Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009)

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tetsuo_the_bullet_man_xlgAfter a seventeen year hiatus from the series, cult director Shin’ya Tsukamoto returns for a third installment of metal-morphing insanity with Tetsuo: The Bullet Man. Given that it was made nearly two decades after Tetsuo 2: Body Hammer, Tsukamoto certainly had enough time to plan a brilliant return to the series that would not only honor the originals but also reinvigorate the concept for a new generation. With significantly more experience as a director, as well as the enormous advances that have been made in filmmaking technology, it should be a foregone conclusion that Tsukamoto knocked it out of the park with this one, right? Well, let’s discuss.

Just as he did with Body Hammer, Tsukamoto once again reinvents the Tetsuo story from scratch rather than continuing the storyline from a previous film. This time the story follows Anthony (Eric Bossick) an ordinary businessman who’s son is killed in a seemingly deliberate hit-and-run. Soon after, his life begins to unravel further as he (you guessed it) starts to transform into a metal-melded monster with protruding chest guns. Now he must track down his son’s killer, as well as uncover the mystery of who (or rather what) he has become.

Since each Tetsuo installment is a reimagining of the story rather than a continuation of it, drawing a comparison to the original film (Tetsuo: The Iron Man) is inevitable. In that regard, The Bullet Man is, without a doubt, the sleekest looking of the series, although in the case of these films that’s not necessarily a positive thing. A big part of what made the original ’89 version so brilliant was the rough, grainy quality of it which added to the nightmarish feeling of the film. Now, on it’s own, the idea of having the third film be sleeker and more modern looking is conceptually fine, but in this case it is also representative of a larger problem……watering down the aspects that made the first film great in favor of reaching a wider audience.

We saw shades of this in Body Hammer, the choice to film in color, a more conventional story, and a transformation that turns the character into more of a weapon than a monster. This time, however, it’s even more apparent that Tsukamoto is trying to not only appeal to a wider audience but specifically a Western audience. The most obvious example of this is of course his choice to have a half white, half Asian protagonist that speaks English and has an American name. But it shows up in more subtle ways as well such as the excessive exposition and the fact that the transformation turns Anthony into more of a societal outcast with super powers than a metal-plagued monster. It also has by far the most conventional storyline of the series which plays out much more like a standard unwilling-hero-attains-powers-battles-villain-and-seeks-revenge kind of story rather than the brilliant abstract insanity of The Iron Man.

There are certainly nods to the style of the earlier films like the frenetic action, the insane laughing face, and of course the grotesque transformations that meld flesh with metal. However, these feel a bit more like obligatory tie-ins to the series rather than concepts that emerged from the story organically. Furthermore, the idea of the protagonist’s son being killed by the villains to provoke his rage-fueled transformation as well as the fact that he has guns melded into his body are both plot points taken straight from Body Hammer. This significantly adds to the feeling of this entry being more of a re-hash than an original storyline that reinvents the series.

Now, despite all the negative complaints I’ve leveled against the film, I do have to say that as far as the viewing experience goes, the film is actually quite watchable. Sure, the English (the primary language spoken in this film) may sound inexplicably dubbed (!) and sometimes the shaky hand-held action scenes go past the point of frenetic to downright nauseating but the overall film is still weird and interesting enough to hold your attention to the end. When compared to the earlier, superior entries in the series, it pales by comparison but I’d still take it any day over the soulless fucking trash that people like Michael Bay and Adam Sandler produce these days.

3 Stars Red

Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

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SaloIf you are seeking out the most notorious, disturbing and controversial films of all time, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom is a title that’s sure to come up over and over again. The film is legendary for its levels of depravity and for being a kind of an endurance test that weeds out all but the most hardened viewers. It’s something that has been on my radar for years and I decided it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about. I wanted to judge for myself if this this forty-one year old film could in fact still live up to it’s reputation and hold a candle to modern-day examples of extreme horror like A Serbian Film, Human Centipede 2, Martyrs, etc.

