- Published on
I’ve mentioned before that in the late 1980’s I had a brief flirtation with the world of home video rental and retail.
Seriously, it was a great time to be in that unique subset of the entertainment business as each week video stores tapped into what looked like a never-ending stream of titles, foreign and domestic. Most of the larger outlets – the ones affiliated with chains big and small – weren’t exactly privy to what would be showing up as new releases in those weekly shipments, so every Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday – depending upon the mail service or truck delivery – was like Christmas morning. Regular customers would be stopping by to see what arrived, and I learned more than a thing or two about B-Movies and imports from a great many fans and fanatics who followed the film industry much closer than I did. That’s probably the only thing I truly miss about those particular days gone by: the constant education about what audiences both knew and wanted or were willing to take a chance on.
As I never had the time to watch each and every flick that came along, I learned how to best gather reliable impressions of the more trustworthy customers in order to make recommendations if and when I was asked by others. Because a great number of these new releases were practically unheard of by the vast majority of consumers, patrons did look to store clerks and managers much like some consult a favorite film critic in order to gauge whether or not something like Flesh+Blood (1985) – something that looked an awful lot like 1982’s Conan The Barbarian – was actually worth not only their $3 rental fee but also the loss of a few hours. Indeed, the packaging was impressive, but what more could I tell them to sway them into believing that such an investment was worthwhile?
Well …
A great number of folks had rented and returned Flesh+Blood, one of the reasons that writer and director Paul Verhoeven was eventually recruited to make films in America. Sadly, not all that many had much to say about it. Oh, there was some action in it. There was a bit of palace intrigue. And it felt like a serviceable enough medieval swashbuckler to make for an entertaining evening in. But what it also had – I think this was the only universal response across the board – was a somewhat notorious rape sequence of the on-the-cusp of stardom actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Seriously, it was a great time to be in that unique subset of the entertainment business as each week video stores tapped into what looked like a never-ending stream of titles, foreign and domestic. Most of the larger outlets – the ones affiliated with chains big and small – weren’t exactly privy to what would be showing up as new releases in those weekly shipments, so every Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday – depending upon the mail service or truck delivery – was like Christmas morning. Regular customers would be stopping by to see what arrived, and I learned more than a thing or two about B-Movies and imports from a great many fans and fanatics who followed the film industry much closer than I did. That’s probably the only thing I truly miss about those particular days gone by: the constant education about what audiences both knew and wanted or were willing to take a chance on.
As I never had the time to watch each and every flick that came along, I learned how to best gather reliable impressions of the more trustworthy customers in order to make recommendations if and when I was asked by others. Because a great number of these new releases were practically unheard of by the vast majority of consumers, patrons did look to store clerks and managers much like some consult a favorite film critic in order to gauge whether or not something like Flesh+Blood (1985) – something that looked an awful lot like 1982’s Conan The Barbarian – was actually worth not only their $3 rental fee but also the loss of a few hours. Indeed, the packaging was impressive, but what more could I tell them to sway them into believing that such an investment was worthwhile?
Well …
A great number of folks had rented and returned Flesh+Blood, one of the reasons that writer and director Paul Verhoeven was eventually recruited to make films in America. Sadly, not all that many had much to say about it. Oh, there was some action in it. There was a bit of palace intrigue. And it felt like a serviceable enough medieval swashbuckler to make for an entertaining evening in. But what it also had – I think this was the only universal response across the board – was a somewhat notorious rape sequence of the on-the-cusp of stardom actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“In medieval Europe, a young girl from a noble family is obsessed with her captors - commoners.”
Throughout my life, friends and family have always accused me of being hard on films, even those flicks that I truly love. While I never mean any production so much as a sliver of disrespect, I still keep my expectations high. If I’m going to give a picture a few hours of my life, then is it too much to expect that I be both mildly entertained and educated? By educated, I’m not asking for a collegiate dissertation. I am suggesting that I should learn something about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, even if that comes down to celebrating a particular performance before or behind the camera.
This is where I usually part ways with many, and that’s probably the case, too, with Verhoeven’s very good and very capable Fantasy/Thriller Flesh+Blood. Unlike others, I appreciate the fact that the film probably portrays the authentic levels of risk those who lived way, way, way back then experienced, be it from foreign invaders, inclement weather, or something we casually dismiss as ‘the plague.’ You come down with a bout of those dark sniffles in the Middle Ages, and statistically you were less likely to survive the week. Not everyone perished from rapists and pillagers sacking their village: many more simply fell ill, and Flesh+Blood has a subplot that rather grimly points that out.
But dissecting the chronicle further, I’m still a bit confused as to who’s story this is, so let me explain.
At the onset, (King?) Arnolfini (played by Fernando Hilbeck) has built a small army with the intent of taking back the castle and a small city that apparently was usurped from him. Among his very best soldiers are Captain Hawkwood (Jack Thompson) and his best lieutenant (of sorts) Martin (Rutger Hauer). When Arnolfini’s son and scholar Steven (Tom Burlinson) hatches a scheme with which to blast their way through the gates, the tried-and-true soldiers scoff, as they know – perhaps better than most – that such inventions can never replace the sheer ferocity of battle. Steven’s plot fails, but the siege is nonetheless successful.
“In medieval Europe, a young girl from a noble family is obsessed with her captors - commoners.”
Throughout my life, friends and family have always accused me of being hard on films, even those flicks that I truly love. While I never mean any production so much as a sliver of disrespect, I still keep my expectations high. If I’m going to give a picture a few hours of my life, then is it too much to expect that I be both mildly entertained and educated? By educated, I’m not asking for a collegiate dissertation. I am suggesting that I should learn something about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, even if that comes down to celebrating a particular performance before or behind the camera.
This is where I usually part ways with many, and that’s probably the case, too, with Verhoeven’s very good and very capable Fantasy/Thriller Flesh+Blood. Unlike others, I appreciate the fact that the film probably portrays the authentic levels of risk those who lived way, way, way back then experienced, be it from foreign invaders, inclement weather, or something we casually dismiss as ‘the plague.’ You come down with a bout of those dark sniffles in the Middle Ages, and statistically you were less likely to survive the week. Not everyone perished from rapists and pillagers sacking their village: many more simply fell ill, and Flesh+Blood has a subplot that rather grimly points that out.
But dissecting the chronicle further, I’m still a bit confused as to who’s story this is, so let me explain.
At the onset, (King?) Arnolfini (played by Fernando Hilbeck) has built a small army with the intent of taking back the castle and a small city that apparently was usurped from him. Among his very best soldiers are Captain Hawkwood (Jack Thompson) and his best lieutenant (of sorts) Martin (Rutger Hauer). When Arnolfini’s son and scholar Steven (Tom Burlinson) hatches a scheme with which to blast their way through the gates, the tried-and-true soldiers scoff, as they know – perhaps better than most – that such inventions can never replace the sheer ferocity of battle. Steven’s plot fails, but the siege is nonetheless successful.
However, once he’s been returned to his place on the throne, Arnolfini has no further need for an army of savages, nor does he wish to retain them in the city wherein they might eventually take up arms against him. As such, he orders Hawkwood to betray the men – including Martin and his gallery of vicious oddballs – by leading them into a trap. Rather than see them killed, Arnolfini allows for them to be ceremoniously stripped of their weapons and thrown out of his kingdom.
Now, structurally, all of this really accomplishes is setting up the opposing forces for Flesh+Blood. It becomes obvious very early on that Martin and his comrades are intent upon amassing their own riches – their self-proclaimed Cardinal (Ronald Lacey) prophesies that their leader will lead them into the upper class – and it’s easy to suspect that these two ‘empires’ will inevitably come into conflict. Hawkwood retires from military life, taken to caring for a nun he unfortunately wounded while retaking the city. Hoping to safeguard his rule by building new allegiances, Arnolfini arranges for his son Steven to wed Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a lovely princess from a nearby realm.
The catalyst that pits Steven against the re-emerging Martin and his band of radicals occurs when those nefarious rogues ambush the carriages ferrying Agnes to the castle. Once she’s discovered in hiding, the virginal would-be queen is raped by Martin and ends up – in typical Hollywood fashion – falling in love (or lust) with him. And why not? He’s introduced her into a world with sex, violence, and villainous debauchery that she’s never known and only heard about; so when girls just wanna have fun Agnes becomes this ultimate medieval good-time consort who’s willing to beg, borrow, or steal to get ahead in times of crisis.
Eventually, Steven, his father, Hawkwood, and the remaining soldiers surround Martin and his men in a nearby castle they’re seized; and the showdown is set. Once more, Steven uses his uncharacteristic genius to concoct another grand invention which similarly fails, but it does give him access (in its failure) to the castle grounds. (Well, the truth is he falls into a tree inside the property, so it worked inadvertently.) Still, there’s really no big throwdown between our two warring men, and it’s a calamitous fire that kinda/sorta spells Martin’s kinda/sorta doom … though not really.
Now, structurally, all of this really accomplishes is setting up the opposing forces for Flesh+Blood. It becomes obvious very early on that Martin and his comrades are intent upon amassing their own riches – their self-proclaimed Cardinal (Ronald Lacey) prophesies that their leader will lead them into the upper class – and it’s easy to suspect that these two ‘empires’ will inevitably come into conflict. Hawkwood retires from military life, taken to caring for a nun he unfortunately wounded while retaking the city. Hoping to safeguard his rule by building new allegiances, Arnolfini arranges for his son Steven to wed Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a lovely princess from a nearby realm.
