All genres of suspense, terror, and horror will be reviewed by Richard Gary. His address to send preview copies supplied upon request to rbf55@msn.com.
Directed by Lance
McDaniel Lost Empire
Films Oklahoma City
University Productions (OCU) 88 minutes, 2009 / 2012 / 2013 www.lostempirefilms.com www.MVDvisual.com
The DVD cover states: From the Director
of Children of the Corn. I’m not sure
that’s something that would necessarily draw me in, having seen that film. And
yet, throughout this film’s credits, I see no mentioning of any director of the
permutations of CotC associated with
this film. But anyway…
I am going to take a stab here (pun
intended) and make an assumption with no ego on whether I am right or wrong:
this film is made by Oklahoma City University Productions, nearly all of it
shot on the campus of Oklahoma City University, and some cast members were
attending the Oklahoma City University at the time, so my guess is that this is
a student project, possibly for a degree. Hey, that’s the way the likes of Coppola
and Scorsese started. But then again, OCU is no NYU.
There are some fine moments here, such
as when the protagonist’s actions mirror almost exactly that of the first
victim (I’m not giving away anything really). There are also a few clever shots
here and there. All in all, though, this felt very much like a Lifetime Movie
of the Week with bloodlust.
It
actually took me about 10 minutes after the opening credits to narrow the field
of possible suspects down to two or three, and I had it nailed within half an
hour. Now, mind you, I watch a bit of mystery shows on TV and usually get it
pretty quick. While there are some imaginative bits throughout, story-wise this
is a pretty standard thriller with about as much blood as there is in an
average CSI, but less gore than that program.
During the prologue, which takes place in
the ‘90s (aka 15 years before the rest of the film), a coed named Heather is brutally
stabbed to death on the steps of her dorm after being manhandled by a couple of
jerk jocks, She’s white and her boyfriend is not, so naturally he gets the
blame, but is let off for lack of evidence. Again, this is the opening scene,
so I’m not giving anything salient away. Flash forward to the present (or
approximately 2008), and we are joined in a university class that specializes
in unsolved crimes (do I need to say what school?). Our central characters,
Amanda and her boyfriend Nick, manage to get the cold case of, well, Heather,
surprise-surprise. From there things get tricky and dangerous, with a decent
body count in the long run.
Most of the acting in this film is about
high school level. The line readings are either too flat or overly
effervescent. Well, in most cases, such as with Josh Shideler, who plays Nick.
True, his character is totally unlikeable as a pretty-boy hothead jock, but it’s
more the stilted way he reads the dialog that is troublesome for me. And,
again, this could be totally wrong, and I apologize if that is so, he really
sets off my gaydar.
Jane Bunting
A shining light, however, is Jane Bunting, who
plays Amanda. I want to say to her, however, “who does your hair? Find someone
else!” Jane has a very cute pouty lip and a mousey/nerdy appeal, but more
importantly, she comes across as someone who can actually act, thankfully. There
are lots of moments where she could have just gone off the scale, but she
reigns it in at the right ticks, and is just the appropriate shade of
expressive at high drama situations (e.g., the mandatory chase-and-hide).
What
I found kind of interesting, and I’m not sure if it’s my overly-sensitive
filter, but there is a certain level of misogyny (the jealous ex-girlfriend,
for example) and racist undercurrent, such as stereotypical patterns (“Yo,
girl!” and eye-rolling). Now, to be fair, some of the strongest characters are
African-American, and there is even an interracial element, but within that
framework there are still a few “oy” moments.
There are other questions I have that
need explaining (why doesn’t she take off the wig, for example…see, I’m being
vague not to give up too much), and the occasional chase clichés are definitely
present. Despite all of this – and I know it’s a lot – this wasn’t a bad film, and it kept me interested
throughout, even though I said “Really?” more than once. Again, it is Lifetime
meets CSI, and I’m not sorry I saw
it. It was entertaining on some levels, and that makes a nice evening.
The original comedy-horror ThanksKilling (2009) grows on you, if you are inclined to extreme
low-budget horror, like me. You might even find yourself using its catch
phrase, “Gobble-gobble, motherfucker!” Its premise was that a killer talking/cursing
turkey named Turkie was conjured by some angry Native Americans to kill the
Pilgrims, and then resurrected by some 30-year-old high school students to
raise havoc in modern times [reviewed
HERE].
This Part 3 is “the
first movie to skip its own sequel,” according to the DVD cover and publicity.
Well, that’s only partly true. Perhaps this is confusing and out of context, but in
this one, which is totally different in tone and plot, starts with a sci-fi scene
from the DVD ThanksKilling 2
(brilliant catch phrase: “In space, no one can hear you baste”). We then learn
that all copies of that second film have been burned, sans one.