The film itself is an adaptation of the Marquis de Sade’s notorious novel The 120 Days of Sodom which he wrote while imprisoned in the Bastille in 1785. The film follows the same basic plot structure as the book although the setting is transposed to Italy during the waning days of Mussolini’s reign. The story centers around four rich, powerful men who imprison a group of seventeen teenagers in a mansion and proceed to severely sexually, physically and mentally abuse them over the next four months. The men are aided by a small group of soldiers, who appear to be around the same age as the teens, as well as four experienced prostitutes. The prostitutes fondly regale the men with depraved tales of their own experiences which include molestation, coprophagia (shit eating to you and me) and violence, while the men use the teens to act out their most perverse and grotesque fantasies.

Because of the incredibly debaucherous and disturbing nature of the film, it may be surprising to some viewers that a meticulously remastered edition was released by Criterion Collection, given their propensity for specializing in Art House classics. However, once you actually experience Salo for yourself it is clear that it bares a far greater likeness to the films of European auteurs rather than the Grindhouse cinema of 42nd street. From the gorgeously composed shots to the utterly brilliant, high-caliber acting, it is clear that is an undeniably well-made film that deserves serious consideration.

Content-wise, the film doesn’t quite deliver the kind of visceral gut-punch of, say, A Serbian Film but is nonetheless incredibly disturbing. The fact that the acting is so flawlessly executed makes the actions of the ruthlessly sadistic bourgeoisie villains far more upsetting. Rape, forced coprophagia, torture and numerous other acts, both debauched and bizarre, are inflicted upon the teens for the deviant pleasure of the four men. What’s perhaps even more unsettling is the fact that it is the well-dressed, urbane psychopaths that are the protagonists of the film, rather than the doomed teens. Much like Human Centipede 2, this puts the viewer in the distressing position of following along with these twisted characters rather than seeing them presented as forces of antagonism.

Now, clearly the film adaptation must follow the source material but regardless, it is undeniably light on story and does not adhere to the traditional character arc structure you find in most films. Despite this, the film is very compelling to watch and holds your attention throughout as it builds in intensity. It is also bold in a way that few films are as it presents an experience that is not only incredibly disturbing, and at times disquietingly surreal, but also made with no concern for the film’s commercial appeal. Regardless of how you may view the content, any piece of art that is skillfully crafted, provokes spirited debate, and is genuinely uninhibited is certainly art that is worthy of discussion and analysis.

The film is also rife with subtext and social commentary. This isn’t surprising given that director Pier Paolo Pasolini was, much like the Marquis de Sade himself, an outspoken critic of authoritarian figures and society in general. The fact that the four men who are responsible for the deplorable acts all hold positions of power and authority (such as President, Bishop, etc) is one of the clearest examples of this.

It is also noteworthy that the well-dressed men are exceedingly polite when talking with each other and the veteran prostitutes that work for them but are immediately harsh and cruel when dealing with the captives who they deem to be of lesser value. The scene in which the men take turns enacting horrendous violence on the teens and watching from a throne-like chair with opera glasses is also a clear commentary on both the culpability and voyeuristic apathy of the powerful and the victims of the world they created.

In the hands of a lesser director, a film adaptation of one of the most depraved, grotesque books of all time could have easily been reduced to two hours of cheap shock-value gags but under Pasolini’s skilled direction the film transcends these potential limitations to become a work of uncompromising art. Those seeking a unique and harrowing viewing experience would do well to add Salo to the must-watch list of highly-disturbing alternative cinema.

4.5 Stars Red

The Ungovernable Force (2015)

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Ungovernable ForceIn this review, the underground film production company Ungovernable Films takes it to the streets with their Punk exploitation film The Ungovernable Force. Being that this is the same company that created films with titles like Honky Holocaust and Gay Jesus you have a pretty good idea what kind of film experience you are in for if you are at all familiar with their other work. So the question is “Does this Troma-style film capture the gleeful, grotesque magic of movies like Father’s Day or is it simply an hour and a half of boobs, cheap but explicit violence and porn-level dialogue?” Well, I guess there’s only one way for you punks to find out!

The film follows the exploits of Sal Purgatory (Jake Vaughan) a porn store employee who reconnects with his punk friends after being dumped by his girlfriend. His broken heart is quickly mended, however, once he’s finally able to work up the courage to talk to mysterious punk girl Louisa (Lindsay Winne) who he keeps seeing around town and becomes instantly infatuated with. When they stumble upon the body of a raped and murdered homeless woman, it sets them and their rag-tag group of punks off on a twisted adventure full of Nazis, corrupt cops, bum armies, strange chemicals and a whole lotta fucking.