The catalyst that pits Steven against the re-emerging Martin and his band of radicals occurs when those nefarious rogues ambush the carriages ferrying Agnes to the castle. Once she’s discovered in hiding, the virginal would-be queen is raped by Martin and ends up – in typical Hollywood fashion – falling in love (or lust) with him. And why not? He’s introduced her into a world with sex, violence, and villainous debauchery that she’s never known and only heard about; so when girls just wanna have fun Agnes becomes this ultimate medieval good-time consort who’s willing to beg, borrow, or steal to get ahead in times of crisis.
Eventually, Steven, his father, Hawkwood, and the remaining soldiers surround Martin and his men in a nearby castle they’re seized; and the showdown is set. Once more, Steven uses his uncharacteristic genius to concoct another grand invention which similarly fails, but it does give him access (in its failure) to the castle grounds. (Well, the truth is he falls into a tree inside the property, so it worked inadvertently.) Still, there’s really no big throwdown between our two warring men, and it’s a calamitous fire that kinda/sorta spells Martin’s kinda/sorta doom … though not really.
As you might see from this synopsis, Flesh+Blood isn’t your typical jaunt through one of history’s harshest eras. Yes, it benefits greatly from a realistic depiction of violence and the lack of practical medicine to save lives, but Verhoeven – who cowrote this with Gerard Soeteman – otherwise saddles the narrative with a great deal of rather obtuse melodrama. The earthy and provincial women in Martin’s gang turn up their noses at having to endure Agnes’ participation in their spoils – the script dabbles with far too many potential consensual and non-consensual hook-ups to delineate – and even the men grow tired of Martin’s on-again-off-again self-proclaimed sainthood. About the time when any of it is coming to a head, we’re pitched into battle once more, leaving the dynamics unresolved and ready to rear their head again once the action subsides.
While Leigh is a truly great talent, she’s pretty much sidelined with a character that makes little sense.
Her early scenes are portrayed with an almost childlike innocence surrounding affairs of the heart; and yet once she’s splayed out on the ground by Martin’s men and women she seemingly can’t wait for the fun to start. (Yes, I realize she was doing what she felt entirely necessary to save herself, but there was no threat of bloody murder, was there?) Later, she begins vacillating repeatedly between wanting to be rescued to Steven – whom she only lightly seemed smitten with on their meeting – while celebrating nakedly in Martin’s thuggish embrace at every opportunity. I’m sorry but did she want to be rescued or didn’t she? Is she happy with a life beyond the royal trappings, or was she looking for the fast-track back into the lifestyles of the rich and famous? Here, it honestly looks like she could’ve gone either way – her part is even played as such with no significant commitment to either man – so is this what Verhoeven believes accounts for true love in medieval times? Girl, make up your mind, already!
Further muddying the waters is the fact that Flesh+Blood crescendos with a somewhat predictable big battle in the final reel. Much of the success for the Arnolfini’s forces is owed to Hawkwood when the man hatches a plot to use biological warfare well before such a term was likely coined. Sadly, Steven – our hero (???) – is pretty much along for the ride rather than a key player. He does manage to pluck his bride-to-be Agnes from the onslaught, and – while she does go with him – I’m not entirely certain she wanted to. I guess at this juncture she just decides, “Why not? If I’m destined to be nothing more than a wife, then it may as well be with a castle free of the Bubonic Plague.” Can’t say I blame her.
While Leigh is a truly great talent, she’s pretty much sidelined with a character that makes little sense.
Her early scenes are portrayed with an almost childlike innocence surrounding affairs of the heart; and yet once she’s splayed out on the ground by Martin’s men and women she seemingly can’t wait for the fun to start. (Yes, I realize she was doing what she felt entirely necessary to save herself, but there was no threat of bloody murder, was there?) Later, she begins vacillating repeatedly between wanting to be rescued to Steven – whom she only lightly seemed smitten with on their meeting – while celebrating nakedly in Martin’s thuggish embrace at every opportunity. I’m sorry but did she want to be rescued or didn’t she? Is she happy with a life beyond the royal trappings, or was she looking for the fast-track back into the lifestyles of the rich and famous? Here, it honestly looks like she could’ve gone either way – her part is even played as such with no significant commitment to either man – so is this what Verhoeven believes accounts for true love in medieval times? Girl, make up your mind, already!
Further muddying the waters is the fact that Flesh+Blood crescendos with a somewhat predictable big battle in the final reel. Much of the success for the Arnolfini’s forces is owed to Hawkwood when the man hatches a plot to use biological warfare well before such a term was likely coined. Sadly, Steven – our hero (???) – is pretty much along for the ride rather than a key player. He does manage to pluck his bride-to-be Agnes from the onslaught, and – while she does go with him – I’m not entirely certain she wanted to. I guess at this juncture she just decides, “Why not? If I’m destined to be nothing more than a wife, then it may as well be with a castle free of the Bubonic Plague.” Can’t say I blame her.
What’s truly sad is that Flesh+Blood ends with Martin’s survival. (This is not a complaint.) We’re shown that he escaped death by fire after absconding with some of his band’s collected treasure whilst climbing down one of the castle’s towers in the distance. Because the ‘bad guy’ lived and – for all intents and purposes – the ‘good girl’ was proven to be in love with him, who’s to say that Agnes wouldn’t ultimately have wanted to make off with him to a life in the wild? There was absolutely nothing tying her to the ‘good guy’ Steven – well, despite the arranged marriage and the promise of a seemingly good life – so what really was all the pre-marital fuss about?
Flesh+Blood is a spectacle without heart. It’s a tale told vividly that, ultimately, truly amounts to nothing more than the deflowering of a woman promised to one man while being wildly ridden and put back wet (and thrilled with the sexual progress) by his political adversary. While I can appreciate the hard knock life for what it was, Verhoeven’s feature still leaves us with so little to celebrate; and I suspect that’s why it underperformed back in the day and largely survives now on cult statis. Some suggest that it was ‘ahead of its time,’ but I say it was all a bit too directionless and anticlimactic to amount to much more than a passing fancy.
Flesh+Blood (1985) was produced by Riverside Pictures and Impala. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Capelight Pictures. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still see that the original source for this release isn’t in the best shape in a few spots. Night sequences especially show a great deal of grain. None of it is particularly distracting, but I’m just being honest from a viewer’s perspective: it’s there, and it’s rather obvious. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts a director’s commentary along with a few interviews: it’s just enough to probably keep serious fans interested.
Recommended, but …
I have to confess that on many levels Flesh+Blood (1985) is a hard film to suggest others check out because – structurally – it really goes nowhere. There’s some good set-up along with some twists and turns, but that’s about all there is textually. Everything we learn about the characters at the beginning is pretty much the same come the big, bold, battling finish; so there’s been very little narrative progress. Yes, our young maiden Agnes has – ahem – blossomed into a scheming royal; and yet I can’t help but wonder which man she would’ve chosen had the film gone forward into a further chapter. Frankly, that, too is a bugaboo of mine from seeing it back in the day – it seems a story left unfinished – and aside from its technical prowess from a younger director Verhoeven the flick is at best a guilty pleasure, maybe even for all the wrong reasons.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Capelight Pictures and MPI Home Video provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Flesh+Blood (1985) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Flesh+Blood is a spectacle without heart. It’s a tale told vividly that, ultimately, truly amounts to nothing more than the deflowering of a woman promised to one man while being wildly ridden and put back wet (and thrilled with the sexual progress) by his political adversary. While I can appreciate the hard knock life for what it was, Verhoeven’s feature still leaves us with so little to celebrate; and I suspect that’s why it underperformed back in the day and largely survives now on cult statis. Some suggest that it was ‘ahead of its time,’ but I say it was all a bit too directionless and anticlimactic to amount to much more than a passing fancy.
Flesh+Blood (1985) was produced by Riverside Pictures and Impala. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Capelight Pictures. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still see that the original source for this release isn’t in the best shape in a few spots. Night sequences especially show a great deal of grain. None of it is particularly distracting, but I’m just being honest from a viewer’s perspective: it’s there, and it’s rather obvious. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts a director’s commentary along with a few interviews: it’s just enough to probably keep serious fans interested.
Recommended, but …
I have to confess that on many levels Flesh+Blood (1985) is a hard film to suggest others check out because – structurally – it really goes nowhere. There’s some good set-up along with some twists and turns, but that’s about all there is textually. Everything we learn about the characters at the beginning is pretty much the same come the big, bold, battling finish; so there’s been very little narrative progress. Yes, our young maiden Agnes has – ahem – blossomed into a scheming royal; and yet I can’t help but wonder which man she would’ve chosen had the film gone forward into a further chapter. Frankly, that, too is a bugaboo of mine from seeing it back in the day – it seems a story left unfinished – and aside from its technical prowess from a younger director Verhoeven the flick is at best a guilty pleasure, maybe even for all the wrong reasons.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Capelight Pictures and MPI Home Video provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Flesh+Blood (1985) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
Well, well, well ...
