Review: No Reason

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

No Reason
Directed by Olaf Ittenbach
IMAS Film Entertainment, Unearthed Films; MVD Entertainment
77 minutes, 2010 / 2021
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.mvdb2b.com    

Bavarian director Olaf Ittenbach is infamous for his gore films. His previous release, The Burning Moon (1992) was so over the top that it was banned for extreme violence (honestly, I have never seen it). No Reason was first released in 2010, and quickly became an out-of-print collectors’ item, often bootlegged. Actually, that says a lot for his reputation.

Der Anfang dieses Films ist ein Heimfilm, der auf Deutsch, aber nicht ubersetzt ist. Leider spreche ich kein deutsch. It certainly seems benign at this point at the beginning of the credits. But what one needs to keep in mind is that the film is being re-released by Stephen Biro’s infamous gore-gore group, Unearthed Films, so you just know this is just to lull the viewer in, and blood and uncomfortable body horror is to follow. Plus, films from Germany are known for their extreme cinema (think Nekromantik, for example).

Irene Holzfurtner

I guess this review is going to be shorter than usual, because the entire film has no translation in the version I viewed. There is some deep psychological and philosophical shit going down, and basically, I missed most of it. There are long stretches of dialog, sometimes shouted, between the main character, Jennifer (Irene Holzfurtner) and a mysterious person in a Lovecraftian Cuthulu-esque mask (though it is pretty easy to figure out, in the words of The Cramps, “What’sBehind the Mask”). 

We see a number of possibilities of Jennifer’s life, from the wholesome to the – err – not. Is she a loving mother and wife, or a drug-crazed bank robbing insaniac? As Queen said, “is this the real life, or is this just fantasy?” Or perhaps this is all a “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” motif?

While there is a lot of general violence scattered throughout, the centerpiece of the film and what will be discussed the most, is Jennifer’s trip through…hell? It’s sliced (pun intended) into four sections represented by primary colors. Each is slightly different, and to get from one to another, Jennifer must make some physical sacrifice.

While in each of these rooms, they represent different “sins,” such as sexual deviations/extreme S&M, or drug-related. Everything is excessive, from close-ups of genital mutilation, a whipping scene that is reminiscent of a part of Irreversible (2002), and yet another “Jesus wept” type SFX from Hellraiser (1987).

There is a lot of thematic playing with time, changing the order of events, sometimes showing events that seem to occur at the same time in another multiverse of Jennifer’s life. There is definitely some confusion on my end, but I honestly do not know because the film was unclear or that I just could not understand the literal language.

Speakers of the German language have a history of really complex philosophies, such as Kant, Heidegger, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Schlegel, and there’s nothin’ Nietzsche couldn’t teach ye ‘bout the raisin’ of the wrist… Even in English, the title of the film has at least a double meaning (as in “someone having no reason to do that” or “not making sense”). Both work, but show the possible intricacies of meanings. Much like Jennifer’s degradation in the story: is it her own, or was it thrust upon her?

Jennifer spends most of the time roaming around full-naked, and there is male frontal nudity, as well. As for the gore, well, it is hyper-realistic. After all, Ittenbach made his name as a practical SFX person, and he proves he is certainly in his element.

I have read a few reviews (hoping to get an inkling of the story that I may have missed), and many of them, even from hardcore horror fans, were uncomfortable with this level of violence and torture porn. In some instances, I agree with them. Please know that I am not trying to restrict Ittenbach’s art in any kind of way – more power to him – but I also believe the viewer needs to know what they are getting into.

Note that the trailer below does have English subtitles, as does the DVD/Blu-Ray release, but, again, not the version I saw. The full release also contains an interview with actor Timothy Balme, a Making Of featurette, a photo gallery, and some trailers. So, if you are anywhere near squeamish, you may want to pass on this coming attraction, but if not, this is an exquisite package for you.

Review: People to Kill

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

People to Kill (aka Severed Ties)
Directed by Adam Scott Clevenger
Epic Failure Productions; Living the Dream Films; Final Sunrise Productions
117 minutes, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/PeopletoKillMoviePage/

The prologue, of course, starts with a violent note, with a mom (Cassandra Engber, who’s roles in her three IMDB credits are listed as “Mom”) being killed, possibly by the Lullaby Killer. She is found by her cop husband, listed as “dad” (Geoff Burkman) and their three sons. Then, cut to five years later. So far, so bloody.

Dad’s now an angry guy, lashing out at gays, people of color (“they’re animals!”), and even God. To me, this is somewhat understandable since his three adult sons still live with him, doing grown up stuff like playing Dungeons and Dragons. Was that ever cool? There’s Shawn (director Adam Clevenger), who owns a collectables store called “Starbase” (Trek­-based, not Wars; it was a real place in Columbus, OH, until it closed), gay Vince (Vincent Holiday), and the youngest, a priest named Mike (Mike Canestaro), whose church is in a poor neighborhood.