First of all, I do want to point out that this is not a horror movie, although it does contain a lot of horrifying imagery and is without a doubt an Alternative Film. I feel fairly confident it will be a cold day in Hell before mainstream films start featuring unsimulated scenes of masturbation, shitting on the floor and a guy driving a nail through his tattooed cock(!).  And yes, I do mean for real.

These are some prime examples of the kind of Punk Rock, Anarchist energy writer/director Paul McAlarney is clearly trying to capture for this film, and in some ways he does. An early scene at a Punk show effectively embodies this feeling as McAlarney infuses it with the kind of kinetic energy and authenticity of someone who clearly knows the culture. In addition to this, a solid Punk soundtrack plays throughout the film and clothing and set design both feel incredibly legit.

That being said though, a film is only as good as the story it is telling and unfortunately, this is where The Ungovernable Force comes up painfully short. At an hour and forty minutes, the film’s I-don’t-give-a-fuck style of film-making quickly wears thin and without a solid relationship to the characters or the story, it becomes less and less compelling to watch. Much like underground Punk films such as Threat and Mod Fuck Explosion, this is an example of a movie that effectively captures the look and feel of the subculture but lacks the competent storytelling and technical proficiency to be a successful film.

This is most evident in the forces of antagonism, or lack thereof, within the story. I know this is a purposely campy film with a virtually all-punk cast but regardless of the kind of unhinged feel you want a movie to have, you have to take some aspects of it seriously or the story simply won’t work. For instance, if you want to have an anti-authoritarian feel, then it’s not the best idea to have a cop with neck tattoos and a fake mustache acting like an over-the-top clown. It would have been far more subversive to play the cops straight and corrupt which would not only establish a feeling of genuine disgust for them from the audience but also give credibility to the struggles of the protagonists against them. As it is, it’s far too silly to make you care at all what happens and the times when the film does actually ask you to take it seriously, you simply can’t.

I find it ironic that despite the rebellious, counter-culture feel McAlarney is trying to achieve, the actual viewing experience itself becomes very similar to watching a sanitized Hollywood blockbuster. In both cases you are viewing films where you can’t take the characters or the plot seriously, so are not invested in either and are simply watching for the visual stimulation. The fact that that stimulation is nudity, cheap violence and gross-out gags rather than top-notch special effects doesn’t change the fact that it is mindless, escapist entertainment.

I also have to talk about the acting in this film. I’m not going to mince words here, it’s bad….really bad. To be fair, the occasional actor here or there was able to drum up a passable performance but for the most part the acting was unwatchably awful. I’m sure this was largely due to the fact that a lot of the primary cast seemed to be made up of non-actors or newcomers, save a few cameos from several (somewhat) recognizable actors. I’m not sure whether McAlarney wanted non-actors for a more authentic feel or if that was simply all he could get, but either way, having people who are unable to effectively create a suspension of disbelief makes the experience feel less authentic, not more.

Overall, I did enjoy the more fucked-up aspects of this film and the general look and style of it. If McAlarney had actually included a cohesive and interesting story and put some effort into at least trying to make the characters feel fleshed out and realistic, this could perhaps have been an effective film. As it is though, it looks more like something a bunch of college kids got together and shot over a weekend, using a loose outline instead of a script and paying the actors in beer.

1.5 Stars Red

Short Film Review: The Last Halloween (2013) Duration: 10 min 15 sec

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The Last HalloweenIt is still a bit early yet to think about but, believe it or not, Halloween is right around the corner. In the spirit of that horror-themed holiday which is so near and dear to our black hearts, I decided to review the 2013 short The Last Halloween.

The film was written and directed by Marc Roussel and tells the story of four kids trick ‘r treating in a post-apocalyptic town that has been decimated by an unknown epidemic. Despite the dismal setting the evening seems to be progressing well enough for them. That is, until they get to the last house where the owner, Jack, (Ron Basch) is less than welcoming.

For an indie short, the film certainly does have good production values and the decrepit town is well designed and detailed. The story is also interesting and Roussel does a good job building tension in a short amount of time. There are also nice touches throughout, such as Jack’s wife Kate (Emily Alatalo) looking forlornly at an empty crib which is genuinely sad moment that is subtly and effectively executed. In addition, I would be remiss if I didn’t properly acknowledge the excellent sound design which adds a level of professionalism to the production.

