acting milieu can be twisted and turned in a second.

Matt, meanwhile, has a secondary motive for being in this class, and that is to find his long-lost sister, Katherine (Kayla Caufield), who took the class from Marcus 10 years earlier. But is he really there for her, or himself?

Abigail Jean Lucas

There is a deep psychological undercurrent that runs through the film, which escalates at an alarming rate after Matt takes a hallucinogenic drug, and the roller coaster ride begins not only for Matt, but the audience as well as the lines of reality and psychology get on a Tilt-A-Whirl-ish mental space as the second act kicks off into literally high gear.

At this point, I want to point out the editing of the extended sequence by Eileen Slavin that highlights the beautiful cinematography by Ken Willinger, taking this from a low budget psychological horror (with some violent scenes) to a cinematic splendor.

Despite the beauty of the image and the occasional knife and drug play, this film is wordy. Some of it is pop psychology, such as “There is no death here; she’s on celluloid,” to the fanatical ravings of Matt, and especially of Marcus.

Jamie Lyn Bagley

Another central theme here is honesty. The stripping down of one’s barriers to reveal the rawness underneath that even the actor themselves have trouble seeing through their own ego, history and general mishigas. Matt is a pile of inner conflict, and everyone around him is pressuring him to be “real,” in an occupation where everything is fake. This could have been tedious, but Schwartz’s writing, as usual, is taut, drawing the viewer in while also being appalling in the treatment of the characters by others and themselves.

Amid the dark and shadowy imagery is an equally dark look at the life of an actor in a very stylized form, where the person is irrelevant to what they can bring, whether it be as a marketing object or as a shell of themselves. This was covered in a more depressing way in the film The Day of the Locust (1975), but thankfully this one is invigorating, rather than disheartening, like Locust.

Everything is precise in the film, from the lighting, to the costume design by Lily Spencer, and the whole minimalist art design by Michelle Parenteau. The colors are as muted as the lives they are hiding within, symbolizing the emptiness the characters feel. Even the music by Indy Shome is electronic and stark, sometimes honing down to nothing but a low, two-note hum at tense moments.

If you are looking for a slasher to watch while winding away your weed, you have come to the wrong shelf, my friend. This is much deeper and thought-provoking, laying on the side of the psychological in a way that director Richard Griffin did with Long Night in a Dead City (2017; also co-written by Schwartz and acting by Andrade and Caufield, among others). In fact, this would be a great double feature; but be prepared to be walking into walls afterwards.

This also makes me think of Bob Fosse. No, hear me out. What made Fosse famous was his precision: there was not a move, a single digit that was not where it meant to be; the same could be said about this film. It feels very intensely scrutinized as far as look, acting, and motion. Even the perfect lipstick on the faces of The Muse and Shannon are precise. The director, Suher, has obviously taken some amount of care to get everything to line up to be a piece of art cinema that could be talked about in classrooms. But to just watch it on the screen on one’s own? Well worth it if you like a mind fuck of a film. And I mean that as a positive.

IMDB listing HERE