We are then re-introduced to Turkie, who is now living a
suburban life with a turkey hen wife (with curlers in her comb!) and little tom. Of
course, all of them are puppets, as Turkie was in the first (and razed second) film. When he
learns about the destruction of the first sequel he knows he must set off to
fetch the one copy to be able to control the world (che?).
Before I go on, I should state at this point that many of
the characters in this film are puppets (unlike the first where it was only
Turkie), including human and galactic characters. Sure this isn’t the first
puppet horror/fantasy piece of cinema, such as The Dark Crystal (1982), Meet
the Feebles (1989), or even the more recent Monster Puppet Massacre (2010; reviewed
HERE), but it plays well into the genre. Besides, it’s that many less actors to
pay and/or feed on a small budget.
But the plot is only starting. We still have to meet all
the other main characters, such as a hippie-type little girl being from another
planet named Yomi (a puppet who looks like an escapee from Fraggle Rock) who is literally looking for her mind, Uncle Donny
(Daniel Usaj), who created an infomercial product, dreams of opening his own
amusement center called, what else, ThanksgivingLand, and wears a white British
wig (as opposed to Whig, I suppose). His brother, Jefferson (Joe Hartzler, who
is arguably the most natural actor of the bunch) also wears a wig and wants a
long pike (rather than a butter knife taped to a stick) so he can be security
at the Park. Their wheelchair-bound granny (a life-sized puppet that looks like
the anti-Israel Helen Thomas [d. 2013], who was a former and long-time member of
the White House Press Corps) is a foul-mouthed rapper named Flowis. Then there
is the robot guardian named Muff and his mustached bisexual puppet worm that
sits on his shoulder (and is actually in charge of the two) named Rhonda, who
makes bad worm puns. Plus there is a wizened and wise old turkey that’s a
mixture of Obi Wan and Gandalf.
Much like The Lord of the Ring, the film consists
of the search – or actually the possession – of the fictional second part of
the film. There’s lots of elements of gore and horror, as well as light
fantasy, dark fantasy, sci-fi, and a substantial amount comedy, most of it groaners. There
will be loss and there will be redemption, but at what cost? C’mon, no one
cares, because this is actually a joy ride where we expect more candy than
tofu.
Does it deliver? Well, I do
admit I liked the more down to earth original better, which is saying something
since that one cost $3500, and this one was $100,000 raised through a Kickstarter
campaign. I have to posit that part of me wishes this was a totally different
film than a Turkie one, but I also understand that building on an existing fan
base is important when starting out.
Technically, it really is a
much better film. The sets are better designed, the lighting and editing
sharper, and Turkie looks more menacing. There are plenty of WTF moments, such
as when you see from a fly’s point of view, or sudden cartoons popping up, as
with the first one, but it feels like there’s something missing. Don’t get me
wrong, I do recommend this and especially the original if this kind of broad
and raucous film is your speed, It’s just a bit too, I don’t know, linearly challenged.
There is too much going on, perhaps. In the first, even though it was bizarre,
the story of a turkey killing kids had a strong thread (including when someone
didn’t recognize that Turkie was not her father because he was wearing the dad's hat
and a Groucho mask). Now there are shorter and esoteric set pieces rather than a
punsters dream.
Oh, there is still puns
abound, that’s for certain. In fact, built into the viewing is a drinking game,
where you are suggested to have a shot or a drink of beer when certain events
happen, such as Turkie’s one liners, Rhonda’s worm word games, or when Flowis
sniffs her fingers.
There are lots of extras,
such as two commentary tracks by the two creators of the series (one on
planning that is interesting in parts, and one on the more technical aspects of
the creation of sets, puppets, lighting, and staging which was a bit more
interesting. I would have liked a third that talked about the story more. Other
extras include the full length infomercial that we see in the film, a Flowis
rap video called “Sprinkle of Wrinkle,” a stills gallery, the rules of the
drinking game, a long making-off documentary which is essentially the building
of the miniaturized set of Turkie’s home at the opening, and two of the film’s
trailers.
I would especially
recommend this to those who have seen part one, but honestly, I am going to make
an assumption that most of who will watch this already have. So enjoy, and if
you’re impressed, watch out for the new Kickstarter campaign that’s bound to
crop up.
Am I a bit tetched
in the haid because I enjoy films
directed by Dustin Mills [HERE,
HERE,
and HERE]?
They tend to be cartoony, about goofy
characters doing absolutely ridiculous things, with lots of unrealistic gore,
but from beginning to end, they tend to be an enjoyable ride through the land
of giving up a level of disbelief.
