Yes, I did misspell the word "random" but it was on purpose as I'm currently in the middle of working at Chinese performance show at Gwinnett PAC where I've been here since 6:45am this morning and will be here until 11:00pm tonight. We're currentlt halfway through the evening show after having done a shortened matinee show earlier. Everything with the show has been very simple other then me and my crew not knowing what the client wants until the last possible minute but this is par for the course with most shows at Gwinnett whether they be cultural shows or regular shows.
So, I'm in the middle of this show dubbing a bunch of old horror films from VHS to DVD and what better thing should I do but to write something randum on my blog. This is suppose to be my personal blog yet I've not written anything personal in a very long time and I will have to change that since this is my main blog (if you want to read other "randum" stuff go to any of my My Space blogs and they're all pretty pointless).
The reason why you've been seeing so many film reviews is that I've seen so many films in the last few months that I had to write all kinds of stuff for them. The articles have been copied pretty much across the board from one site to the next as I like to maximize expolsure because I never know which blog or website any one person follows of mine, if in fact, anyone actually reads any of them. Regardless of whether or not anyone reads this blog, it is a way for me to get out my inner and deepest thoughts therefore I will start to do just that in future entries.
Right now, I'd like to stay on the "randum" and just meander around various other subjecs while I got your attention.
I will say it has been pretty busy for me on the writer's front as I have started to re-publish my online novela "World Without End" on the Story Smash website and today I just put my long thought dead screenplay "Escape From Earth" back on the table by publishing the prologue on Associated Content (because Story Smash has a limit on it that prevented me from publishing it on that site). When the entire script is done it will be approximately 45-60 pages long. The funny this is that this script will not be one that I try to sell but is just a fun way for me to write some of my favorite television and film characters into my own stories. The whole project is like a huge "fan film" that I want to get back to just for the hell of it. I think that now that I've gotten back to it that I will have a lot of fun with it.
Well, the Chinese show is over and I have to strike all this stuff before I go home, so, until next time-
CITY GARDEN - "The Old Woman & The Park"
On the set of the short film "A Gift"
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
George A. Romero's CREEPSHOW: THE WORK PRINT
Over the years there has been much talk about George A. Romero’s CREEPSHOW and what was cut out of the film to get it to its current 2 hour running time from the original 2 hour and 10 minutes director’s cut. I managed to get a hold of a “work print” copy of the film which restores the ten minutes of cut footage.
In the “work print” edition I have (which is in1.33: 1 full screen aspect ratio) it is a modest version of the film. The scenes that were cut seem to be simply be re-inserted in to the film by use of “dissolves.” This version would not be an actual spliced film version, but resembles a version that someone may have just downloaded the original television version to their computer and then put the cut scenes back then and used a dissolve to hide the splices. The cut scenes are of varying degrees of quality that never match up to the rest of the film and the audio mix for these new scenes is never correct so it feels sometimes as if the film is off cue sometimes.
All these complaints to the side (since this is an unofficial release version of the film) it is very interesting to see what footage was cut from the film. Most of the scenes that were cut from the release version of the film come from the very first segment of the film “Father’s Day.” There were many scenes explaining the father’s past and how he become a mogul that add more to why Aunt Bedelia killed her father which adds to her characters motivation and current state of mind. There are also small scenes cut from “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” and “Something To Tide You Over” but these scenes don’t really add much to the film. There is nothing added for “They’re Creeping Up On You” and a small blink or you’ll miss it segment returned to “The Crate.”
None of the subsequent segments are enhanced by the added scenes and point of fact they just bog down the film, so, I’m glad they were left out of the film to begin with. CREEPSHOW was a one of the kind anthology masterpiece that defied audience expectations and reactions and went on to become one of the landmarks in the anthology genre. Only the sequences returned to “Father’s Day” had any real impact on the film but even that is inconsequential as the film works so well without them in terms of pacing.
There are plans to release a Special Edition Anniversary Edition of the film later this year which is rumored to be returning this cut footage back into the film but if you already have the previous DVD version of the film save your money (unless of course you are like me and you’ve just been curious for all these years).
In the “work print” edition I have (which is in1.33: 1 full screen aspect ratio) it is a modest version of the film. The scenes that were cut seem to be simply be re-inserted in to the film by use of “dissolves.” This version would not be an actual spliced film version, but resembles a version that someone may have just downloaded the original television version to their computer and then put the cut scenes back then and used a dissolve to hide the splices. The cut scenes are of varying degrees of quality that never match up to the rest of the film and the audio mix for these new scenes is never correct so it feels sometimes as if the film is off cue sometimes.