All that being said however, there were some significant issues to be found with the film as well. I don’t like to call out particular actors but I have to point out that while Basch’s performance was fine, it wasn’t quite to the level where he was fully selling the suspension of disbelief. During his screen time I felt quite aware that I was watching someone act and as a result wasn’t able to be fully immersed in the story.

The next issue involves the climax of the film and is simply too big to be ignored. I won’t give full on spoilers but if you are insistent on going into the film as fresh as possible I recommend taking the ten minutes now to pull the film up on YouTube before finishing the review.

Alright, all set now? So, suffice to say, the climax involves several monsters which, and there’s just no other way to say this, aren’t realistic enough to look scary. In fact, the scariest and tensest moment of the film was right before the monsters are revealed. After that, there is no denying you are looking at people in latex masks, quality ones certainly, but clearly masks nonetheless. In fact, at this point in the film the tone shifts to something more closely resembling a haunted house at an amusement park then a genuinely scary horror film.

Now, of course I understand the limitations of indie budgets but I feel that if the scene had simply been shot in a different way the end result could have been drastically different. For instance, obscuring the creatures in the shadows more and favoring quick edits rather than drawn-out closeups may have helped to create an atmosphere of genuine menace while also hiding the imperfections.

Overall though, a solid film that is definitely worth taking ten minutes to check out especially if you want to get into the spirit of All Hallows Eve as it draws ever closer.

2.5 Stars Red

Short Film Review: Familiar (2012) Duration: 24 min

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FamiliarWith this review I conclude my current binge of Richard Powell shorts with his 2012 film Familiar, which was made between his shorts Worm and Heir. After seeing the caliber of his other films I was very intrigued to see how this one would stack up to the others and if he could in fact maintain the high level of quality I’ve come to expect from his films.

Naturally, the film stars Robert Nolan who also played the lead in both Worm and Heir. Similar to his character in Worm, Nolan plays John Dodd, a man who projects a facade of dutiful kindness but inside seethes with hate and disgust, this time for his wife and teenage daughter. As his hateful inner monologue becomes more angry and extreme, the question becomes “how far will he go to indulge the ugliness that lives inside him?”

It’s no surprise that Powell continues to use Robert Nolan as the lead for his films because he once again delivers a spot-on performance that subtly conveys the complex emotions of his character through his nuanced and skilled acting. It is not easy to play a character that is simultaneously hiding his true emotions from the other characters as well as subtly revealing them to the audience, but Nolan walks that line perfectly. Of course, supporting actors are also essential to the success of a film and Astrida Auza and Cat Hostick (John’s wife and daughter respectively) also deliver excellent, realistic performances that help immerse you in the world of the film.

In my review of Worm, I mentioned that although it was in fact a great film there were a few areas I felt could have been improved upon. Powell must have had similar thoughts when he made this because what he has delivered here is essentially a very similar story but with the supernatural elements as well as the brutal, gory climax that I felt Worm was lacking. This also allowed an opportunity for him to employ some gloriously grotesque special effects which look great even by Hollywood standards and are very impressive to see in a short film.

The storyline, which I always consider to be the most important part of any film, was also very well done here. I appreciate that it was well paced and showed what needed to be shown to move the story along without getting bogged down in unnecessary details or allowing the scenes to drag. The story is also genuinely unpredictable and set in a world where truly anything could happen.

Bottom line, another great one from Powell and company. I really hope he’s able to break into feature film territory soon because if he does, he could be the kind of unique and brilliant voice that is always needed out there in a world full of remakes and refuse. My one piece of advice for him would be to maintain his artistic integrity at all costs. The world doesn’t need any more directors of watered-down Hollywood sequels and if he can deliver the same kind of uncompromising brilliance in a feature film that we’ve seen in his shorts, then he just may carve out a place in film history as a significant filmmaker that is talked about for years to come.

4.5 Stars Red

Short Film Review: Worm (2010) Duration: 21 min 02 sec

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WormFor this review I once again go into the dark mind of Richard Powell and dissect his 2010 short, Worm. After giving out one of my very rare five star ratings to his 2015 short Heir I was certainly interested to see how his other work compared. Does it stand on equal footing with the later film or is there a progression to the quality of his films that culminates in the outstanding 2015 film? Well, let’s discuss. By the way, some aspects of the ending are referenced here, not a full on reveal of course but all the same I feel a spoiler alert is warranted for this review just in case.