The plot revolves around a junkie named Ritchie (Mills’ stalwart
actor / muse / partner Brandon Salkil) who becomes addicted to “military
grade” bath salts, which is explained to be a designer drug that looks like
bath salts, hence the name. I’m sure this also has relative relevance to an
apparent new real trend of getting “high” by inhaling Epsom salts (how stupid and
desperate is that?; as moronic as swallowing a dry teaspoon of cinnamon,
another new trend…but I digress…)
However, this particular “bath salt” is extremely addicting
(once is enough), and has a propensity to make its user not just hyper, but insane,
stronger, feel no pain, and, of course, hungry for human flesh to be ripped by
teeth or hands.
The government, who is on to this situation, shown in
total by Josh Eal (who also co-starred with Salkil in 2012’s Zombie A-Hole), playing a G-man agent.
Eal is great in a straight-man, “serious” as-is-possible character role here. He
almost always has his sunglasses on, even while in a major fight and getting
punched in the face. Again, suspension of disbelief is called for in buckets,
but worth it. He plays his personality pretty flat, but in a good way, kind of
like Eastwood or Bronson (d. 2003), rather than the blandness of Steven Segal
or van Damme. Being just shy of a black belt when this was filmed (he has since
achieved it, if I understood correctly), he choreographed the fight scenes,
which often involved him and Salkil and Salkil and Salkil, etc. (will explain
shortly).
Of course, as Ritchie’s use progresses, so do the effects
of the drug, until his overdose turns him into a raving and deformed maniac
(see the cover artwork). Now, let me talk about Salkil a minute here, as he has
the most screen time, in many different ways. In a previous review, I mentioned
how much he reminds me of Bruce Campbell in his role as Ash Williams (if you
need to ask who that is, you probably need to see more horror cinema). In this
film, he brings to mind more of a Jim Carrey vibe, with the rubbery way he
moves his body and face. Also, as in Zombie
A-hole (2012), in a way he plays twin characters. There is the everyday,
pathetic-yet-sympathetic junkie, and then there is charged up Ritchie, the bath
salt “zombie” (of course, technically, he’s not a zombie, but rather just a
live flesh-eater… we need a new term for a living flesh foodie, such as in 28 Days Later… but I digress again). He
apparently finds it pretty fluid to go from straight, to manic, to maniac, and
it works. I can see him on a hit sit-com at some point.
Amusingly, with one exception, every masked character is embodied
by Salkil, including all of both the drug gang and the SWAT team. Ya gotta love
being able to overlay images; it gives me an ache when I think of what
Cronenberg had to go through just to get two Jeremy Irons in 1988’s Dead Ringers. In one scene, Salkil kills
a bunch of himself in the form of the SWATers.
Playing Ritchie’s girlfriend Rita, much as she did in Night of the Tentacles (2013), is Jackie
McGowan, a tattooed and pierced everygirl (meant complimentary), albeit a
junkie. She is both fierce and kinda brittle, and plays that well as it seems
to be her specialty in Mills’ releases. Also joining in as Ritchie and Rita’s
friend is Mr. (Dave) Parka, who is better known for his video review vlogs
[HERE].
Through the connections of the producer, Clint Weiler,
there is a killer soundtrack with nationally known punk acts like the Murder
Junkies (sans GG Allin, of course), the Dwarves, Antiseen, the Meatmen and the
Gaggers.
One aspect of Mills I truly enjoy as a filmmaker is that
he runs the gamut to simple cheezy puppets, to some highly stylized visuals.
With each progressive film, and he is quite prolific, his technical ability
improves. I hope he doesn’t lose much of the kitsch factor the way some have, like
Cronenberg and Craven.
When you watch this, you may just say, hunh, lemme see
this again with my buddies. Not exactly a date movie (unless you’re with the
coolest girl in the world who loves these kinds of films!), but definitely a
safer high than, well, bath salts.
That
bon mot is true, y’know: location, location, location. That’s the
only way anyone can really explain the cameos that appear in Balsamo’s films. I
mean, Lloyd Kaufman (king of Troma), Debbie Rochon (a queen of scream queens), Lyn
Lowery (early indie horror goddess), Tim Ritter (fellow low-budget director of some
classics like Creep), Andrew W.K. (overrated
rock singer), Dave Brockie (GWAR’s Oderus Urungus), Joe Flieshaker (the rotund Mayor
of Tromaville) and even Tom Savini (the Chuck Berry of modern gore SFX) If these
films had been shot anywhere else than around New York City, the odds of this caliber
of presence would probably never happen. My guess is that he met many of them at
horror-cons, most likely the NJ Horror-Thon (I still remember going when it was
called the Chiller Theatre Con). And by the way, Acid Bath Productions has a great
animated logo. I’m just sayin’.