If you don't know the name, then let me just assure you that Dario Argento's generally means that the produced vision is something minimally worth checking out. While I've not seen this one, I suspect that's the case, too: it's probably a bit of a nightmare.
On this day in Italy all the way back in the year 1989, The Church enjoyed its big screen debut. Directed by Michele Soavi (another name prominent in the field of Italian Giallo), the script shows credited to Soavi alongside Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini, Lamberto Bava, Fabrizio Bava, Dardano Sacchetti, and M.R. James. (There's an indication on IMDB.com that perhaps all of this stems from an original story by James, but I've yet to confirm those details.) The cast includes such faces as Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., Barbara Cupisti, Antonella Vitale, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Asia Argento, Robert Caruso, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"An old Gothic cathedral built over a mass grave develops strange powers that trap a number of people inside with ghosts from a 12th Century massacre seeking to resurrect an ancient demon from the bowels of the Earth."
Well, well, well ...
If you don't know the name, then let me just assure you that Dario Argento's generally means that the produced vision is something minimally worth checking out. While I've not seen this one, I suspect that's the case, too: it's probably a bit of a nightmare.
On this day in Italy all the way back in the year 1989, The Church enjoyed its big screen debut. Directed by Michele Soavi (another name prominent in the field of Italian Giallo), the script shows credited to Soavi alongside Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini, Lamberto Bava, Fabrizio Bava, Dardano Sacchetti, and M.R. James. (There's an indication on IMDB.com that perhaps all of this stems from an original story by James, but I've yet to confirm those details.) The cast includes such faces as Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., Barbara Cupisti, Antonella Vitale, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Asia Argento, Robert Caruso, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"An old Gothic cathedral built over a mass grave develops strange powers that trap a number of people inside with ghosts from a 12th Century massacre seeking to resurrect an ancient demon from the bowels of the Earth."
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in the year 2020 in the United States of America, yet one more look at our impending conflict with Artificial Intelligence came to life when The Alpha Test was first screened by audiences.
The project shows directed by Aaron Mirtes with also work on the script alongside Galen Christy and Brad Belemjian. The cast included such names as Rae Hunt, Bella Martin, Deborah Seidel, Wynn Reichert, Alice Raver, Lacy Hartselle, David Ditmore, Mack Bayda, Leo Vego, and others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A robot servant is pushed to the brink of disaster and murder at the hands of a vicious and abusive owner."
On this day in the year 2020 in the United States of America, yet one more look at our impending conflict with Artificial Intelligence came to life when The Alpha Test was first screened by audiences.
The project shows directed by Aaron Mirtes with also work on the script alongside Galen Christy and Brad Belemjian. The cast included such names as Rae Hunt, Bella Martin, Deborah Seidel, Wynn Reichert, Alice Raver, Lacy Hartselle, David Ditmore, Mack Bayda, Leo Vego, and others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A robot servant is pushed to the brink of disaster and murder at the hands of a vicious and abusive owner."
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
It was on this day in the United States all the way back in the year 2019 that audiences of the South By Southwest Film Festival were treated to the first theatrical screening of Extra Ordinary.
According to IMDB.com, the film was directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. The script shows attributed to Ahern along with Demian Fox and Maeve Higgins. As for the talent? The cast included Higgins alongside such others as Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O'Doherty, Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Risteard Cooper, Emma Coleman, Carrie Crowley, Mary McEvoy, and others.
Here's the plot summary also provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Rose, a mostly sweet and lonely Irish driving instructor, must use her supernatural talents to save the daughter of Martin (also mostly sweet and lonely) from a washed-up rock star who is using her in a Satanic pact to reignite his fame."
It's also worth noting that Extra Ordinary enjoyed a good amount of praise from screenings on the film festival circuit and beyond. As this one looks very strongly reviewed, I might have to check it out. My hesitation is I see a lot of indications of 'slapstick humor,' and -- eeeek -- I'm just not a fan of most things slapstick.
-- EZ
It was on this day in the United States all the way back in the year 2019 that audiences of the South By Southwest Film Festival were treated to the first theatrical screening of Extra Ordinary.
According to IMDB.com, the film was directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. The script shows attributed to Ahern along with Demian Fox and Maeve Higgins. As for the talent? The cast included Higgins alongside such others as Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O'Doherty, Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Risteard Cooper, Emma Coleman, Carrie Crowley, Mary McEvoy, and others.
Here's the plot summary also provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Rose, a mostly sweet and lonely Irish driving instructor, must use her supernatural talents to save the daughter of Martin (also mostly sweet and lonely) from a washed-up rock star who is using her in a Satanic pact to reignite his fame."
It's also worth noting that Extra Ordinary enjoyed a good amount of praise from screenings on the film festival circuit and beyond. As this one looks very strongly reviewed, I might have to check it out. My hesitation is I see a lot of indications of 'slapstick humor,' and -- eeeek -- I'm just not a fan of most things slapstick.
-- EZ
- Published on
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Loosely based on Black Sunday (1960), a group of skiers get lost in the mountains, and come across the snowy tomb of a centuries-old witch. They accidentally awaken the witch's vengeful spirit, who then proceeds to possess them one by one.”
Audiences do love their twist endings.
All the way back to the days of Rod Serling’s seminal TV classic The Twilight Zone viewers were attuned to some big, unexpected final scene being used to redefine the width and breadth of what they’d seen. Programs like The Outer Limits, Night Gallery, and even The X-Files often made use of the same narrative structure, as did a good number of major motion pictures, including the original Planet Of The Apes (1968), The Sixth Sense (1999), and Arrival (2016). While it could be argued that such theatrical trickery isn’t necessarily reserved to just Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, many might agree that such genre entries have made the best use of the construct; and this is likely why we see it put to rather extensive use in such like-minded fare.
Similarly, Italian director Lamberto Bava has toyed with the device on occasion. While his results and their effectiveness has varied to a large degree (from what I’ve read), I suppose the old saying about it being better to have tried and failed as opposed to never having tried at all … but if his The Mask Of Satan is any indication then I’m inclined to disagree. Perhaps the film’s failure to really make the necessary impact in its last scene is owed more to the ineffectiveness of what comes before the big twist than anything else: whatever the case may be, I’d still argue I’ve seen many middling efforts stick their landings better than this one did.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Loosely based on Black Sunday (1960), a group of skiers get lost in the mountains, and come across the snowy tomb of a centuries-old witch. They accidentally awaken the witch's vengeful spirit, who then proceeds to possess them one by one.”
Audiences do love their twist endings.
All the way back to the days of Rod Serling’s seminal TV classic The Twilight Zone viewers were attuned to some big, unexpected final scene being used to redefine the width and breadth of what they’d seen. Programs like The Outer Limits, Night Gallery, and even The X-Files often made use of the same narrative structure, as did a good number of major motion pictures, including the original Planet Of The Apes (1968), The Sixth Sense (1999), and Arrival (2016). While it could be argued that such theatrical trickery isn’t necessarily reserved to just Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, many might agree that such genre entries have made the best use of the construct; and this is likely why we see it put to rather extensive use in such like-minded fare.
Similarly, Italian director Lamberto Bava has toyed with the device on occasion. While his results and their effectiveness has varied to a large degree (from what I’ve read), I suppose the old saying about it being better to have tried and failed as opposed to never having tried at all … but if his The Mask Of Satan is any indication then I’m inclined to disagree. Perhaps the film’s failure to really make the necessary impact in its last scene is owed more to the ineffectiveness of what comes before the big twist than anything else: whatever the case may be, I’d still argue I’ve seen many middling efforts stick their landings better than this one did.
IMDB.com credits the script to Bava along with Massimo De Rita and Giorgio Stegani, with all of them drawing inspiration from a novel attributed to Nikolay Gogol. The film stars Giovanni Guidelli in the role of Davide, just one of a small group of mountain skiers on a holiday who find themselves trapped in a crevasse that may or may not be a secret gateway to another world, universe, time, or … well … whatever else the place may or may not be. (Trust me when I say this is all more than a bit vague.) Also on board are Debora Caprioglio (as Sabina), Stanko Molnar (as the High Priest), Wanja Mary Sellers (as Mary), Allesandra Bonarota (as Irma), and a few others. I’d continue with all of them – it’s a reasonable small cast – if it really mattered: the problem herein is that aside from Davide, Sabina, and the priest, the remainders pretty much serve as a unit with very little distinctiveness. The mystical tale devolves quickly into a ‘us vs them’ yarn, so I’ll dispense with any further pleasantries as they’re fundamentally unimportant.
The set-up for the mildly sordid tale is that these skiers – dropped into a mountainous area by helicopter – set out to explore this arctic environment only to all crash into a chasm that opens up not long after their arrival. Once inside, they go about the business of trying to climb out, but Sabina – injured and sitting on the cold ground – notices something metallic emerging from the frozen surface near her person. Intrigued, the group begins digging, eventually unearthing what looks to be a torture mask – complete with spikes that would impale the wearer – that’s likely worth a fortune. The discovery of the mask suddenly opens up a Narnia-like existence within the icy mountain interior, complete with a small, deserted village and an impressive temple-like structure maintained by a blind priest. Through their dreams and a brief narrative from the priest, the skiers learn that the mask was, indeed, tied to a witch – named Abinas – who died at the hands of the villagers centuries before. As Fate would have it, Abinas has now inhabited Sabina (their names are simply reversed), and she’s slowly infected the minds of her friends to turn them into evil cohorts.