The plot of this film can be pretty simply summed up as a look inside the mind of an angry, burned-out high school teacher who has to put on a polite facade to interact with a world full of people he despises. This is definitely a concept that many of us can relate to, the difference between the fake, polite side we have to show the world and the true feelings that lurk underneath.

Frequent Powell collaborator Robert Nolan stars as said angry teacher and, as I expected, delivers another excellent performance full of subtly, realism and complex emotions that linger just beneath the surface. In fact, the entire cast, made up mostly of high school age teens, does a great job and portray their roles very effectively. I was pleased to see this because I feel like the competency of all actors in any given film, right down to the extras, is a detail that can make or break the overall quality of the film itself.

As far as the story is concerned, I do like the concept but found the overall film a bit anti-climatic. Now I’m sure this was a conscious choice by Powell to take the story in an even more unconventional direction but still, I was hoping there would be a supernatural element tied in or at least some gruesome violence.

I by no means think that gore and violence are a requirement for a film to be compelling or even disturbing, but in this case I feel that Worm needed a larger sense of purpose and a more significant event to occur in the protagonist’s life to bring the story to the next level. I would also mention that while the idea of a teacher losing his mind to progressively violent fantasies is in fact frightening conceptually, I would not actually classify this as a horror film, more of an unsettling drama.

Overall though, a very solid film that is well acted, well shot, and certainly compelling enough to easily hold your interest through the duration. Not quite Heir but still an interesting and engaging short that offers a glimpse of great things to come.

3.5 Stars Red

Comic Book Review: Lucio Fulci’s Zombie-Issue #1 (2016)

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zombie_coverFor this review I’m doing something a little different and I will actually be reviewing issue #1 of the comic book adaptation of Lucio Fulci’s Zombie. Since comics are such a different medium than films I felt it didn’t make sense to use the same star rating system I typically use for films. So for this review I will be omitting that entirely and simply letting the review speak for itself.

Most Horror fans are already well acquainted with Fulci’s classic film and those of you who aren’t should become so in a hurry. Issue #1 covers about the first quarter or so of the film’s storyline which, for the uninitiated, is as follows: A seemingly abandoned sailboat floats into a New York City harbor and before long it’s lone zombie passenger begins spreading the infection to others. Meanwhile, Ann Bowels, the adult daughter of the ship’s conspicuously absent owner, teams up with investigative journalist Peter West to solve the mystery of what really happened to her father.

The comic stays quite true to the source material but this is by no means a shot-for-shot retelling and some adjustments were certainly made from the original film. However, that is not meant as a criticism because the tweaks and adjustments that were made, most of which minor, work entirely to the benefit of the story.

The largest change is undoubtedly the Voodoo-themed opening which does not appear at all in the film but does a fantastic job of setting the delightfully gruesome tone for the comic. In addition it also establishes the importance of the Voodoo mythology as a central theme and integral part of the story. Writer/editor Stephen Romano keeps the pacing tight with a storyline that pays appropriate homage to the film while also moving the plot along effectively. By virtue of the medium, the comic is also able to delve into the thoughts and backstories of the characters a bit, thereby adding a layer of depth to their experiences.

As with any form of zombie art, the gore is a key element. I knew going into this that it would be a determining factor in deciding if this was a worthy adaptation or not. While the effects of the original film may seem somewhat dated by today’s standards, there is no denying their visceral brutality as Fulci took them to gloriously graphic levels. Well, I am happy to report that the comic does not disappoint and gleefully soaks the pages in waves of crimson brutality. The art is well-rendered and visceral and perfectly captures the uninhibitedly gruesome tone of the film.

Also included at the end is an article in which Romano discusses the backstory of how this adaptation came to be in the first place, which is in and of itself is an interesting read. All in all a great adaptation and an excellent first issue that does justice to the film and kicks the series off right!