Within
the first five minutes, you know you are going to see a brain-dead film that will
be fun from beginning to end. The devil (and his minons), who claims to have brought
on the Holocaust, 9/11 and The View, sends
a film script to two “idiots” who decide to take the three stories and make an independent
movie. These two maroons are the director,
James Balsamo, and his frequent partner in crime, Michael (“Mike”) Shershenovich,
the director of the film Bloody Christmas
[reviewed HERE];
they also share many of the same cast. The song in the opening credits informs you
of what the tales will contain (just follow the bouncing skull). Obviously the filmmakers
are taking this project as an act of joy, so fuck it, why not do the same.
As
a sidenote, after the first couple of episodes of Gilligan’s Island started, the producers also gave it a “fuck it,| and
made the decision not to focus on the reality of where all the clothes and props
came from, or anything else, deciding to make it story-based episode by episode;
a similar philosophy is apparently present here, for the better.
The
first story, “Tomb of the SS,” is starts with some present day Nazis (one has a
thick New York accent, who is watching two topless women dance like the models in
the Robert Palmer “Addicted to Love” video, except in SS hats). The New York Nazis
take over an archeological dig in Afghanistan (looks like some beach out on Long
Island), where they force the hero (director Balsamo) to read some hieroglyphics
that raise an army of Egyptian (in Afghanistan?!) mummies that attack the group,
even though he never does get around to any translating! Somehow a Russian air force
pilot (Shershenovich) gets involved. It’s all done with great bravado and in heroic
tones, with Balsamo talking in that cinematic condescending tone to humorous effect.
Hell, while there is no surprise and the blood and gore couldn’t look more fake
(as is true with the rest of the film), the story is a hoot. I could see it in another
dimension being a solid Amazing Stories
episode with different writers, actors and director, of course).
The
second story is called “Earth is on the Menu,” not to be confused with the classic
Twilight Zone, “To Serve Man.” In this,
a meteorite a la The Blob, takes over
some people via pink vines up their noses, and winds up at a local Battle of the
Bands (held at Lulu’s Village Pub, Port Jefferson, NY),
where it’s a greaser group vs., well, Balsamo on a stand-up bass. Obviously none
of them play an instrument and barely try. The creature finally pops out of someone
and is essentially a bend cardboard sheet with what looks like either silly string
or really thick, colorful paint on it. Oh, and did I mention the very visible strings
moving the tentacles (see the trailer)?
Of
course, a defender from another planet aka Dave Brockie as Oderus Urungus, appears
(he also has an extremely funny take as a bartender sans mask). Nothing like having
a being from another planet scream out, “He’s got me! Jesus Fucking Christ!” It
comes to a battle of the bassist and the beast. Nah, I’m not gonna tell ya the result.
The
last story, “The Mark,” is the most convoluted and ridiculous of the three, or to
but it this way, the most fun of all the pieces… and the others had me laughing,
too. There is a lot of religious imagery in this one, from both the Christian and
Jewish perspectives. The central character is a man (Balsamo, again) who is into
astral projection, or as his ex-girlfriend calls it, “asshole projection”. He’s
worried about what he’s doing while he sleeps (apparently killing evil people by
pulling their spine out of their eyesocket), so he seeks out his rabbi, Lloyd Kaufman
(!), who has the payot (hair curls) attached via a band on his head, like earmuffs.
He offers Balsamo a plate of bacon and mentions a woman coming to teach a topless
Torah lesson. Oy!
This
segment, which was originally supposed to be a kung fu flick as shown in one of
the extra deleted scenes, ends up being a hot mess, with ridiculous and dubbed over
dialog, absolutely no sense of sequence (it’s not for nuthin’ that a common theme
of the film is a distaste for narrative filmmaking), utterly no continuity, and
possibly a hint of racism. How nuts, you may ask? Well, the title refers to a mark
on the main character’s back that is mentioned a number of times, but is never shown.
In other words, ten pounds of crap in a five pound bag that – if you’re like me
when it comes to indie horror films – you will be happy to be immersed.
Between
the stories are fake commercials, trailers, and other bits, including an extended
promotion for Troma Studios with Kaufman, as well as the masked later versions (as
opposed to make-up) of Toxie and Sgt. Kabukiman. The Kaufman bits are funny if hammed
up (pun intended), though the Tromaville P.D.
etc., bit is kinda whatever.