Davide is the sole holdout. Though we’re never quite given any definitive reason for why he’s able to resist both the spectral shenanigans and the carnal desires of Abinas/Sabina (they’re seemingly a romantic couple but have abstained from acting on their attractions), the script strongly suggests that ‘true love’ is the method with which he denies the black magic. The two nearly consummate their relationship – I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say Bava stages it wonderfully with a measure of camera dissolves and some impressive practical effects – but it’s at this point that the young man realizes he’s the only one who escapes the ghostly clutches of his mountain’s curse. In the big finish, the half-naked man rises from the pile of bodies of his fallen comrades; and he goes rushing toward his freedom once the powers of the mask begin to fade.
Geesh.
The set-up for the mildly sordid tale is that these skiers – dropped into a mountainous area by helicopter – set out to explore this arctic environment only to all crash into a chasm that opens up not long after their arrival. Once inside, they go about the business of trying to climb out, but Sabina – injured and sitting on the cold ground – notices something metallic emerging from the frozen surface near her person. Intrigued, the group begins digging, eventually unearthing what looks to be a torture mask – complete with spikes that would impale the wearer – that’s likely worth a fortune. The discovery of the mask suddenly opens up a Narnia-like existence within the icy mountain interior, complete with a small, deserted village and an impressive temple-like structure maintained by a blind priest. Through their dreams and a brief narrative from the priest, the skiers learn that the mask was, indeed, tied to a witch – named Abinas – who died at the hands of the villagers centuries before. As Fate would have it, Abinas has now inhabited Sabina (their names are simply reversed), and she’s slowly infected the minds of her friends to turn them into evil cohorts.
Davide is the sole holdout. Though we’re never quite given any definitive reason for why he’s able to resist both the spectral shenanigans and the carnal desires of Abinas/Sabina (they’re seemingly a romantic couple but have abstained from acting on their attractions), the script strongly suggests that ‘true love’ is the method with which he denies the black magic. The two nearly consummate their relationship – I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say Bava stages it wonderfully with a measure of camera dissolves and some impressive practical effects – but it’s at this point that the young man realizes he’s the only one who escapes the ghostly clutches of his mountain’s curse. In the big finish, the half-naked man rises from the pile of bodies of his fallen comrades; and he goes rushing toward his freedom once the powers of the mask begin to fade.
Geesh.
About the best that can be said of The Mask Of Satan is that Bava clearly had an idea for how he both wanted to stage and execute this dark fairy tale; and – on that level alone – it’s pretty effective.
Satan has the look and feel of something representative of being beyond time and space in just about every sequence. About the time wherein the audience thinks it has a hold on where they are, some minor wrinkle into the fabric, forcing them to put their thinking caps back on. But when such deception ultimately requires an explanation, the film fails to congeal, instead leaving viewers with a closing sequence suggesting nothing they watched was authentic as Davide rushes the snowy canyon walls seeking an escape from the curious stack of dead bodies that once were his colleagues, all dressed as they were when they entered this crevasse in the first place. The mask lies there – shown briefly – but the temple, village, and other confines appear nowhere, an indication that perhaps Bava and his merry band of storytellers simply made it all up.
Huh?
As a big twist, it’s a huge letdown.
But as a closing scene, it outta be a crime.
The Mask Of Satan (1989) was produced by Reteitalia, ANFRI S.r.l., Beta Film, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP), Silvio Berlusconi Communications, and a few other participants. (A full accounting can be found on IMDB.com.) DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Severin Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert … wow. This 94-minute chiller both looks and sounds fantastic. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Well, there are a few associated cast and crew interviews on the disc, but that’s really all there is. While the reflections are nice, they just aren’t all that in-depth in any way. A bit undercooked.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
Sadly, the biggest problem I suspect even a casual viewer is going to find with The Mask Of Satan (1989) is its illogical core: did it happen, or didn’t it? While I’ve no problem (to some degree) with leaving certain elements open for audience interpretation, this one defies even common sense, postulating that perhaps all of the mildly bloody ruckus was nothing more than the fever dream of the last man standing. If that’s the case, then why weave this web in the first place? If that’s not the case, then how am I to put all of these pieces together? At best, it’s a creative misfire. At worst, it’s a lying disaster.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Severin Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Mask Of Satan (1989) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Satan has the look and feel of something representative of being beyond time and space in just about every sequence. About the time wherein the audience thinks it has a hold on where they are, some minor wrinkle into the fabric, forcing them to put their thinking caps back on. But when such deception ultimately requires an explanation, the film fails to congeal, instead leaving viewers with a closing sequence suggesting nothing they watched was authentic as Davide rushes the snowy canyon walls seeking an escape from the curious stack of dead bodies that once were his colleagues, all dressed as they were when they entered this crevasse in the first place. The mask lies there – shown briefly – but the temple, village, and other confines appear nowhere, an indication that perhaps Bava and his merry band of storytellers simply made it all up.
Huh?
As a big twist, it’s a huge letdown.
But as a closing scene, it outta be a crime.
The Mask Of Satan (1989) was produced by Reteitalia, ANFRI S.r.l., Beta Film, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP), Silvio Berlusconi Communications, and a few other participants. (A full accounting can be found on IMDB.com.) DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Severin Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert … wow. This 94-minute chiller both looks and sounds fantastic. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Well, there are a few associated cast and crew interviews on the disc, but that’s really all there is. While the reflections are nice, they just aren’t all that in-depth in any way. A bit undercooked.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
Sadly, the biggest problem I suspect even a casual viewer is going to find with The Mask Of Satan (1989) is its illogical core: did it happen, or didn’t it? While I’ve no problem (to some degree) with leaving certain elements open for audience interpretation, this one defies even common sense, postulating that perhaps all of the mildly bloody ruckus was nothing more than the fever dream of the last man standing. If that’s the case, then why weave this web in the first place? If that’s not the case, then how am I to put all of these pieces together? At best, it’s a creative misfire. At worst, it’s a lying disaster.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Severin Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Mask Of Satan (1989) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
According to IMDB.com, Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff was awarded Germany's much-coveted Otto Award, an acknowledge by the nation that she's one of the country's favorite actresses. Alas, I don't see a year for when she might have been bestowed the honor -- there's no citation on the usual award pages the site maintains -- but I'm willing to take their word for it.
While her professional resume is a bit slim, Bach still managed to rack up a few interesting genre citations. Along the way, she squeezed in appearances to such projects as Otherworld, Appointment With Fear (1985), Knight Rider, Superboy, Viper, and Mansion Of Blood (2015). Mansion appears to have been her last professional gig.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff.
May she forever rest in peace ...
-- EZ
While her professional resume is a bit slim, Bach still managed to rack up a few interesting genre citations. Along the way, she squeezed in appearances to such projects as Otherworld, Appointment With Fear (1985), Knight Rider, Superboy, Viper, and Mansion Of Blood (2015). Mansion appears to have been her last professional gig.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff.
May she forever rest in peace ...
-- EZ
- Published on
So many films ... so little time ...
On this day all the way back in the year 1946 in the United States of America, another noirish Horror/Thriller came to life when audiences were introduced to The Mask Of Diijon.
As sometimes happens with a good number of these older releases, I don't see a great deal written about them online. In fact, there's very little about this one available on either IMDB.com or Wikipedia.org. As I've not seen it (certainly not that I can recall), I'll have to rely on what little data there is.
Diijon shows produced by Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), an entity that does have a respectable number of titles (well over 200) attached to it. Directed by Lew Landers (1901-1962), the film was scripted by Arthur St. Claire (1899-1950) and Griffin Jay (1905-1954). Landers is a name I've come across before sparingly, but he does show having been attached to such other genre productions as The Vanishing Shadow (1934), The Raven (1935), The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942), The Return Of The Vampire (1943), The Ghost That Walks Alone (1944), Inner Sanctum (1948), The Magic Carpet (1951), Jungle Jim In The Forbidden Land (1952), Science Fiction Theater, and Adventures Of Superman. While I didn't see anything particularly interesting attached to St. Claire's resume, Griffin Jay -- as screenwriter -- has several projects deserving mention in this space, including The Mummy's Hand (1940), The Mummy's Tomb (1942), Captive Wild Woman (1943), The Return Of The Vampire (1943), The Mummy's Ghost (1944), Cry Of The Werewolf (1944), and Devil Bat's Daughter (1946).
As for the screen talent?
The Mask Of Diijon starred Erich von Stroheim, Jeanne Bates, William Wright, Denise Vernac, Edward Van Sloan, Hope Landin, Mauritz Hugo, Shimen Ruskin, Antonio Filauri, George Chandler, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"A magician neglects his career and his wife while he pursues the study of hypnosis. His inattention causes his wife to leave him for a younger man. The magician them begins to use his hypnotic powers to manipulate people and to avenge himself."
-- EZ
On this day all the way back in the year 1946 in the United States of America, another noirish Horror/Thriller came to life when audiences were introduced to The Mask Of Diijon.