Short Film Review: Heir (2015) Duration: 13 mins 58 sec

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HeirI see the format of short films in general as an opportunity for truly unbridled filmmaking. Even though the filmmakers themselves almost never see much in the way of financial gains from the actual shorts, they are also not beholden to the kinds of artistic compromises so often required to make a feature film marketable. This allows the most daring and talented directors to create short films that delve into dark subject matter and employ experimental techniques to create a vision untarnished by the meddling of outside forces who seek to make it more “palatable” for a wider audience. Directors who take advantage of that freedom are sometimes able to create films that are uninhibited, brilliant art pieces and Heir is one such film.

It is difficult to discuss the plot without giving too much away but I will say that it deals with subject matter that makes most people profoundly uncomfortable. The story centers around Gordon (Robert Nolan) who takes his teenage son Paul (Mateo D’Avino) on a trip to meet up with a mysterious man named Denis, played by Bill Oberst Jr. Tension and dread mount as the film builds towards it’s climax and the disturbing truth about the characters’ true motivations are revealed.

Writer/director Richard Powell takes a surreal approach to the story, clearly influenced by the kind of body-horror featured in Cronenberg’s most seminal work. This proves to be a smart gamble and the special effects are not only exquisitely crafted but give the film a nightmarish quality that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll. In the hands of a lesser director these effects may have undermined what is a very serious and upsetting topic but in this case Powell perfectly incorporates them into the story in a way that does justice to his influences. In fact, rarely outside of Cronenberg’s films have I seen body-horror so effectively used to symbolically portray the horror and darkness that can lurk in human sexuality.

Credit also must be given to the cast whose all around strong performances are a key part of the film’s success. Bill Oberst Jr especially shines with his subtle, menacing portrayal that is bold, daring and absolutely fucking flawless. Nolan also delivers in a big way expertly portraying his tortured character’s emotional roller coaster with subtly and realism. This is all captured in a tightly paced, professionally shot film that completely nails the tone, look and feel of the strange, disturbing story it is telling.

Even beyond the technical proficiency of the film the story itself is what really makes it daring and vital. Regardless of how well a film is shot there must be a deeper meaning to the story for it to cross the line from entertainment to significant art. By discussing a subject that is horrible but undeniably real, Powell elevates his film beyond the myriad of shorts that seek to merely shock and disgust to the all-too-infrequent group that truly have something to say. My hope is that this film becomes available in some way for people to watch outside of the festival circuit because it is without a doubt a trip into darkness well worth taking.

5 Stars Red

Short Film Review: Stained (2016) Duration: 9 min 57 sec

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Stained picWhen your film has a running time of under ten minutes there isn’t a lot of room to flesh out an elaborate story and the entirety of the film is generally focused on the resolution of one central conflict. Stained is no exception to this rule, and the plot can easily be summed up as (sigh)…..a man takes a shit and has to try and find some toilet paper to wipe his ass. Yes, that’s really the plot.

Said man goes by Harris (Mike Shephard) and in addition to being fresh out of TP, he is also plagued by the the incessant harassment of one Fecal George (Chris Spyrides), a human manifestation of shit itself that only he can see. Okay, so it goes without saying that the plot is crass and sophomoric, so the question really becomes “did the filmmakers execute the story they had properly?” Well, let’s break this thing down.

First and foremost, this is a small cast of three actors so the quality of the acting is essential to selling this weird little story. Not surprisingly, there isn’t much subtly to be had in their performances which consist of the kind of broad, cheesy acting you’d find on your typical short-lived sitcom. I recognize that an over-the-top style was warranted in this outlandish story but I still feel that more skilled actors could have delivered a level of subtle menace that would have added complexity to the characters. Though, I can certainly appreciate that having anthropomorphized human excrement shouting at you about shit stains in your underwear probably doesn’t inspire your best performance.

What baffles me the most about this film is why director Phil Haine and writer Mark A. C. Brown felt that, of all the possible stories in the world, this was the one that they would put all their resources into telling. Now, if this had come off as a film that looked like it was shot over a weekend by a couple of drunken college kids, it would actually make more sense. What’s confounding here is the fact that there’s clearly a lot of talent behind the camera.

There are some attempts at very broad comedy that fall completely flat but purely from a technical standpoint the film is very well crafted. The quality of the image is perfect, the sound design is excellent, and the entire experience flows together with the kind of professionalism you’d expect from a multi-million dollar film.