I found
it interesting that this movie was obviously filmed over an extended time, probably
as shorts put together with a thread. The quality of the actual images changes pretty
often. For example, in one of the between bits, with Lyn Lowery (over)playing a
script agent, suddenly the visual is of much lesser quality, sort of like it was
film on VHS and transferred.
Extras
include the trailer, a blooper reel of the first “Tomb of the SS” bit, and the aforementioned
unused kung fu clips of “The Mark.”
This
film is, undoubtedly a waste of time, but what a great way to squander an hour and
a half. Think I may watch this again, now… I’ve got time to kill.
In
the middle of a gun battle in (Afghanistan?) (Iraq?), two besties get caught in
an ambush, resulting in an act of cowardice that causes the other to get shot in
the throat. Informed that his injured friend will probably die while in a German
hospital, the unharmed Joe Bava (Billy Walsh) smugly tells his pal, Dennis Berkowitz
(director Balsamo) that he is taking the credit for saving the supposedly cowardly
Dennis, which includes a medal and honorable discharge. This makes Dennis angry
enough to live and seek revenge on anyone associated with Joe.
Berkowitz
(really? A multiple killer named Berkowitz? Hasn’t that been done enough in real
life?) busts out of the hospital leaving a trail of bodies of the doctors who saved
him (?), where he really could have just walked out. Hmmm.
We
come back to New York (referred often in title cards as “New York, NY” rather than
just “New York City”), where Joe is a drunken, braggart ass, and Dennis kills just
about anyone who runs across his path in various and semi-imaginative ways (e.g.,
a sandwich shoved down a throat and a pair of hedge clippers). Meanwhile, there
are numerous scenes seemingly thrown in as filler, such as someone giving a wrestling
lesson, or the bizarrely tattooed in real life barbell boy Tim Dax. Oh, did I mention
that there is another serial killer thrown in for one scene for whatever reason?
Hey, this all leads to a decent body count.
The
cast in this film is huge, with nearly 50 roles listed in the IMDB, most of which
have speaking roles, many of which seem to be ad libbed. While this never seems
to be confusing, as the revenge story line is paper thin and the rest is just short
pieces (pun intended) of the disposal of people. To tell the truth, I’m totally
okay with that. Why invest in a fodder character when their screen time is so limited.
Besides, it’s the killings that we want to see anyway, right?
As
par the course, the writing is okay, though there are some genuinely intentionally
funny moments (and quite a few of the other kind). The acting is kind of, well,
there, kinda-sorta, with some genuinely decent readings (Rochon, for example, clearly
and literally phones in her role, but she comes across quite natural in the moment).
One
of the major characters of the film is also the largest filler: multiple shots on
the streets of New York. Mostly it’s just a few seconds of buildings or crowds,
and it’s fun to pick out where is what (there is one shot that I am totally baffled
by, perhaps in a borough). Yes, this does make the film longer, but that’s exactly
what Easy Rider (1969) did, though in
that case, there was more music over scenery than actual story. At least it certainly
felt that way. But I digress… Like most of the film, these shots are single-camera
and handheld. I would recommend that if the budget does not permit a tripod, then
with all the filmmakers involved as cast, surely someone must have a spare to be
borrowed, please. Then again, I’m grateful this is not a “found footage” level of
shaky.
As
for the music, there’s a lot listed, including by the Meatmen and other screamo
/ death metal bands of whom I am honestly not familiar (possibly where the budget
went?). They should have used Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups, in my opinion.
Check them out, James.
While
the acting is questionable and the writing passable, the effects do range from laughable
to quite decent. There’s quite a bit of spatter, though the actual event is not
shown in very much detail. For example, in the opening scene, there is a totally
naked male body, sans head (upper; lower is intact). Or you’ll see a sharp object
get raised, a quick close-up of something, and then the person dead in whatever
bloody shape. Of course, there’s lots of nudity, piercings and tattoos.
There
are a number of extras, such as the trailer, deleted scenes (meh), a gag reel (pretty
funny), a music video of “Destructor” by Ghoul (who appear in a full-song, sync’d,
extended stage performance in the film), and an interview with the artist who drew
the DVD covers, Brooklyn-based Jeff Zarnow.
All
in all, if you’re into the whole Troma zeitgeist, this will fit in pretty way to
that canon.
Cool as Hell Produced, written
and directed by James Balsamo Acid Bath Productions Wild Eye Releasing 90 minutes, 2012 / 2013 www.WildEyeReleasing.com www.MVDvisual.com
The third
opus here is just one of five flicks Balsamo has filmed or has in production for
2013. As par, this one is also sex and drug and rock’n’roll…well, death metal, anyway.
As with most, it is a horror comedy.