All these complaints to the side (since this is an unofficial release version of the film) it is very interesting to see what footage was cut from the film. Most of the scenes that were cut from the release version of the film come from the very first segment of the film “Father’s Day.” There were many scenes explaining the father’s past and how he become a mogul that add more to why Aunt Bedelia killed her father which adds to her characters motivation and current state of mind. There are also small scenes cut from “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” and “Something To Tide You Over” but these scenes don’t really add much to the film. There is nothing added for “They’re Creeping Up On You” and a small blink or you’ll miss it segment returned to “The Crate.”
None of the subsequent segments are enhanced by the added scenes and point of fact they just bog down the film, so, I’m glad they were left out of the film to begin with. CREEPSHOW was a one of the kind anthology masterpiece that defied audience expectations and reactions and went on to become one of the landmarks in the anthology genre. Only the sequences returned to “Father’s Day” had any real impact on the film but even that is inconsequential as the film works so well without them in terms of pacing.
There are plans to release a Special Edition Anniversary Edition of the film later this year which is rumored to be returning this cut footage back into the film but if you already have the previous DVD version of the film save your money (unless of course you are like me and you’ve just been curious for all these years).
After Dark Films Presents UNEARTHED
Having now altogether viewed five of the After Dark Horror Fest films (which includes BORDERLAND, CRAZY EIGHTS, TOOTH & NAIL, and NIGHTMARE MAN) UNEARTHED is the one I’ve enjoyed the most (I’m saving the most praised ones – MULBURY ST. and THE DEATHS OF IAN STONE for later). Forgiving the fact that the CGI monster is not all that original nor believable, it is the story which captured my interest the most.
The film concerns Sheriff Annie Flynn (Emmanuelle Vaugier in another great performance) who has been emotionally and psychologically scared by recent events that have made her into the town drunk and in fear of loosing her job when the next election for sheriff comes around. So what drives this woman to get up in the morning and continue to do her job no matter who gets in her way? This question is put to the test when an archeological expedition unearths a legends old creature that wants nothing more then to kill everything around it. This is a simple enough plot that plays in the same manner as the 2005 hit FEAST in which a group of unrelated people are holed up in one place while a monster lurks just outside the door. This format continues to work if the monster is interesting and the death scenes are plentiful. Whereas, FEAST relied on these methods to entertain (because the characters were pretty 2 dimensional), UNEARTHED works because you care about the main characters and even though the monster is less-then convincing there are a lot of nice death scenes. I’m sure if the film had gone with a prosthetic creature it would have been more effective.
Also the story plays more to the Native American myths and legends with the nature of the creature which is a welcomed relief from the aliens and man-made monsters of most recent monster films. The film also works because it focuses on Sheriff Flynn’s character and is about her journey from disillusioned drunk to town hero with an ending that is suited for the character rather then have a clichéd and truncated finale.
Writer/director Matthew Leutwyler did an excellent job on the film which is fast paced and always moving leaving little room for fat yet always never playing down to the audience which is good for a monster film in one genre of horror films that always feels the need to play down to the lowest common denominator. UNEARTHED is one of the highlights of the After Dark Horror Fest and I hope that for 2008 they continue in this vein during their selection process.
The film concerns Sheriff Annie Flynn (Emmanuelle Vaugier in another great performance) who has been emotionally and psychologically scared by recent events that have made her into the town drunk and in fear of loosing her job when the next election for sheriff comes around. So what drives this woman to get up in the morning and continue to do her job no matter who gets in her way? This question is put to the test when an archeological expedition unearths a legends old creature that wants nothing more then to kill everything around it. This is a simple enough plot that plays in the same manner as the 2005 hit FEAST in which a group of unrelated people are holed up in one place while a monster lurks just outside the door. This format continues to work if the monster is interesting and the death scenes are plentiful. Whereas, FEAST relied on these methods to entertain (because the characters were pretty 2 dimensional), UNEARTHED works because you care about the main characters and even though the monster is less-then convincing there are a lot of nice death scenes. I’m sure if the film had gone with a prosthetic creature it would have been more effective.
Also the story plays more to the Native American myths and legends with the nature of the creature which is a welcomed relief from the aliens and man-made monsters of most recent monster films. The film also works because it focuses on Sheriff Flynn’s character and is about her journey from disillusioned drunk to town hero with an ending that is suited for the character rather then have a clichéd and truncated finale.