Now, I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that it does redeem the rest of the plot a bit as well as provide justification to some points of the film that seemed like simple oversights at first. In addition, it finally tied in the Horror aspect that had seemed to be conspicuously absent from this “Horror Comedy”. All in all, a strange, gross little story but one brought forth by talented people who are certainly worth keeping an eye on in the future.

2.5 Stars Red

The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1984) vs The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007)

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The Hills Have Eyes 2

For this review I go back into the desert to compare the 1984 sequel for The Hills Have Eyes to the modern remake of the same name. Unlike the original and it’s remake however, the storylines in the sequels are vastly different from each other but do both tie back in to the originals that they follow. Was it worth taking the trip into the bloody, radioactive sand again or should the sequels be avoided like a sketchy, unmarked dirt-road in the desert? Well, let’s discuss.

The 1984 version, The Hills Have Eyes Part 2, starts with one of the survivors from the original, Bobby (Robert Houston), talking to a psychiatrist about his experience. When a group of his friends want him to join them at a race in the desert so they can pass out samples of a new dirt-bike fuel he invented (!) he declines and warns them not to go either. Of course they go anyway bringing along his dog Beast and the now civilized Ruby, who is also part of the crew but lives under a new identity. After an ill-advised shortcut and a predictable break-down, the gang finds themselves on the receiving end of the same kind of desert hospitality that Bobby and his family got in the first film.

By contrast, the 2007 version, The Hills Have Eyes 2, takes place after the events of the 2006 Hills film but does not connect directly to it with any of the characters. Instead, it centers around a group of young National Guard recruits that are halfway through training. On their way to another training location, they are tasked with dropping off equipment to a group of military scientists that are working on a mysterious project in the desert. Once there, they find the camp is deserted……or so they thought!

Ok, so as you can imagine, neither one of these sequels has been particularly well received by critics or fans. This isn’t especially surprising considering that both the original 1977 film as well as it’s 2006 remake were such good films that they made for tough acts to follow. Additionally, neither sequel exactly brought it’s A-game and both cases feel like a cash-in rather than a thought out expansion on the story. Even so, there were still some striking differences between the two versions.

Perhaps the most glaring of these is the fact that the 1984 version shamelessly recycles footage from the first film. It does so under the guise of “flashbacks” but what you really have is a highlight reel of scenes from the first film that simply play again, in their entirety, in the sequel. Honestly, I can’t think of any other sequel that so blatantly uses a device as cheap as cut ‘n paste to this extent simply to make their lackluster film more interesting.

If this was the only issue with this version it may have been forgivable (maybe) but the fact is this one is rancid all the way through. Right from the group of annoying twenty-something protagonists who you instantly want to die, to the repetitive fake-out scares, to the shoddy (and sparse) gore, there really is nothing to recommend about this film. It utilizes the most cliched and over-used plot in the Horror genre (group of young people in middle of nowhere picked off by villain) and even when Craven wasn’t recycling actual footage from the first film, he still recycled ideas for plot points and kills. Even the character of The Reaper (one of only two hill-people in this one) makes no sense because if you paid attention to the plot in the first film you’ realize there’s no fucking way that Jupiter could have possibly had a brother that was simply absent during that film.

The most baffling part of this is the fact that these are the kinds of things you would expect to find in a sequel that’s made by a different director and rushed out the next year but in this case the sequel was written and directed by Wes Craven himself seven fucking years later! In other words, plenty of time for the original creator to craft a brilliant follow-up to his own film.

The 2007 version on the other hand was made by a different director and rushed out the next year but against all logic it’s actually, well, good. Now, to be fair it’s nothing earth-shattering and the 2006 version definitely leaves it in the dust but in this case director Martin Weisz does deliver a solid, gory film that is very watchable and will keep your attention to the end. This may have to do with the fact that the 2007 sequel was written by….wait for it….Wes Craven!

That’s right, after wisely stepping into the Producer’s chair for the 2006 remake so writer/director Alexandre Aja could flex his creative muscle, Craven got back into the game for the 2007 sequel and wrote the screenplay with his son, Jonathan Craven. I feel like this must have at least partially motivated by a desire to make amends for the immensely disappointing 1984 sequel and show that he could deliver fans a proper, if long overdue, sequel to one of his most iconic films. After taking the bloody, entertaining ride myself I can certainly say I’m glad he did.

Winner The Hills Have Eyes 2007