Back row: Mike Canestrao, Vincent Holiday, Adam Clevenger
Bottom row:Geoff Burkman, Cassandra Engber

Across the street is the spot for a hooker named Savannah (Erin R. Ryan). We also get to meet her not-so-nice violent Russian pimp, White Ben (Noah Shane). Shawn obviously has a thing for her (non-professionally), and she is startin’ to like him back. Gotta say, she rocks a Trek uniform here (though I worry about her safety as it’s red).

After a sermon at Mike’s practically deserted church, Dad and one of his sons heads over to an equally near-empty strip club (coz that’s what one does after church, right? Actually, I don’t understand the appeal of strip clubs, even as a straight male; I went to one once and I didn’t know who looked more bored, myself or the dancers).

The real motivation for the title of the film begins in the third act, when some unexpected violence affects this family, which I will not divulge. At this point, it becomes a revenge saga. It reminds me a bit of Straw Dogs (1971, which I still say was the model for 1990’s Home Alone), where the first two acts are a bit of a slow burn (though not bloodless) that builds to an extended bout of retribution and death. While the first two-thirds is getting to know the characters to explain motivation, the second is an explosion of action.

Erin R. Ryan, Clevenger, Holiday

This isn’t a Stallone or Van Damme film where basically the hero is surrounded by bullets, standing there unharmed, but shooting tons of the “bad guys,” or in fisticuff, easily beats all comers. Here the action is dirty and with consequences. I don’t know if I would say “credible,” but definitely more realistic. There is lots of blood and a couple of squeamish bits, all of which look really nice.

For an indie feature, the acting is rather good, with Clevenger and Ryan coming out on top. Burkman also comes off pretty strong. Many of these cast members have worked together on other local projects, so they play off each other quite well. Another bonus.

While technically this is not a comedy, though one may think a very dark one if it is, there are some outstanding comic relief performances by the likes of the Commander (Chris Gooley) and a lesbian strip club attendee, Ms. Graves (Marylee Osborne, who was also great in 2016's Nothing Good Ever Happens, which shares a number of cast members present here). It’s almost like the four main characters are the straight men for the rest of the cast of oddballs. There is a great moment between the Commander and a stripper (JoAnna Lloyd) that I knew was trouble beyond the fact of orientation that would eventually (and it does) – er – come out. However, by the vengeful third act, the bits of humor is wisely left behind. However, it should be noted that the comic bits are a good way to be the yin of the violent yang, lulling the viewer in with false expectations. Love that.

Noah Shane

There is a subtle commentary that crops up on occasion about living in the strongly Red state of Ohio, including about what is allowed in strip clubs, some political elbowing, and even some jabs at the politics behind religious institutions. And that doesn’t even include the Trek vs. Wars conflagration.

This is the first movie as director for Clevenger, who is a long-time Ohio-based actor. He’s worked with some of the more interesting directors in the area, like Henrique Couto and Eric Widing, among others, which is a good school to attend with experienced mentors. One of the hardest things to learn, though, is excising, especially as also the writer, as this film is overly long at nearly two hours, but luckily it stays pretty interesting throughout. I can easily see some things that could have been shortened, like the D&D game and some of the strip club material. For example, as much as I enjoyed the Ms. Graves scene, it really didn’t contribute to the overall story; it would have been a great “extras” segment on the disc.

Burkman

Speaking of the disc, I watched a “festival screener” that according to the director, “is missing a 20-minute epilogue that delves into the family’s past a little more.“ As much as I thought this film could have been edited a bit more, I would have still liked to have seen it. And for a first time director, that is a compliment to his work.

Meanwhile, the “thank you” section of the credits is worth a read.

Review: What the Waters Left Behind

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2020

Images from the Internet

What the Waters Left Behind (aka Los Olivados)

Directed by Luciano Onetti and Nicolàs Onetti

Cine Argentino; Instituto Nacional de Cine Y Arts Audiovisuales;
Onetti Brothers Productions; Black Mandala Films;
Rusty Robot; Unearthed Films; MVD Entertainment

100 minutes, 2017 / 2020

https://www.masterpiecesthemovie.com/

www.unearthedfilms.net

www.mvdentertainment.com

In remote Argentina, there was a popular tourist town called Villa Epecuén, just off Laguna Especuén, which has a high salt content like the Dead Sea; it was thus touted as a health resort. In 1985, a dam busted and the town was flooded out. When the waters receded a bit in the mid-2000, what was left were ruins that were white, coated with salt. It was uninhabitable (though a singular elderly person actually still lives in the very real place).

Epecuén is the focal point of the imagined story, as a film crew of seven decides to go gech it out and make a documentary of the place. If anyone follows stories like this, from the fantastical Creepozoids (1987) to the more recent The Chernobyl Diaries (2012), you know there is no good that is going to come from this exercise, such as for our gaggle of genre gauchos.