Writer/director Matthew Leutwyler did an excellent job on the film which is fast paced and always moving leaving little room for fat yet always never playing down to the audience which is good for a monster film in one genre of horror films that always feels the need to play down to the lowest common denominator. UNEARTHED is one of the highlights of the After Dark Horror Fest and I hope that for 2008 they continue in this vein during their selection process.
Film Review: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
I’m a huge fan of the first two Mummy films and to the original Universal classic that starred Boris Karloff, so, I was all for another film in the mummy franchise. I was even intrigued by the fact that Universal decided to go into a new direction with the franchise by focusing on Asian mummy’s and bringing in fresh blood from director Rob Cohen to actors Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh.
When THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR came out I was one of the first people in line. Returning from the previous film was Brendan Fraser and John Hannah and even though Mario Bello was taking over the Evelyn role I wasn’t to worried since director Rob Cohen was at the helm and I liked what he did with DRAGONHEART, XXX, and STEALTH. I am sad to say that the new film is a disappointment simply because of the simplicity of the film. Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar THE MUMMY 3 is a simply action and adventure film with none of the epic qualities of the previous two Stephen Sommers films, which felt like big summer popcorn films which high adventure, grand action, and great comedy. This new film falters at the beginning as Fraser and Bello don’t have the same chemistry as Fraser and Rachel Weisz, therefore many of their scenes at the beginning which should be understated funny (i.e. BRINGING UP BABY) come off more as clumsy humor that sometimes doesn’t work. Also, Fraser has little chemistry with actor Luke Ford who plays his grown up son Alex O’Connell. Ford is good in the role when he’s not trying to strengthen the father-son bond that seems to drive the core of the film; he has great chemistry with Isabella Long (who plays Lin).
The film plays much better in it’s action sequences where once the film finally gets onto the real adventure of the film it hits its stride and never quits. This is the strength of the film and what will ultimately keep most audience members happy. Cohen has a knack for staging some elaborate action sequences, which help over shadow all the other misgivings in the film. Unlike Sommers’ two films this film doesn’t strive to be as grand of a film (kind of like my reaction to the abysmal JURASSIC PARK III in relation to its two previous films) and simply appears to be a “paint by numbers” sequel that will ultimately be forgotten soon after it has been watched.
I do have to commend Jet Li and Anthony Wong Chau-Sang (who play Emperor Han and General Yang, respectfully) as they make for just as formidable enemies as Arnold Vosloo as the original Mummy and keep the film on point. The CGI yeti are questionable in their execution but I enjoyed watching them when they were on screen but the three-headed dragon I could have done without. In fact, allowing Emperor Han to change into any mythological creature was a misstep in my opinion as the CGI was never any good.
The good thing about this film is that it has opened the gates to other adventures of the O’Connell clan in the same vein as the Indiana Jones films and I hope that Universal takes that advantage to explore other stories that could be told. After this film, I think the mummy should finally be left to rest…for good.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Taking Another Look At Director Uwe Boll's ALONE IN THE DARK
There is so much that can said bad about this film that it could take up a whole novel and to which many other people have already spoken and written much about but is there any good to this Uwe Boll film? You damn right there is.
Writer/producer/director Uwe Boll is this generations Roger Corman and despite the growing animosity towards this man I continue to go to the multiplex to watch his films. I saw HOUSE OF THE DEAD, BLOODRAYNE, and this film at the multiplex knowing before hand that they wouldn’t be any good, so, why did I go to see them? Well, like many audience goers I like to be not only entertained but mentally and psychologically taken on a roller coaster ride. Such films as THE EXORCIST, ROSEMARY’S BABY, ALIEN, David Cronenberg’s THE FLY, and John Carpenter’s THE THING to spring mind which are just great horror films no matter how you look at them, but close to my heart are also THE EVIL DEAD 2, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, HORROR EXPRESS, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, DEATH RACE 2000, and FRIDAY THE 13th; all of which are mindless, entertaining, horror film fun. Are these last few films “good”? By no means not in the classic since of the word but they are “cult classics” and films you can just watch over and over and over again; I love THE EXORCIST but I don’t know if I can watch it over and over and over again. Can you?
