Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 28th, 2002
There isn't really a plot, as such. In collaboration with director/photographer/scripter/editor Nico B, co-director/composer/writer Rozz Williams works out his serial killer fantasies through the images of a pig-faced man torturing another. The big influences here are equal parts Eraserhead-era David Lynch, the surrealist films of the late-20s-early-30s (especially Un ChienAndalou) and the contemporary piercing/SM scene. In fact, there are moments where this plays like an artsy infomercial for the latter. There is some nice imagery here, but Pig doesn't really go much beyond its influences. The torture scenes, while not for everyone (most of the needles-through-the-penis stuff is obviously real) lack both the emotional context that give similar sequences their power in films such as Sick (where they're for real) and Audition (where they're not). To the contrary, there's something a little too "look at us! aren't we gross!" here, not to mention the fact that, for a supposedly transgressive feature, the atrocities are mostly of the "been there, done that" variety. All this said, the black-and-white photography and ambient score generate some nice atmosphere.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 18th, 2002
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2002
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 26th, 2002
This movie stunned me in its completely unexpected excellence. Its unrecognized title, cast of minors, typical B-movie premise, and sponsorship by the government of Luxembourg all suggested a weak slasher film to follow. Like Ginger Snaps before it, however, Dog Soldiers is a new brand of monster movie that blends subtle talent with creative plots, superb directorship, spectacular camera work, and over the top action to take viewers completely by surprise.
Before I continue, here’s the synopsis:...a group of British soldiers training in Scotland fall in the sights of a group of hunting werewolves. Violence and chaos ensue.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 11th, 2002
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 11th, 2002
Few films have had the impact of the original Exorcist. William Peter Blatty’s original book was a phenomenal hit. The film’s intense imagery and in your face brutality was all the more disturbing coming from a young teenage Linda Blair. What makes this film effective, however, is the subtle touches: The quick flash demonic faces, the eeriest backward language of the demon, and the haunting moans that culminate in one of the truly scariest films ever made. This release restores footage, long legendary, but not seen by a movie audience. I remember seeing pictures of Linda Blair’s “spider crawl” in Famous Monsters of Filmland in the 70’s. To call this film a classic would be stating the obvious.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 24th, 2002
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2002
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 18th, 2002
“I think they pulled it together in a way only Texans working together could.”
David Blocker – Producer, Frailty
Well, those Texans certainly did bring it together in a unique fashion, and Lions Gate has packaged it in an excellent DVD release. Bill Paxton’s directorial debut captures a family’s descent in dementia in 1979 in a performance that is surreal and believeable. The everyday and the unexpected are blended into a nightmare world where the mundane and supernatural are superimposed...and inseparable. Therein lies the fear of Frailty – the implication that dementia can ride in to any family (in the form of a winged angel spewing fire), and wrap itself in a guise of normalcy that renders it routine.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 15th, 2002
Jason is resurrected by an unfortunate accident involving a boat anchor and a power cable.He climbs aboard a ship carrying a graduating class to New York City, and proceeds to do his stuff. While those of us who caught this on its original theatrical run were disappointed that we had to wait a full hour before Jason reached NYC (or, more accurately, Vancouver), a return trip reveals this as one of the better made entries in the franchise. The characters, though thin, make are a bit more coherent than in Part VII, the action is competently staged, and once Jason hits Manhattan, much is made of the fact that he can chase and slaughter in full public view, and no one wants to get involved.
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