In part of the prologue, we actually get to see some nice aerial drone images of, well, what the waters let behind of the original town, followed by a brief but bloody confrontation. Did I mention this film is distributed by Stephen “American Guinea Pig” Biro’s imprint, Unearthed Films, so you know there is going to be a bloodbath involved; if that’s your thing, keep reading.

This could quite easily have been just one more Found Footage style release, considering our troupe is making a documentary, but thankfully the Onetti brothers decided to make a narrative film, with a few through-camera-style shots here and there.

Agustin Pardella, Victoria Maurette, Paula Brasca, Luciano Onetti,
Victorio D 'Alessandro, Paula Sartor, and Damián Dreizik  

We get to learn a little about the group on the road trip to the site in an old-style VW Van, such as Nacho (Victorio D 'Alessandro), the boom buy and driver being a frat boy type, the director Vasco (Damián Dreizik), who amusingly is wearing a Francesca tee-shirt, giving a nod to the Onetti Brothers' previous 2015 film; reviewed HERE)  is a surly older guy, model-esque Vicky (Paula Sartor) is his sexy and too-young-for-him girlfriend (and her small poodle, Kiki), the camera woman Erica (Paula Brasca, wearing a blue Ramones tee), the AD Diego (Augustin Pardella), and Carla (Victoria Maurette), who is a survivor of the initial flood when she was just a wee one. She gives them (i.e., us) a bit of personal exposition to where we are bound. Then there is the mysterious Señor X (Gustavo Garzón), who appears with a rifle; is he one of the good guys or in with the evil clan? Historically, in other films of this nature, this typical genre character can go either way. Oh, do I need to say that the film is in Spanish, with English subtitles?  Oh, wait... too late.

What I found impressive is that the location is actually at Epecuén, so we get to see quite a bit of the town, or what is left of it. Fascinating stuff. Speaking of which, in the first act we get to see some very nice Latina and Latino bods, flexing their youth such as in a bikini and shirtless. To paraphrase the Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Come-along a-baby, there's a whole lot of sexual tension goin' on... including one I did not see coming. The cigarettes are not the only thing that's smokin'. 

Rather than a leather face, the native miscreants seem to lean more towards the type of masks worn in The Road Warrior (1981; aka Mad Max 2). Cattle skulls appear to be the màscara du jour. With the slightly washed out and desolate local images, this could almost be seen as a post-apocalyptic world (because in this locus, it is).

While the story really picks up around the half-way point, the Onetti Bros manage to keep things hopping along the way, between the tension with some locals, the visuals, and the characters, so there is little time to be restless even though the ultra-violence is mostly in the second half. If this were the 1970s, the Ramones could come and save the day like that ridiculous KISS movie from 1978, but this was filmed in the late 2010s, and it was too late for the Ramones (RIP) and many of the film’s characters by then.

Yeah, the film is brutal, but there are two ways to look at it. For the average viewer who is used to “CSI” level of gore, this is quite shocking. For fans of films like the Hostel (2005) series and later versions of the Saw (2004) franchise, this is enjoyable and comparable, but not as a gore-fest as some of the other torture porn styles that Unearthed usually distributes (though I am saying this is still right up their alley) along the level of the likes of Audition (1999) or Bouquet of Guts and Gore (2014: reviewed HERE). 

That being said, sometimes the way the film cuts away just when something is about to happen, I wonder if there is a different edit of the film floating around somewhere that doesn’t occasionally (not always) skirts the issue for which most of the gorehounds are sniffin’ around. But don’t be deterred, there are still lots and lots of brutally violent and blood-soaked body parts to be seen and tasted.

Of course, the big, $64,000 question, is by the end will it be a mass slaughter of the innocents, or will there be a comeuppance; perhaps a mixture of both? I ain’t tellin’ since that’s a major part of the fun of these kinds of things.

Even from the trailer, it’s easy to see some of the foundations the filmmakers dipped their own toes into, such as the mini-van along the dusty road of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), or the hungry, hungry hippo actions of the towns inhabitants, like The Hills Have Eyes (1977; note that for both of these sources, I refer to the originals). And let’s not forget the utter bleakness and frenzy of Wolf Creek (2005) and the Wrong Turn (2003- ) franchise. If you want to push it, you could even add in Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (for this, I refer to the original play, not the limp film version). One character could even be straight out of Mother’s Day (1980), though I don’t know if she’s “a very a sick woman” physically, but mentally is another story.

What made me smile is that even though I figured out a key plot point early on, the way it was presented (meaning the timing) took me by surprise. This was an excellent choice by the Onettis. That is why, despite all its reliance on earlier and classic canon, the film still works and can keep the viewer entertained.

And stick around for the credits and afterwards for some amazing real news footage of the flood from, I'm guessing, the 1990s.