Boll has made it his business to make films that may not always make any sense but entertain nevertheless. Not all Corman’s films made sense – THE TERROR comes to mind, but they were entertaining and continue to entertain and be loved even to this day. Who didn’t have fun watching a bunch of zombies be annihilated at the end of HOUSE OF THE DEAD or love watching Michelle Rodriguez get killed in BLOODRAYNE? I particularly liked ALONE IN THE DARK because it gave Christian Slater another staring role in which to create havoc and have fun (i.e. KUFFS or HEATHERS or even PUMP UP THE VOLUME). Hundreds of alien creatures killing military personnel was actually one of my favorite highlights and Stephen Dorff over acting his ass off and thinking he’s in charge brought to heart memories of his character in the first BLADE film. Although everyone criticized Tara Reid’s performance in the film I hate to admit that she’s extremely attractive and in these types of films the hero needs an attractive co-star; this is one of the reasons why a female character was included in most sci-fi and horror films of the ‘50s and ‘60s just prior to the slasher boom of the ‘80s (in which female characters became the leading character).
Boll continues to churn out these types of films – i.e. BLOODRAYNE 2, SEED, POSTAL, ALONE IN THE DARK 2, and countless others, and they continue to pander to the lowest common denominator but people continue to go see his films. The fun of seeing a Boll film is knowing that he isn’t trying to achieve high art but rather create the best low-brow Roger Corman knock-off that entertains and never become predictable (because the plots usually don’t always make a hell of a lot of sense) and which has some of the best over-the-hill actors still working in the business.
I’m a huge Corman fan and as long as Boll continues to entertain and create that nostalgic feeling from those old double-bill drive-in classics (albeit on a bigger budget) then I’ll continue to go see his films. Knowing, of course, before hand that I’m not waiting for him to try and achieve some sense of high art.
Writer/producer/director Uwe Boll is this generations Roger Corman and despite the growing animosity towards this man I continue to go to the multiplex to watch his films. I saw HOUSE OF THE DEAD, BLOODRAYNE, and this film at the multiplex knowing before hand that they wouldn’t be any good, so, why did I go to see them? Well, like many audience goers I like to be not only entertained but mentally and psychologically taken on a roller coaster ride. Such films as THE EXORCIST, ROSEMARY’S BABY, ALIEN, David Cronenberg’s THE FLY, and John Carpenter’s THE THING to spring mind which are just great horror films no matter how you look at them, but close to my heart are also THE EVIL DEAD 2, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, HORROR EXPRESS, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, DEATH RACE 2000, and FRIDAY THE 13th; all of which are mindless, entertaining, horror film fun. Are these last few films “good”? By no means not in the classic since of the word but they are “cult classics” and films you can just watch over and over and over again; I love THE EXORCIST but I don’t know if I can watch it over and over and over again. Can you?
Boll has made it his business to make films that may not always make any sense but entertain nevertheless. Not all Corman’s films made sense – THE TERROR comes to mind, but they were entertaining and continue to entertain and be loved even to this day. Who didn’t have fun watching a bunch of zombies be annihilated at the end of HOUSE OF THE DEAD or love watching Michelle Rodriguez get killed in BLOODRAYNE? I particularly liked ALONE IN THE DARK because it gave Christian Slater another staring role in which to create havoc and have fun (i.e. KUFFS or HEATHERS or even PUMP UP THE VOLUME). Hundreds of alien creatures killing military personnel was actually one of my favorite highlights and Stephen Dorff over acting his ass off and thinking he’s in charge brought to heart memories of his character in the first BLADE film. Although everyone criticized Tara Reid’s performance in the film I hate to admit that she’s extremely attractive and in these types of films the hero needs an attractive co-star; this is one of the reasons why a female character was included in most sci-fi and horror films of the ‘50s and ‘60s just prior to the slasher boom of the ‘80s (in which female characters became the leading character).
Boll continues to churn out these types of films – i.e. BLOODRAYNE 2, SEED, POSTAL, ALONE IN THE DARK 2, and countless others, and they continue to pander to the lowest common denominator but people continue to go see his films. The fun of seeing a Boll film is knowing that he isn’t trying to achieve high art but rather create the best low-brow Roger Corman knock-off that entertains and never become predictable (because the plots usually don’t always make a hell of a lot of sense) and which has some of the best over-the-hill actors still working in the business.
I’m a huge Corman fan and as long as Boll continues to entertain and create that nostalgic feeling from those old double-bill drive-in classics (albeit on a bigger budget) then I’ll continue to go see his films. Knowing, of course, before hand that I’m not waiting for him to try and achieve some sense of high art.