Don’t
get me wrong, I believe that Balsamo fares much better with comedy horror like Hack Job than with a more serious slant,
as with the more straightforward I Spill Your
Guts. The former is a lot more, well, forgiving
than the latter.
Here,
we meet the main protagonist, comic book store manager Rick (Balsamo, of course),
and his roommate and best friend Benny (stalwart Dan E. Danger). Both of them combined
seem to have a double digit IQ. Rich wears only Hawaiian-style shirts and has two-tone
hair which is often referred to in the story as a “cheetah” (though it’s just yellow
on top, dark on the bottom, rather than patterned). He talks rather like an AM disc
jockey, but at a junior high school level. A loveable schlub? Yeah, I guess. But
a monolog he has about a superhero comics shows why he strikes out so often.
In fact,
the tone of the film and these two characters just smack of early Kevin Smith, with
Balsamo being the (un-)Silent Bob and Danger the quirky, off-center Jay. Even in
the early days of Clerks (1994), Smith
showed more filmmaking competency than Balsamo, but you know what, where I found
Smith to be clever but dull, I enjoy most of Balsamo’s output more (with the exception
of Dogma [1999], but I digress…). There
is more of a level of whatever in Balsamo’s
work, possibly due to having so many films in such a short amount of time to really
concentrate on proficiency, but it’s just so stupid and inane, that it gives genuine
laughs.
The plot
(no need to use the work “thickens” here) is as sort of as follows (most of this
is on the DVD cover or coming attractions below, so I’m not giving much away): a
green demon named Az (Billy Walsh; great make-up) – short for Azmodius? – is somehow
enthralled to Rick, so of course Rick wants to use him to get laid. Did I mention
there is a LOT of female nudity (and even some softcore shots), as usual? Rick meets
the possible girl of his dreams, Ashley (the cute and toothsome Lauren Adamkiewicz;
I hope Balsamo uses her again, as this is among her only credits). Her boyfriend
is a macho loanshark bully / dick who abuses her (Balsamo regular Frank Mullen,
who is also the vocalist of the Long Island-based death metal band, Suffocation)
and is constantly threatening Rick. He swings the “fuck” word as much as most people
use “the.” Along the way, a portal to hell opens which releases a bunch of zombies
(again, great make-up on the few we see) onto the streets of New York – including
Patchogue, NY, where much of this was shot. Will our loser hero rise to the occasion,
even after being given a bong that never runs out of weed by a blue and yellow booger
named, well, Booghar?
A theme
that runs throughout the film, to an amusing albeit overdone motif, is Rick accidently
bonking into people who curse him out, including members of numerous death metal
bands that appear on the soundtrack, or actors he managed to shoot for very brief
cameos, such as David Naughton (the lead in An
American Werewolf in London in 1981). Many of the stars that appear on this
film, such as Laurence R. Harvey (of 2011’s The
Human Centipede II: The Final Sequence) and Tom Savini are there less than 15
seconds, so don’t blink.
For me,
the one major flaw in the film, other than the sheer stupidity of the whole thing
(for which I am grateful), is an extended scene with Ray trying to get money from
his brother-in-law. It has an ad-libbed feel that just does not work for that long
of an extended scene that doesn’t move the story along. It should have been sliced
up to a much smaller time, and perhaps added to a deleted scenes extra.
Speaking
of extras, this one is kinda skimpy at three trailers, but that’s okay. Who has
time for extras when writing and directing five films in one year, right? There
is part of me that truly wishes Balsamo would slow the fuck down and do perhaps
two a year, and really work on them, rather than just put down anything that goes
through his mind at the moment. That’s why something like Clerks became a hit. Here, there is too much inconsistency, no overdubs
to drown out the traffic noise, and more holes in the story than (put your analogy
here). But on the other hand, this is such a high level of guerilla filmmaking that
you can’t help but marvel at some of the stuff they pull off, such as a scene outside
a church where they never actually enter the church, which had me in stiches.
It is
interesting to see these three films over a short amount of time. There is definite
growth going on in skill (and especially non-digital effects), so I am hoping this
will only increase in time. And, for some reason, I look forward to more of James
Balsamo’s perhaps increasing competency, if not lunacy.
This
is going to be a tough review to write because there is so much I could discuss,
but to do so would be to give away too much of this thriller. But here we go.
The
last Richard Griffin film I saw was a horror sex comedy called The Disco Exorcist [HERE].
Though made the same year, it is the polar opposite of this one, a dark, black
and white noir set piece. Think of when Woody Allen goes all Bergman, except
this remains interesting, from shadowy beginning to blacker end.