As sometimes happens with a good number of these older releases, I don't see a great deal written about them online. In fact, there's very little about this one available on either IMDB.com or Wikipedia.org. As I've not seen it (certainly not that I can recall), I'll have to rely on what little data there is.
Diijon shows produced by Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), an entity that does have a respectable number of titles (well over 200) attached to it. Directed by Lew Landers (1901-1962), the film was scripted by Arthur St. Claire (1899-1950) and Griffin Jay (1905-1954). Landers is a name I've come across before sparingly, but he does show having been attached to such other genre productions as The Vanishing Shadow (1934), The Raven (1935), The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942), The Return Of The Vampire (1943), The Ghost That Walks Alone (1944), Inner Sanctum (1948), The Magic Carpet (1951), Jungle Jim In The Forbidden Land (1952), Science Fiction Theater, and Adventures Of Superman. While I didn't see anything particularly interesting attached to St. Claire's resume, Griffin Jay -- as screenwriter -- has several projects deserving mention in this space, including The Mummy's Hand (1940), The Mummy's Tomb (1942), Captive Wild Woman (1943), The Return Of The Vampire (1943), The Mummy's Ghost (1944), Cry Of The Werewolf (1944), and Devil Bat's Daughter (1946).
As for the screen talent?
The Mask Of Diijon starred Erich von Stroheim, Jeanne Bates, William Wright, Denise Vernac, Edward Van Sloan, Hope Landin, Mauritz Hugo, Shimen Ruskin, Antonio Filauri, George Chandler, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"A magician neglects his career and his wife while he pursues the study of hypnosis. His inattention causes his wife to leave him for a younger man. The magician them begins to use his hypnotic powers to manipulate people and to avenge himself."
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day all the way back in the year 1962 in the United States of America, the good people of Chicago, Illinois -- aka the Windy City -- were treated to the exclusive theatrical premiere engagement of The Premature Burial.
Directed by Roger Corman (1926-2024), Burial was adapted from an Edgar Allan Poe story by Charles Beaumont (1929-1967) and Ray Russell (1924-1999). Corman -- of course! -- is a legend around these parts of the Information Superhighway: while I understand that the producer and director might be considered an acquired taste by today's neophytes, I think we can minimally agree that he's a storyteller who deserves the acclaim he's earned ... good, bad, and otherwise. Beaumont's name I know chiefly for his contributions to the world of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, something that also deserves a second look by those who've missed it.
As for the talent?
Burial stars Ray Milland, Hazel Court, Richard Ney, Heather Angel, Alan Napier, John Dierkes, Dick Miller, Clive Halliday, and Brendan Dillon.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Emily Gault arrives at the Carrell mansion determined to rekindle an old relationship with Guy Carrell, despite the disapproval of his sister, Kate. Guy overcomes his all-consuming fear of being buried alive long enough to marry Emily but soon becomes obsessed again, building a crypt designed to guarantee that he will not fall prey to his most dreaded nightmare. Trying to prove that he has been cured of his phobia, he opens his father's tomb and is shocked into a catatonic state. His worst fears are realized as he is lowered into a grave and covered over, apparently never to learn that the treachery of someone very dear to him was directly responsible for his predicament."
-- EZ
On this day all the way back in the year 1962 in the United States of America, the good people of Chicago, Illinois -- aka the Windy City -- were treated to the exclusive theatrical premiere engagement of The Premature Burial.
Directed by Roger Corman (1926-2024), Burial was adapted from an Edgar Allan Poe story by Charles Beaumont (1929-1967) and Ray Russell (1924-1999). Corman -- of course! -- is a legend around these parts of the Information Superhighway: while I understand that the producer and director might be considered an acquired taste by today's neophytes, I think we can minimally agree that he's a storyteller who deserves the acclaim he's earned ... good, bad, and otherwise. Beaumont's name I know chiefly for his contributions to the world of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, something that also deserves a second look by those who've missed it.
As for the talent?
Burial stars Ray Milland, Hazel Court, Richard Ney, Heather Angel, Alan Napier, John Dierkes, Dick Miller, Clive Halliday, and Brendan Dillon.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Emily Gault arrives at the Carrell mansion determined to rekindle an old relationship with Guy Carrell, despite the disapproval of his sister, Kate. Guy overcomes his all-consuming fear of being buried alive long enough to marry Emily but soon becomes obsessed again, building a crypt designed to guarantee that he will not fall prey to his most dreaded nightmare. Trying to prove that he has been cured of his phobia, he opens his father's tomb and is shocked into a catatonic state. His worst fears are realized as he is lowered into a grave and covered over, apparently never to learn that the treachery of someone very dear to him was directly responsible for his predicament."
-- EZ
- Published on
Whether one agrees or not, some of the screen’s best Horrors centrally function off a stylistic gimmick.
For example, Jason Voorhees – though born of human flesh – is depicted as nearly immortal in the endless parade of Friday The 13th thrillers: like the Energizer Bunny, he’s an unstoppable force that won’t surrender regardless of what his opponents throw at him. By contrast, Freddy Krueger prefers to contain his bloody escapades to the world of mankind’s nightmares, using his singular ability to manipulate reality to the detriment of those caught sleeping on the job. Jigsaw – the famed psychopath from the Saw franchise – can’t help but construct some of the most elaborate puzzles to present to his potential victims, giving them a chance – slim, at best – to escape his wrath or suffer the gory consequences. As one can see, each madman has his respective gizmo or approach; and this is why fans return to witness the madness with each subsequent film. What they do is part and parcel of their separate and Horror’s collective appeal. Consider it movie magic.
Initially, it’s hard to attribute any similar narrative ‘hook’ to 1986’s Trick Or Treat; and – in all honestly – screenwriters Rhet Topham, Michael S. Murphey, and Joel Soisson don’t make it any easier across the film’s 98-minute running time. There are hints that heavy metal rockstar Sammi Curr’s demonic return is tied to energy – electricity gets strongly suggested in several of his lethal shenanigans – and perhaps the flick might’ve been better received had the makers chose one fatal tactic and stuck with it consistently. In the end, there may not be as much structure as could’ve elevated the resulting depravity; but given the fact that it retains an uncharacteristic wholesomeness here and there I’ll forgive the sin for what it is.
After all, “God gave rock’n’roll to you,” but they say it’s the devil who took the musician’s soul in exchange for the talent required to make legendary music.
Never forget that.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
For example, Jason Voorhees – though born of human flesh – is depicted as nearly immortal in the endless parade of Friday The 13th thrillers: like the Energizer Bunny, he’s an unstoppable force that won’t surrender regardless of what his opponents throw at him. By contrast, Freddy Krueger prefers to contain his bloody escapades to the world of mankind’s nightmares, using his singular ability to manipulate reality to the detriment of those caught sleeping on the job. Jigsaw – the famed psychopath from the Saw franchise – can’t help but construct some of the most elaborate puzzles to present to his potential victims, giving them a chance – slim, at best – to escape his wrath or suffer the gory consequences. As one can see, each madman has his respective gizmo or approach; and this is why fans return to witness the madness with each subsequent film. What they do is part and parcel of their separate and Horror’s collective appeal. Consider it movie magic.
Initially, it’s hard to attribute any similar narrative ‘hook’ to 1986’s Trick Or Treat; and – in all honestly – screenwriters Rhet Topham, Michael S. Murphey, and Joel Soisson don’t make it any easier across the film’s 98-minute running time. There are hints that heavy metal rockstar Sammi Curr’s demonic return is tied to energy – electricity gets strongly suggested in several of his lethal shenanigans – and perhaps the flick might’ve been better received had the makers chose one fatal tactic and stuck with it consistently. In the end, there may not be as much structure as could’ve elevated the resulting depravity; but given the fact that it retains an uncharacteristic wholesomeness here and there I’ll forgive the sin for what it is.
After all, “God gave rock’n’roll to you,” but they say it’s the devil who took the musician’s soul in exchange for the talent required to make legendary music.
Never forget that.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A bullied teenage boy is devastated after the death of his heavy metal idol, Sammi Curr. But as Halloween night approaches, he discovers that he may be the only one who can stop Sammi from making a Satanic comeback from beyond the grave.”
Take note, folks: rock’n’roll has always suffered from some unwarranted controversy over the years.
Of course, a good deal of this historically extends from the days of Elvis Presley when the performer’s hip gyrations were said to put mankind on the path to – ahem – unnatural sexual proclivities. In the 1960’s, rock was seen by some to represent a rejection of social norms wherein whites and blacks were joined together in dance to raucous tunes that celebrated things that would make grandma blush. The 1970’s saw music embrace even more explicit sexual imagery, and the growing sub-culture of drugs and other mind-altering substances were celebrated with some bands dedicating entire albums to exploration of such flights of fancy. This era, too, introduced Heavy Metal to the masses; and the real attack on counterculture and its widening movement was set for an inevitable showdown (or sorts) in government and abroad in the 1980’s.
As the story goes: Tipper Gore – then the wife of long-term climate alarmist Al Gore – sat down and listened to Prince’s Purple Rain, an album that was all the rage with youth of the day. What she learned from the experience was that kids were listening to tracks celebrating a great amount of morally promiscuous behavior, and she felt the time was ripe for a change. With the help of some other Washington wives, she founded the Parents Music Resource Council, a group taxed with the sole purpose of informing families about which albums contained such explicit lyrics. Furthermore, she stated that the record industry should have its own ratings system not unlike what the motion picture industry was required to do long ago.