After Dark Films Presents BORDERLAND
The After Dark Horror Fest (in association with After Dark Films) has released some questionable films over the last few years after striking it big with it’s first Horror Fest two years ago. Last year they released this film BORDERLAND (2007), which is loosely based on a true story (and I do mean loosely).
The film concerns three Americans (Brian Presley, Rider Strong, and Jake Muxworthy) who venture off to Mexico on a last minute whim in order to party and have a good time. All they want to do is drink, take drugs, and have a good time but when one of them is kidnapped by a cult to sacrifice to a Satanic deity all hell starts to break loose. I could go into more detail but then there’s not much more to go into as the film is very predictable and not all that much fun nor entertaining. If the film had tried to be less a cliché I’m sure it would have come off as more entertaining or at least had a style or cinematic flare to carry it through I would be more forgiving (also take into account that I screened four of the After Dark Horror Fest Films in one night and only one of them was entertaining).
This film reminds me a lot of last year’s TOURISTAS but that film at least was entertaining and had some beautiful cinematography. BORDERLAND, which was produced on a small budget, had capable actors and the performances were all serviceable to the script (written by Eric Poppen and Zev Berman) but the story does nothing to try and be anything more than the sum of its parts. There are several standout and gory sequences in the film but not enough to interest die hard horror fans nor is there enough to the story interest the audiences looking for a thought provoking psychological thriller.
Director Zev Berman tries to hold the film together (and point of fact it does look better then most of the indie horror films I’ve seen of late) but he’s no Tobe Hooper and this is no TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
This being said, this is a vast improvement over the Horror Fest’s first year since the majority of those films were just bad all around and BORDERLAND isn’t bad, it just isn’t all that good either but in hindsight it is a testament to the mandate of After Dark Films which is to bring to audiences a variety of horror films that otherwise would go unnoticed. And I noticed this one so I guess they’re doing a good job in that respect.
The film concerns three Americans (Brian Presley, Rider Strong, and Jake Muxworthy) who venture off to Mexico on a last minute whim in order to party and have a good time. All they want to do is drink, take drugs, and have a good time but when one of them is kidnapped by a cult to sacrifice to a Satanic deity all hell starts to break loose. I could go into more detail but then there’s not much more to go into as the film is very predictable and not all that much fun nor entertaining. If the film had tried to be less a cliché I’m sure it would have come off as more entertaining or at least had a style or cinematic flare to carry it through I would be more forgiving (also take into account that I screened four of the After Dark Horror Fest Films in one night and only one of them was entertaining).
This film reminds me a lot of last year’s TOURISTAS but that film at least was entertaining and had some beautiful cinematography. BORDERLAND, which was produced on a small budget, had capable actors and the performances were all serviceable to the script (written by Eric Poppen and Zev Berman) but the story does nothing to try and be anything more than the sum of its parts. There are several standout and gory sequences in the film but not enough to interest die hard horror fans nor is there enough to the story interest the audiences looking for a thought provoking psychological thriller.
Director Zev Berman tries to hold the film together (and point of fact it does look better then most of the indie horror films I’ve seen of late) but he’s no Tobe Hooper and this is no TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
This being said, this is a vast improvement over the Horror Fest’s first year since the majority of those films were just bad all around and BORDERLAND isn’t bad, it just isn’t all that good either but in hindsight it is a testament to the mandate of After Dark Films which is to bring to audiences a variety of horror films that otherwise would go unnoticed. And I noticed this one so I guess they’re doing a good job in that respect.
After Dark Films Presents TOOTH & NAIL
As part of the 2007 After Dark Horror Fest I can forgive the pitfalls of this post-apocalyptic tail TOOTH & NAIL for all its short comings. Written & directed by Mark Young (and almost exclusively in one location) TOOTH & NAIL tells the story of a world in which the absence of oil and gasoline has caused the world to become plunged into total chaos. In the film, a idealistic man Darwin (played by an exceptionally well casted Robert Carradine) has banded together a group of survivors who have refused to move south like the rest of the population but have instead taken a large hospital as there new paradise from which to rebuild society for a new age.
There world is torn apart when they decide to rescue a woman from being abducted but cannibal survivors and who subsequently follow them back to their paradise. From then one, each night the survivors within the hospital are preyed upon by the cannibals who only kill one of them each night in order to prolong their food supply. As the number of survivors in the hospital dwindle each night they must decide what to do in order to survive or escape the cannibals into the unknown outside world.