The
press release posits this as a Hammer-like film, but I humbly disagree. To
me, it is more reminiscent of a twisted gothic noir Tennessee Williams, or more
something that is a closer equivalent to WhateverHappened to Baby Jane?
(1962) or Hush… Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964). Like these latter two, we are focused into the mysterious goings-on in
a house where you just know it’s going to get bad. Also similar is the use of high-contrasting
black and white, employed here more effectively than I have seen in a long time.
During
one of the two commentary tracks, director Richard Griffin talks about how
nearly everything clicked during the 11 days shoot, and it shows in the final
product. He also states how he tends to muck around with scripts, but only made
one (fine) addition to the original, by Guy Benoit. It is a story that
beginning fuzzy as to what is going on and the possibilities of why and who
everyone is in relation to each other, but as time goes on it focuses, while
still leaving little mysteries scattered about like its characters.
The
film starts out as a hunh? mystery, as you wonder about the relationship of
the five house members who are stirred up by the introduction of a sixth. Each
is distinct in their personality, each one bringing their own baggage, and all
brought together for reasons that become clearer as the film plays out.
There
is what could be considered leading roles, but honestly, this is a true
ensemble cast, some of whom are part of the Griffin troupe of Rhode Island
theatrical players, and others bring new blood (pun intended) to the stalwarts.
Evalena Marie
Let’s
start with the somewhat peripheral yet pivotal characters. Lance, played by
Rich Tretheway, who had a hysterical turn in The Disco Exorcist as a badly accented (Italian?) janitor, (un)wise
in the ways of the spiritual. Here, however, he is a lonely and pathetic
unkempt man living in the house, rarely seen out of his gray sweats and messy
room. Where he is the “low” personality, Rocki, personified by the exotic and
beautiful Evalena Marie, is the most hyper and spunky resident. She is the Loki
character, the trickster and mischief maker¸ relative to the rest. Evalena
keeps her quirky without being cloying or annoying, for which I am grateful.
Well done.
Michael Reed and Sarah Nicklin
Michael
Reed and Sarah Nicklin, the stars of the aforementioned The Disco Exorcist, appear as core players this as well. The
married-in-real-life couple appear in many of Griffin’s films, though just
after this was filmed, they moved from Rhode Island to California to strike out
on a more – er –professional (?) career to increasing success. Again opposite of
their previous “skins,” Michael has a bit of a subtle role as Chris, the
newcomer to the house, but will he stay or go? Or both? Sarah’s Laura has been emotionally
scarred terribly; she is now child-like and somewhat innocent, but definitely
warped. Sarah has some great scenes where she spits out some wonderful dialog
with just the right pitch and tones.
Michael Thurber
Giving
an incredibly strong and nuanced performance, possibly the best in the film but
only by a hair, is Michael Thurber. While apparently second in command within
this strange group, he is also somewhat set apart from the rest, and probably
has the most realistic view of the situation. His moves are subtle and
relatively insurgent, such as the whole bizarre mannequin fixation, but Michael
is interesting to watch. Bob Fosse-like, every movement of the actor’s body
says something at all times.
Debbie Rochon
Then
there is the unofficial matriarch, played strongly, scarily and at the same
time with an undercurrent of sheer insanity (through desire of power?
Self-righteousness? Zealousness? Fear?), as rendered by scream queen icon indie
goddess, Debbie Rochon. Much of the more than 200 films she has made have been
horror comedies, but she certainly proves her dramatic chops here. Her
performance is nothing less than stellar.
It is hardly surprising to me that a
number of awards have come out of this film, such as Rochon winning Best
Actress at the Pollygrind Film Festival, Nicklin being nominated for Best
Actress, plus many other festival nods. For a film that is dark in both story
and image– no, I mean that literally as there is a lack of lighting, and while
it’s easy to make out what’s happening, the level of shadow is extreme – this
is just an example why this film deserves to be seen as a full theater project,
rather than assumed as just another oddball indie film.
Even
the extras are worthwhile. The making-of, shot by Reed and Nicklin and edited
by Griffin, is 46 minutes long, and follows the taping nearly all 11 days. It is
kept interesting throughout, seeing how much work, and also how much fun is had
by the cast, getting it done. There are two commentaries, both also noteworthy.
Watch the second one first, which is Griffin, Thurber and one of the producers.
There is very little wasted time, but is nicely focused on the filming
processes and interesting anecdotes. The second one to watch is with Griffin
and the writer Benoit, who discuss the process of getting the film from idea to
completion. You’d think to watch it the other way around, but this way is
better for this particular flick.