Without going down this rabbit hole any further than is absolutely necessary, it was heavy metal artists that took the greatest ‘hit’ from the resulting Congressional hearings; and it’s into this territory that Trick Or Treat (1986) establishes a firm, relatable foundation. Some of this commentary might otherwise escape modern audiences – if nothing else, SciFiHistory.Net strives to also present arguments in the proper historical context – and that’s why I’ve given this brief summary. Ultimately, I think it helps us to understand and appreciate the film better, and I strongly suspect those who’ve embraced it over the years agree.
Heavy metal artist Sammi Curr (played by Tony Fields) has always lived life on the edge, so much so that he can’t help but go out in his own personal blaze of glory: he commits suicide by setting his hotel room ablaze and seemingly taking a few others along with him in the process. Why we’re not given any wider context for the reason Curr wanted to die, there are loose suggestions that he’d come to a crossroads in life tied to Lakeridge High School’s refusal to let him play at their Halloween dance – it was his alma mater, after all – and took the easy way out. What matters here is that he’s gone – crossed over, some would say – and his fans are left to deal with the aftermath.
“A bullied teenage boy is devastated after the death of his heavy metal idol, Sammi Curr. But as Halloween night approaches, he discovers that he may be the only one who can stop Sammi from making a Satanic comeback from beyond the grave.”
Take note, folks: rock’n’roll has always suffered from some unwarranted controversy over the years.
Of course, a good deal of this historically extends from the days of Elvis Presley when the performer’s hip gyrations were said to put mankind on the path to – ahem – unnatural sexual proclivities. In the 1960’s, rock was seen by some to represent a rejection of social norms wherein whites and blacks were joined together in dance to raucous tunes that celebrated things that would make grandma blush. The 1970’s saw music embrace even more explicit sexual imagery, and the growing sub-culture of drugs and other mind-altering substances were celebrated with some bands dedicating entire albums to exploration of such flights of fancy. This era, too, introduced Heavy Metal to the masses; and the real attack on counterculture and its widening movement was set for an inevitable showdown (or sorts) in government and abroad in the 1980’s.
As the story goes: Tipper Gore – then the wife of long-term climate alarmist Al Gore – sat down and listened to Prince’s Purple Rain, an album that was all the rage with youth of the day. What she learned from the experience was that kids were listening to tracks celebrating a great amount of morally promiscuous behavior, and she felt the time was ripe for a change. With the help of some other Washington wives, she founded the Parents Music Resource Council, a group taxed with the sole purpose of informing families about which albums contained such explicit lyrics. Furthermore, she stated that the record industry should have its own ratings system not unlike what the motion picture industry was required to do long ago.
Without going down this rabbit hole any further than is absolutely necessary, it was heavy metal artists that took the greatest ‘hit’ from the resulting Congressional hearings; and it’s into this territory that Trick Or Treat (1986) establishes a firm, relatable foundation. Some of this commentary might otherwise escape modern audiences – if nothing else, SciFiHistory.Net strives to also present arguments in the proper historical context – and that’s why I’ve given this brief summary. Ultimately, I think it helps us to understand and appreciate the film better, and I strongly suspect those who’ve embraced it over the years agree.
Heavy metal artist Sammi Curr (played by Tony Fields) has always lived life on the edge, so much so that he can’t help but go out in his own personal blaze of glory: he commits suicide by setting his hotel room ablaze and seemingly taking a few others along with him in the process. Why we’re not given any wider context for the reason Curr wanted to die, there are loose suggestions that he’d come to a crossroads in life tied to Lakeridge High School’s refusal to let him play at their Halloween dance – it was his alma mater, after all – and took the easy way out. What matters here is that he’s gone – crossed over, some would say – and his fans are left to deal with the aftermath.
Enter Eddie ‘Ragman’ Weinbauer (Marc Price).
By his own admission, Eddie remains Curr’s biggest and most loyal fan. His loft bedroom is adorned with posters of many of rock’s greatest poser, but – in his eyes – there are none better than Curr. So when local radio DJ Nuke (Gene Simmons, in a brief but spirited cameo) confides in Eddie that Curr’s last album – an unreleased collection titled ‘Songs In The Key Of Death’ – is in the studio’s hands, the young man can’t wait to haul the acetate original back home for a quality listen. When he does, Eddie discovers that Curr has interspersed the album with some lyrics recorded under backward masking (essentially recording words in reverse) and playing them opens a kinda/sorta portal into the headbanger’s demonic consciousness. Curr is back, and he’ll stop at nothing to – finally – host one night of rock’n’roll carnage for the youth of Lakeridge High.
Of course, there’s a bit more to the story as is always the case when Hollywood ventures into the world of disaffected teenagers. Eddie is the awkward social outcast amongst his peers, and he spends the bulk of these early moments on the receiving end of bullying from the school preppy/bully Tim Hainey (Doug Savant). Somehow, the misfit still manages to catch the eye of the class hottie Leslie Graham (Lisa Orgolini); and – if they can find a way to make a relationship work between the popular and the unpopular – they might come together. Hainey and his cohorts don’t make it easy as they nearly drown Eddie for simply showing up at a pool party, pushing our budding screen hero to initially take the devilish Curr’s advice and strike back … with deadly intent.
Naturally, Eddie embraces his dark side because who among us hasn’t wanted to exact a bit of revenge on those who treated us poorly? It’s practically one part of the human condition, especially in schoolyard parlance, and this is what makes audiences identify with such characters. The problem is that Eddie isn’t a bad guy – he never imagines hurting any of his classmates in any way before Curr’s spectral intrusion on his life – so he eventually manages to throw off such dark impulses in favor of staying true to himself. This turn of events enrages the ghostly musician who now emerges from whatever Hellscape he’s occupied, back in the flesh to make his former host pay dearly for rejecting his tutelage.
It’s easy to conclude that Trick Or Treat is, largely, little more than a loose rags-to-riches story, the kind wherein our lead must shake off his demons – and a literal one – in order to find happiness in the end. As such, the film never quite dabbles as darkly as have so many other chillers – frankly, I’m surprised that this one got an R-rating – in its pursuit of delivering on its limited potential. At times, Trick feels almost like a subversive counterpart to Robert Zemeckis’ vastly superior but somewhat squeaky-clean Back To The Future (1985), even going so far as having would-be rockers in pursuit of playing a show in front of a high school crowd. Eddie Weinbauer is no Marty McFly, but he’s a suitable substitute in a world wherein bullies are a bit more vicious than was Biff Tannen.
But the similarities don’t start and stop with the high school dance.
By his own admission, Eddie remains Curr’s biggest and most loyal fan. His loft bedroom is adorned with posters of many of rock’s greatest poser, but – in his eyes – there are none better than Curr. So when local radio DJ Nuke (Gene Simmons, in a brief but spirited cameo) confides in Eddie that Curr’s last album – an unreleased collection titled ‘Songs In The Key Of Death’ – is in the studio’s hands, the young man can’t wait to haul the acetate original back home for a quality listen. When he does, Eddie discovers that Curr has interspersed the album with some lyrics recorded under backward masking (essentially recording words in reverse) and playing them opens a kinda/sorta portal into the headbanger’s demonic consciousness. Curr is back, and he’ll stop at nothing to – finally – host one night of rock’n’roll carnage for the youth of Lakeridge High.
Of course, there’s a bit more to the story as is always the case when Hollywood ventures into the world of disaffected teenagers. Eddie is the awkward social outcast amongst his peers, and he spends the bulk of these early moments on the receiving end of bullying from the school preppy/bully Tim Hainey (Doug Savant). Somehow, the misfit still manages to catch the eye of the class hottie Leslie Graham (Lisa Orgolini); and – if they can find a way to make a relationship work between the popular and the unpopular – they might come together. Hainey and his cohorts don’t make it easy as they nearly drown Eddie for simply showing up at a pool party, pushing our budding screen hero to initially take the devilish Curr’s advice and strike back … with deadly intent.
Naturally, Eddie embraces his dark side because who among us hasn’t wanted to exact a bit of revenge on those who treated us poorly? It’s practically one part of the human condition, especially in schoolyard parlance, and this is what makes audiences identify with such characters. The problem is that Eddie isn’t a bad guy – he never imagines hurting any of his classmates in any way before Curr’s spectral intrusion on his life – so he eventually manages to throw off such dark impulses in favor of staying true to himself. This turn of events enrages the ghostly musician who now emerges from whatever Hellscape he’s occupied, back in the flesh to make his former host pay dearly for rejecting his tutelage.
It’s easy to conclude that Trick Or Treat is, largely, little more than a loose rags-to-riches story, the kind wherein our lead must shake off his demons – and a literal one – in order to find happiness in the end. As such, the film never quite dabbles as darkly as have so many other chillers – frankly, I’m surprised that this one got an R-rating – in its pursuit of delivering on its limited potential. At times, Trick feels almost like a subversive counterpart to Robert Zemeckis’ vastly superior but somewhat squeaky-clean Back To The Future (1985), even going so far as having would-be rockers in pursuit of playing a show in front of a high school crowd. Eddie Weinbauer is no Marty McFly, but he’s a suitable substitute in a world wherein bullies are a bit more vicious than was Biff Tannen.