TOOTH & NAIL is an interesting concept that doesn’t go the distance when it comes to the execution. This is mainly because they have Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones as two of the main cannibals who do absolutely nothing for the film. The film could’ve worked better without the “star” names attached and if it had stayed closed with the characters within the hospital and made it a tense and disturbing psychological horror film similar to that of HIGH TENSION or THE HILLS HAVE EYES (either version), in which we know little about the killers but instead stay with the characters plight.
As directed by Young, the film has no cinematic flare or style which is needed in a film that takes place all within one location. It’s a lamentable attempt at best but it suffers because of its predictability and pedestrian treatment of the script. Carradine does a great job in his limited role but so does supporting actors Nicole DuPort, Rider Strong (much better here then in his other After Dark Film BORDERLAND), and Rachel Miner, while all the other characters are simply throw away characters in which you don’t really care when they die.
Although the death scenes are plentiful (mostly towards the end) they are practically goreless and sub-par for most horror fans of these types of films. TOOTH & NAIL is just a simple film that chooses not to go the distance, which is a shame because it could have been so much better.
There world is torn apart when they decide to rescue a woman from being abducted but cannibal survivors and who subsequently follow them back to their paradise. From then one, each night the survivors within the hospital are preyed upon by the cannibals who only kill one of them each night in order to prolong their food supply. As the number of survivors in the hospital dwindle each night they must decide what to do in order to survive or escape the cannibals into the unknown outside world.
TOOTH & NAIL is an interesting concept that doesn’t go the distance when it comes to the execution. This is mainly because they have Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones as two of the main cannibals who do absolutely nothing for the film. The film could’ve worked better without the “star” names attached and if it had stayed closed with the characters within the hospital and made it a tense and disturbing psychological horror film similar to that of HIGH TENSION or THE HILLS HAVE EYES (either version), in which we know little about the killers but instead stay with the characters plight.
As directed by Young, the film has no cinematic flare or style which is needed in a film that takes place all within one location. It’s a lamentable attempt at best but it suffers because of its predictability and pedestrian treatment of the script. Carradine does a great job in his limited role but so does supporting actors Nicole DuPort, Rider Strong (much better here then in his other After Dark Film BORDERLAND), and Rachel Miner, while all the other characters are simply throw away characters in which you don’t really care when they die.
Although the death scenes are plentiful (mostly towards the end) they are practically goreless and sub-par for most horror fans of these types of films. TOOTH & NAIL is just a simple film that chooses not to go the distance, which is a shame because it could have been so much better.
After Dark Films Presents CRAZY EIGHTS
Out of the four After Dark Horror Fest films that I screened in the same evening (the others included BORDERLAND, UNEARTHED, and TOOTH & NAIL) CRAZY EIGHTS is the most disappointing because of the great cast that was put together for the film. Included in the cast are Dina Meyer, George Newbern, Traci Lords, Dan DeLuca, Frank Whaley, and Gabrielle Anwar. This is probably the best cast of any of the After Dark Horror Fest Films.
CRAZY EIGHTS concerns a group of friends who get back together after a friend of theirs has died. They haven’t seen each other in many years so the reunion is a bitter one in which they all have their own inner demons. As part of this “healing” process of getting over their friends death (and a wish by their dead friend) they venture off to look for an old time capsule they buried. When in search of this capsule they find themselves trapped in a mysterious hospital which is all to familiar to them all but they don’t know why. As they try to find a way out hidden memories start to resurface leading them to remember an event at the hospital that has haunted them their entire lives and that will not let them leave the hospital alive.
As with many low budget indie films this film takes place almost exclusively in the one location. The production design is out standing and the cinematography is some of the best of any of the After Dark Horror Fest films thus far but the film doesn’t go anywhere. There is a lot of dialogue and talking amongst the characters but other than Whaley’s character none of them are all that interesting. The cast makes the best of the material which isn’t much as this film comes off as an Asian ghost story knock-off without the atmospheric dread and ghost with long hair. The ghost in this film is a little girl which isn’t really all that terrifying. The death scenes are interesting but never anything we haven’t already seen before which is sad considering what could have been achieved in the location at hand.
Writers Dan DeLuca, James K. Jones, and Ji-un Kwon try very hard to create a suspenseful psychological horror film but fail at every turn as the situations in this film have become cliché and over done. As director Jones does a capable job (especially in terms of the look and feel of the film) but the overall film is hampered by the fact that audiences have tired of this kind of film no matter how you slice and dice and reserve it up. This is one of the few “adult” horror films on hand from the Horror Fest and I’m sure they included it because of the variety in which it brought to the event but with all this talent available it should’ve been put to better use.