I
say this as a compliment: Griffin is going to have to work freakin’ hard to top
this one, and I look forward to future projects to see him do just that. That
being said, when I look at the trailer for, say, Hush…Hush Sweet Charlotte, I believe this film is actually better,
in acting, writing and look, as well as effectiveness. One of the best films I’ve
seen this year.
“But I will and you won’t
And you try and I don’t”
- Carrie Newcomer (“Five Years On”)
When we meet the creepy antagonists of the story,
Becca and Guy Morgan, their marriage is falling apart. She was young and he was
in his late 20s, so she feels like she’s missed the adventuresome part of her
youth. In real life, I know people like that, so that felt palpable to me.
Michelle Sabiene
Becca (Michelle Sabiene) is bitter and lonely
within the relationship. She no longer loves Guy (Benjamin Hanson), who has a
large slice of masculinist training flowing through drink and fists (plus, he
takes walks through the woods with a rifle), but is still yearning for the
affection she can no longer give him.
He takes her to a supposedly isolated cabin
to try to work things out; but she just wants out. However, she finds the journal
of a painter, Jasper (Michael Duran), who lived there in 1955 with his
disgruntled wife, Clair (Natasha Quirke), who were also in a loveless marriage.
Soon Jasper is appearing to Becca and an otherworldly bond occurs seemingly
very fast.
Benjamin Hanson
Okay, that’s as much of the story as you’re gonna
get outta me. But there are still lots to say about it.
The filmmakers (their first full length)¸ Johnson and
co-writer Chris Shalom, decided to go a DIY route, and rather than just
releasing this to pay DVD and VOD, so the entire film is free on YouTube (see
below), which is all the more appreciative as the quality of the film is at
such a high standard. It is shot quite beautifully.
The color saturation relates to the emotions of the
scenes, so in some shots nearly all the hue is sapped out until it’s nearly
sepia, and other times it’s clear and bright. Then there are others where there
is a yellow chromatic still shot at tense moments.
There are plenty of moments of stress, and yet this
isn’t a George-and-Marsha film, but rather the storyline builds very
slowly and takes patience in this 2-second cut world. The violence is minimal
and there is more sensuality than sexuality, which in this case works in the release’s
favor. With lovely British Columbia in February as a backdrop, it makes the
scenery worth watching as well as fitting into the story, whatever the action.
Yeah, it’s a bit more brown that it would be during the summer, but that part of
the world is quite beautiful every time of the year. Okay, that ends the
travelogue part of the program.
Michael Duran
Along with the color saturation, the editing by
Andrew Gust is worth mentioning. There are many startling moments that rely solely
on the editing, such as some jump cuts, and especially scene overlaps (you have
to see it to comprehend it), sometimes to show what a character is
thinking/feeling, that will keep your eyes on the screen.
The acting
is all spot on, with Sabiene looking both vulnerable and strong, often at the
same time. Becca could have easily been merely a shrewish two-dimensional
annoyance, but Sabiene plays her with some empathy. She’s also attractive, and
occasionally has a Patti Smith shape to her face in certain lighting. Hanson starts
off seeming like the good guy in the relationship, but his lack of anger
management manifests through the story. Duran plays the love interest well in a
Rossano Brazzi sort of way. While I think he is too old for the role (after
all, she is complaining about Guy being old and he’s closer to her age than
Jasper), but he handles it charmingly well.
Natasha Quirke
There are
questions to keep the interest going, such as are the ghosts real or imaginary,
are they working to destroy the other’s relationships, or are they working
together to destroy everyone? Is this really a Harlequin romance with a ghost,
or is there something more sinister behind everything?
Not only is
the film enjoyable, but I certainly liked a lot of the music, for which the use
of a klezmer sound for the opening and closing was a nice and gratuitous touch.
On a political side note, it’s a shame that Saskatchewan shot itself in the foot
about making an independent film like this not viable by cancelling the film credit
rebate. At least BC has kept it going so this Vancouver-based company may
flourish.
What’s also
nice about this being an online release is that there is still the extras, such
as a couple of clips and a pointless making of, where you see a sped up
creating of something that lasts a bit over a minute in the film. There are also a full
length commentary supplied by the director, co-writer, and two others. This works
at points when they actually discuss the filmmaking, but as with any commentary
of more than two people, it tends to get silly and it’s hard to tell who is
saying what. Please, everyone, if you don’t want to see the commentary to go
the way of the dodo, no more than two in the booth at a time!
So, with a
mere budget of CAN$25,000, they still managed to win the 2013 Royal Reel Award
for Canada in the International Film Fest. Maybe that will perk up your interest,
as well.