But the similarities don’t start and stop with the high school dance.
Tainey and his mates chase Eddie is a key sequence not dissimilar from that involving Tannen, his gang, and McFly around the town square. Eddie’s pal Roger Mockus (Glen Morgan) is the teenage brainiac who kinda/sorta tries to steer his buddy on the right path as Doc Emmett Brown did in the Zemeckis picture. Hell, there’s even a near-assault of Leslie by Hainey that bears a passing resemblance to how Tannen schemed to get his hands on young Lorraine Baines, Marty’s teenage mother. I could go on, but I hope my point is clear: structurally, the two films follow a similar progression from start-to-finish, so much so that I can’t help but highlight how they feel aesthetically drawn from the same cultural zeitgeist of the 1980’s.
Where Trick stumbles a bit is that it’s never quite clear what exactly is going on supernaturally, and this is usually wherein I struggle with a great many Horrors: they don’t go far enough to both define their universe and, then, stick to those rules.
Director Charles Martin Smith’s best bits are delivered when Eddie discovers that Curr has become an entity that somehow – through nothing more than a turntable – has the ability to reach out from the other side. The audience watches as the teen finds these backward snatches of lyrics and begins exploring them; and they – like Eddie – are equally aghast when the record player succumbs to the demon’s incantations, becoming (practically) a living being. This device is the stuff of pure cinema, and while some might dismiss it as a bit of screen trickery they should remember that it isn’t nice to fool Mother Nature. Of course, by satirizing the political argument of the day – that backward masking was the work of the Devil – they’ve quite possibly proven that rock music’s harshest critics may very well have known what they were talking about … because Eddie, literally, raises a devil incarnate.
Still, it’s all a bit too uneven for me to accept that such rules were conceived and properly executed.
For example, Trick’s earliest moments of retribution were done – at least, in part – by Eddie. Did he know that Curr – in spectral form – would be lying in wait for Hainey in the shop class, and did he know just how far the spirit would take matters? If so, then why did Eddie save his enemy from Curr’s wrath? Later, Eddie stands defiantly against Hainey on his front porch, and he – somehow – musters a power to raise fire with the wave of his hand. Was this Eddie’s doing, or was Curr possessing the teen’s body in some devilish twist? Eventually, Eddie makes a mix tape that he gives to Tim as a peace offering, only to have it summon yet another grim demon in the backseat of Hainey’s car, one that seemingly has its way with the bully’s girlfriend. There are also a few sequences involving Eddie’s mother – Angie (Elaine Joyce) – where she draws the unwanted attention of the vengeful Curr, but there’s just not sufficient enough explanation in the script for me to know beyond a shadow of a doubt why the demon felt such a turn was absolutely necessary.
Where Trick stumbles a bit is that it’s never quite clear what exactly is going on supernaturally, and this is usually wherein I struggle with a great many Horrors: they don’t go far enough to both define their universe and, then, stick to those rules.
Director Charles Martin Smith’s best bits are delivered when Eddie discovers that Curr has become an entity that somehow – through nothing more than a turntable – has the ability to reach out from the other side. The audience watches as the teen finds these backward snatches of lyrics and begins exploring them; and they – like Eddie – are equally aghast when the record player succumbs to the demon’s incantations, becoming (practically) a living being. This device is the stuff of pure cinema, and while some might dismiss it as a bit of screen trickery they should remember that it isn’t nice to fool Mother Nature. Of course, by satirizing the political argument of the day – that backward masking was the work of the Devil – they’ve quite possibly proven that rock music’s harshest critics may very well have known what they were talking about … because Eddie, literally, raises a devil incarnate.
Still, it’s all a bit too uneven for me to accept that such rules were conceived and properly executed.
For example, Trick’s earliest moments of retribution were done – at least, in part – by Eddie. Did he know that Curr – in spectral form – would be lying in wait for Hainey in the shop class, and did he know just how far the spirit would take matters? If so, then why did Eddie save his enemy from Curr’s wrath? Later, Eddie stands defiantly against Hainey on his front porch, and he – somehow – musters a power to raise fire with the wave of his hand. Was this Eddie’s doing, or was Curr possessing the teen’s body in some devilish twist? Eventually, Eddie makes a mix tape that he gives to Tim as a peace offering, only to have it summon yet another grim demon in the backseat of Hainey’s car, one that seemingly has its way with the bully’s girlfriend. There are also a few sequences involving Eddie’s mother – Angie (Elaine Joyce) – where she draws the unwanted attention of the vengeful Curr, but there’s just not sufficient enough explanation in the script for me to know beyond a shadow of a doubt why the demon felt such a turn was absolutely necessary.
Ultimately, Eddie – in the same fashion that Luke Skywalker rejected the machinations of Emperor Palpatine to turn him evil in George Lucas’ Star Wars – rejects Curr; and I understand perfectly why – as a consequence – the demon emerges into our plane of existence to wreak havoc. All Hell breaks loose, and Smith – remarkable as a first-time director – shows that he’s been around enough projects to know exactly how to stage these antics for maximum effect. In this respect, Trick’s greatest strength comes alive as Fields in rather spectacular fashion proves he had the chops to merge the personae of the carefree rocker with an impish heavy. It’s a delirious performance – one that deserves a bit of celebration – that not only rescues the entire film from obscurity but also props it up as a ‘must see.’
Trick Or Treat (1986) was produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG). DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Synapse Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still see that visually there’s an awful lot of grain in several sequences of this UltraHD 4K upgrade restored from the original camera negative. Thankfully, it isn’t pervasive, but there are a handful of spots wherein its rather obvious that the source material hasn’t exactly aged well. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? In a word: wow. Synapse has ponied up an incredible three commentary tracks, an exceptionally good feature-length documentary on the making and legacy of the project, along with a solid assortment of extras that will keep enthusiasts busy for hours. It is an impressive assortment, so huge thanks to the distributor for going the extra mile on this release.
Highly Recommended.
Trick Or Treat (1986) is a surprisingly good Horror/Comedy that somehow stayed below society’s radar upon its original release but has built a faithful following – understandably so – in the years since. While it does suffer from some of the usual shortcomings with ideas serving second fiddle to more effective theatrics, there’s no denying the power of a good scene-chewing villain, and the late Tony Fields clearly had the talent and the sheer presence to make the hard-rocking Sammi Curr something worth watching. If anything, Trick suffers from having no real teeth – and very, very, very little gore – in the final estimation … and, yet, there’s an uncharacteristic wholesome appeal to it that proves audiences – especially cult ones – know a good thing when they see it.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Synapse Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Trick Or Treat (1986) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Trick Or Treat (1986) was produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG). DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Synapse Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still see that visually there’s an awful lot of grain in several sequences of this UltraHD 4K upgrade restored from the original camera negative. Thankfully, it isn’t pervasive, but there are a handful of spots wherein its rather obvious that the source material hasn’t exactly aged well. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? In a word: wow. Synapse has ponied up an incredible three commentary tracks, an exceptionally good feature-length documentary on the making and legacy of the project, along with a solid assortment of extras that will keep enthusiasts busy for hours. It is an impressive assortment, so huge thanks to the distributor for going the extra mile on this release.
Highly Recommended.
Trick Or Treat (1986) is a surprisingly good Horror/Comedy that somehow stayed below society’s radar upon its original release but has built a faithful following – understandably so – in the years since. While it does suffer from some of the usual shortcomings with ideas serving second fiddle to more effective theatrics, there’s no denying the power of a good scene-chewing villain, and the late Tony Fields clearly had the talent and the sheer presence to make the hard-rocking Sammi Curr something worth watching. If anything, Trick suffers from having no real teeth – and very, very, very little gore – in the final estimation … and, yet, there’s an uncharacteristic wholesome appeal to it that proves audiences – especially cult ones – know a good thing when they see it.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Synapse Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Trick Or Treat (1986) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
Whether audiences like them or not, zombie films have been around for almost a century. Rest assured that likely means that they’re here to stay.
A quick glance at Google.com tells us that Hollywood’s first attempt to reanimate the dearly departed was aboard White Zombie (1932), a Bela Lugosi chiller adapted from a 1929 Horror novel. Of course, there were a few more in the years between then and now, but perhaps the single greatest contribution was George A. Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead (1968), the thrill ride that still resonates with audiences today. 2004’s Shaun Of The Dead and 2009’s Zombieland heavily shrouded their walking dead with some much needed humor, proving that such undead antics could, would, and should always find an audience ready, willing, and able to go face-to-face with things that go bump in the night.
2023’s All You Need Is Blood loosely tries to broaden the comic application by trending a bit toward younger fare. At first blush, its laughs feel best suited for audiences of Nickelodeon or even Walt Disney’s daytime after school schtick: none of it is ever meant to be taken seriously, and its zombies – while hungry – still come across as a bit more cartoonish than they do truly frightening. Written and directed by Cooper Roberts, the genre outing stars Logan Riley Bruner, Emma Chasse, Neel Sethi, Tom O’Keefe, and Mena Suvari in prominent roles in the tale about a budding young filmmaker who gets his shot at stardom if and only if he can throw together a zombie flick for the Hollywood producer who just so happens to be in town for a festival.