CRAZY EIGHTS concerns a group of friends who get back together after a friend of theirs has died. They haven’t seen each other in many years so the reunion is a bitter one in which they all have their own inner demons. As part of this “healing” process of getting over their friends death (and a wish by their dead friend) they venture off to look for an old time capsule they buried. When in search of this capsule they find themselves trapped in a mysterious hospital which is all to familiar to them all but they don’t know why. As they try to find a way out hidden memories start to resurface leading them to remember an event at the hospital that has haunted them their entire lives and that will not let them leave the hospital alive.
As with many low budget indie films this film takes place almost exclusively in the one location. The production design is out standing and the cinematography is some of the best of any of the After Dark Horror Fest films thus far but the film doesn’t go anywhere. There is a lot of dialogue and talking amongst the characters but other than Whaley’s character none of them are all that interesting. The cast makes the best of the material which isn’t much as this film comes off as an Asian ghost story knock-off without the atmospheric dread and ghost with long hair. The ghost in this film is a little girl which isn’t really all that terrifying. The death scenes are interesting but never anything we haven’t already seen before which is sad considering what could have been achieved in the location at hand.
Writers Dan DeLuca, James K. Jones, and Ji-un Kwon try very hard to create a suspenseful psychological horror film but fail at every turn as the situations in this film have become cliché and over done. As director Jones does a capable job (especially in terms of the look and feel of the film) but the overall film is hampered by the fact that audiences have tired of this kind of film no matter how you slice and dice and reserve it up. This is one of the few “adult” horror films on hand from the Horror Fest and I’m sure they included it because of the variety in which it brought to the event but with all this talent available it should’ve been put to better use.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Willem Dafoe in his New Film ANAMORPH
This new psychological detective film is in the same vein as David Fincher’s S7VEN and even though it may echo the mood and atmosphere of that film ANAMORPH is its own animal and a welcomed addition to the serial killer genre. In the film Willem Dafoe plays Stan, a detective over the hill and just buying his time till his pension kicks in. He has been inactive for five years teaching murder psychology to a new generation of students and detectives. He’s an obsessive compulsive who hasn’t been the same since he blamed himself for the murder of a innocent girl by the serial killer “Uncle Eddie” and whose subsequent capture and murder lead to his being promoted to detective.
Now a new series of murders have started and Stan is asked to partner up with Detective Carl Uffner (Scott Speedman), himself just recently promoted to detective. Uffner is determined to believe that the new murders are done by a copycat yet Stan slowly begins to believe that the new and more elaborate murders may be by Uncle Eddie whom he thought was dead. As he gets closer to discovering who the killer is the killer is getting closer to him implementing him into each of the next murders.
Tom Phelan and Henry Miller’s (who also directed the film) screenplay is a slow and smart thriller that delves deep into the psychosis of Defoe’s “broken” character. This is complimented by the lengths to which the killer will go to impress the detective with his elaborate crimes. The “anamorph” of the title refers to an art style “anamorphosis” in which a painting technique manipulates the laws of perspective to create two competing images on a single canvas. This is the technique by which the killer poses his “masterpieces” and is definitely well worth the ticket admission alone.
Miller does a capable job as director relying more on his actors then on directorial flare and Defoe is more then capable to take the lead as he gives a commendable performance as the tortured yet dedicated and fragile detective. One of the drawbacks to the film is the fact that neither Speedman nor Clea DuVall are given much to work with as Speedman and Defoe rarely work together as their characters clash at every turn. DuVall is given even less as she is a character whom Stan befriends after feeling guilty for letting her best friend die. They are kindred spirits whose paths are not adequately worked into the script therefore her plight with the serial killer at the end is kind of anti-climatic. Peter Stormare, as usual, steals every scene he is in and makes for one hell of a friend and business associate to the dissociated Stan.
Although ANAMORPH does not have the style and flare of S7VEN there is no denying that the film still is a very good addition to the serial killer genre especially considering what else has come out this year so far.
Now a new series of murders have started and Stan is asked to partner up with Detective Carl Uffner (Scott Speedman), himself just recently promoted to detective. Uffner is determined to believe that the new murders are done by a copycat yet Stan slowly begins to believe that the new and more elaborate murders may be by Uncle Eddie whom he thought was dead. As he gets closer to discovering who the killer is the killer is getting closer to him implementing him into each of the next murders.
Tom Phelan and Henry Miller’s (who also directed the film) screenplay is a slow and smart thriller that delves deep into the psychosis of Defoe’s “broken” character. This is complimented by the lengths to which the killer will go to impress the detective with his elaborate crimes. The “anamorph” of the title refers to an art style “anamorphosis” in which a painting technique manipulates the laws of perspective to create two competing images on a single canvas. This is the technique by which the killer poses his “masterpieces” and is definitely well worth the ticket admission alone.
Miller does a capable job as director relying more on his actors then on directorial flare and Defoe is more then capable to take the lead as he gives a commendable performance as the tortured yet dedicated and fragile detective. One of the drawbacks to the film is the fact that neither Speedman nor Clea DuVall are given much to work with as Speedman and Defoe rarely work together as their characters clash at every turn. DuVall is given even less as she is a character whom Stan befriends after feeling guilty for letting her best friend die. They are kindred spirits whose paths are not adequately worked into the script therefore her plight with the serial killer at the end is kind of anti-climatic. Peter Stormare, as usual, steals every scene he is in and makes for one hell of a friend and business associate to the dissociated Stan.
Although ANAMORPH does not have the style and flare of S7VEN there is no denying that the film still is a very good addition to the serial killer genre especially considering what else has come out this year so far.
Stuart Gordon's New Film STUCK!
Director Stuart Gordon just keeps on getting better with each subsequent film. After rejuvenating his career with his two episodes for the short lived cable series “Masters of Horror” (in which he contributed the H.P. Lovecraft inspired “Dreams in the Witch-house and the Edgar Allen Poe “The Black Cat”) and the indie films KING OF THE ANTS and EDMOND, Gordon continues to impress with his new film STUCK.
Inspired by a true story in which a nurse Brandi (Mena Suvari) while drunk and high on acid after leaving a night club runs down an out of work and down on his luck Tom (Stephen Rea) plunging him straight into her windshield. Distraught and in shock Brandi drives home in a panic state with Tom still hanging through her windshield. Unable to decide what to do as the situation escalates because she continues to deny Tom medical attention, Brandi’s psyche goes from elderly help nurse to homicidal woman who will stop at nothing to protect herself even if it means killing an innocent man. Gordon and screenwriter John Strysik (Gordon provided the story the screenplay is based on) do a better than average job on the screenplay as it could have easily become a farce under less capable hands.
Gordon, having toed the line of black humor in many of his films, most recently in KING OF THE ANTS and EDMOND, has proven that he is the right person for the job in this film. Gordon knows when to bring out the humor and when to bring out the tragedy without either becoming a caricature thus diminishing the impact of the film. Gordon does a fine job with presenting the story of a tragedy that should have never been allowed to happen in the first place by adding a bit of social commentary to the film that neither makes it too heavy handed nor too incidental to the story.
Both Suvari and Rea should be commended for there great performances. Rea is always great to watch but Suvari shines in the role of the conflicted Brandi who goes through a psychological breakdown. She hasn’t been this good since AMERICAN BEAUTY.
STUCK is truly a disturbing look at society and social responsibility as only Gordon can do it.
Inspired by a true story in which a nurse Brandi (Mena Suvari) while drunk and high on acid after leaving a night club runs down an out of work and down on his luck Tom (Stephen Rea) plunging him straight into her windshield. Distraught and in shock Brandi drives home in a panic state with Tom still hanging through her windshield. Unable to decide what to do as the situation escalates because she continues to deny Tom medical attention, Brandi’s psyche goes from elderly help nurse to homicidal woman who will stop at nothing to protect herself even if it means killing an innocent man. Gordon and screenwriter John Strysik (Gordon provided the story the screenplay is based on) do a better than average job on the screenplay as it could have easily become a farce under less capable hands.
Gordon, having toed the line of black humor in many of his films, most recently in KING OF THE ANTS and EDMOND, has proven that he is the right person for the job in this film. Gordon knows when to bring out the humor and when to bring out the tragedy without either becoming a caricature thus diminishing the impact of the film. Gordon does a fine job with presenting the story of a tragedy that should have never been allowed to happen in the first place by adding a bit of social commentary to the film that neither makes it too heavy handed nor too incidental to the story.
Both Suvari and Rea should be commended for there great performances. Rea is always great to watch but Suvari shines in the role of the conflicted Brandi who goes through a psychological breakdown. She hasn’t been this good since AMERICAN BEAUTY.
STUCK is truly a disturbing look at society and social responsibility as only Gordon can do it.
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