To the film’s credit, All You Need Is Blood has played to some modest acclaim on the film festival circuit; and, frankly, I don’t find that all that surprising. Having taken it in, I can tell you that it’s that kind of mildly quirky comedy about more than just the Undead that festival types tend to embrace. Stories within a story rarely go out of style – as, it would appear, zombies features don’t either – so it’s understandable why this one drew blood where others tried and failed to rise from the dead.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come, then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“An aspiring teen filmmaker casts the perfect lead for his breakout zombie film: his undead dad.”
A quick glance at Google.com tells us that Hollywood’s first attempt to reanimate the dearly departed was aboard White Zombie (1932), a Bela Lugosi chiller adapted from a 1929 Horror novel. Of course, there were a few more in the years between then and now, but perhaps the single greatest contribution was George A. Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead (1968), the thrill ride that still resonates with audiences today. 2004’s Shaun Of The Dead and 2009’s Zombieland heavily shrouded their walking dead with some much needed humor, proving that such undead antics could, would, and should always find an audience ready, willing, and able to go face-to-face with things that go bump in the night.
2023’s All You Need Is Blood loosely tries to broaden the comic application by trending a bit toward younger fare. At first blush, its laughs feel best suited for audiences of Nickelodeon or even Walt Disney’s daytime after school schtick: none of it is ever meant to be taken seriously, and its zombies – while hungry – still come across as a bit more cartoonish than they do truly frightening. Written and directed by Cooper Roberts, the genre outing stars Logan Riley Bruner, Emma Chasse, Neel Sethi, Tom O’Keefe, and Mena Suvari in prominent roles in the tale about a budding young filmmaker who gets his shot at stardom if and only if he can throw together a zombie flick for the Hollywood producer who just so happens to be in town for a festival.
To the film’s credit, All You Need Is Blood has played to some modest acclaim on the film festival circuit; and, frankly, I don’t find that all that surprising. Having taken it in, I can tell you that it’s that kind of mildly quirky comedy about more than just the Undead that festival types tend to embrace. Stories within a story rarely go out of style – as, it would appear, zombies features don’t either – so it’s understandable why this one drew blood where others tried and failed to rise from the dead.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come, then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“An aspiring teen filmmaker casts the perfect lead for his breakout zombie film: his undead dad.”
A great number of filmmakers got their start making ‘shorts’ in their very own backyard, and Bucky Le Boeuf (played by Logan Riley Bruner) aims to be no different. Along with his pal Vish (Neel Sethi), they make use of a family camcorder to spin yarns chiefly for their own entertainment but never lose sight of the fact that – should Hollywood call – they’ll be ready to craft an award-caliber drama for inquiring minds. In fact, their desire to tell serious stories for serious audiences might just be their ticket to fame: unlike their competitors, they’re not interested in the usual visual schlock of bargain basement Horror.
When opportunity finally knocks by way of a local film festival, Bucky and Vish are understandably thrilled … only then to learn that all entries to the shindig are restricted to the usual bloody thrillers and chillers. Just about their time when they’re willing to hang up their shoes in exasperation, Bucky’s father Walter (Tom O’Keefe) comes down with a case of the Undead; and it’s this development that sets their creative juices flowing. Not only can they make a killer zombie movie but also theirs just might be the only one ever to star an authentic zombie!
Thankfully there’s a local actress Vivien Vance (Mena Suvari) who gives them a fast track to stardom on the film festival circuit. She’s just met (or slept with) studio producer Dick Boeing (Louis Mustillo), and she volunteers bringing him by to watch the production one evening in hopes that it’ll give them the exposure to get them over the top. Alas, Boeing is everything but impressed, and yet not all is lost: the producer lets slip that famed filmmaker Hans von Franz (Ronald Guttman) is also in town for the festival, so the team – along with their assistant June (Emma Chasse) – now realize that they could be destined for great things if they can corral the critical darling and convince him that their zombie drama could be the next big thing.
It should be perfectly clear at this point that – ahem – logic has left the building, and All You Need Is Blood essentially turns into a modern take of the classic screwball comedy not unlike those of The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, and Laurel and Hardy. Except for the practical effects work (which is quite good), there isn’t an ounce of realism near any of this, and that’s perfectly okay. Horror comedies being what they are, some of the very best were steered in the direction of giving children something to laugh at; and Blood works almost entirely on this level. A few of the jokes veer more tongue-in-cheek toward adults, but the endless retread of Bucky spewing chunks at the sight of blood forever puts this thing back in perspective.
All that can go wrong does go wrong as that's the very cloth from which such a picture gets made. The camcorder gets roughed up, requiring that everything get shot in zoom mode. Walter's disappearance from the workforce eventually draws some unwanted attention from the authorities, a development that only has Bucky coming up with less and less plausible explanations to account for the man's delinquency. Just about the time one figures it can't get any worse, Vish gets bitten -- and then so does his mother -- a twist that forces the filmmaker to merely grow his cast and expand his story to include a few other willing (or unwilling) participants. Such is the life of your average Spielbergian wannabe!
When opportunity finally knocks by way of a local film festival, Bucky and Vish are understandably thrilled … only then to learn that all entries to the shindig are restricted to the usual bloody thrillers and chillers. Just about their time when they’re willing to hang up their shoes in exasperation, Bucky’s father Walter (Tom O’Keefe) comes down with a case of the Undead; and it’s this development that sets their creative juices flowing. Not only can they make a killer zombie movie but also theirs just might be the only one ever to star an authentic zombie!
Thankfully there’s a local actress Vivien Vance (Mena Suvari) who gives them a fast track to stardom on the film festival circuit. She’s just met (or slept with) studio producer Dick Boeing (Louis Mustillo), and she volunteers bringing him by to watch the production one evening in hopes that it’ll give them the exposure to get them over the top. Alas, Boeing is everything but impressed, and yet not all is lost: the producer lets slip that famed filmmaker Hans von Franz (Ronald Guttman) is also in town for the festival, so the team – along with their assistant June (Emma Chasse) – now realize that they could be destined for great things if they can corral the critical darling and convince him that their zombie drama could be the next big thing.
It should be perfectly clear at this point that – ahem – logic has left the building, and All You Need Is Blood essentially turns into a modern take of the classic screwball comedy not unlike those of The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, and Laurel and Hardy. Except for the practical effects work (which is quite good), there isn’t an ounce of realism near any of this, and that’s perfectly okay. Horror comedies being what they are, some of the very best were steered in the direction of giving children something to laugh at; and Blood works almost entirely on this level. A few of the jokes veer more tongue-in-cheek toward adults, but the endless retread of Bucky spewing chunks at the sight of blood forever puts this thing back in perspective.
All that can go wrong does go wrong as that's the very cloth from which such a picture gets made. The camcorder gets roughed up, requiring that everything get shot in zoom mode. Walter's disappearance from the workforce eventually draws some unwanted attention from the authorities, a development that only has Bucky coming up with less and less plausible explanations to account for the man's delinquency. Just about the time one figures it can't get any worse, Vish gets bitten -- and then so does his mother -- a twist that forces the filmmaker to merely grow his cast and expand his story to include a few other willing (or unwilling) participants. Such is the life of your average Spielbergian wannabe!
There’s a goofiness to the procedure that, yes, can be intoxicating here and there. While it may not necessarily go down as the finest flick to put on for the chilluns, there’s no denying the harmlessness of so much of it. A few of the antics do turn a bit gruesome in the second half – chopsticks through the head along with a pair of spouting eyeballs might have some parents throwing a hood over their five, six, or seven-year-olds. Perhaps it’s best that the adults view it first and make up their own mind rather than going on my assessment: while I think it’s perfectly acceptable, I’m unwilling to usurp anyone’s authority as the head of their household. But, yes, I think this was intended for young’uns as I think its sensibilities will likely register strongest with them.
All You Need Is Blood (2023) was produced by Yale Productions, Post Film, and Snakebyte Productions and Entertainment Group. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Allied Vaughn. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure audiences that the film both looks and sounds fantastic from start to finish. As for the special features? The disc boasts an audio commentary track along with some behind-the-scenes footage, some VFX shorts, and a film photo gallery. It’s definitely a nice assortment for folks who get into these things.
Recommended.
As a Comedy, perhaps All You Need Is Blood’s greatest weakness is the fact that it’s entirely predictable. Some would tell insist that isn’t a bad thing – a good number of cult films rely on such probabilities – but would it really have hurt anyone to throw the narrative a curveball here or there? That complaint aside, Blood is still best absorbed by the youngest amongst us as its sense of humor truly gravitates toward those who ingest cartoon schtick heavily, never wishing for the real world to invade on their private spaces. Thankfully, the cast gets it, and they ride all of it out until the final scene, delivering that closing moment as a reminder that life might never look better than it does on the silver screen.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of All You Need Is Blood (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
All You Need Is Blood (2023) was produced by Yale Productions, Post Film, and Snakebyte Productions and Entertainment Group. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Allied Vaughn. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure audiences that the film both looks and sounds fantastic from start to finish. As for the special features? The disc boasts an audio commentary track along with some behind-the-scenes footage, some VFX shorts, and a film photo gallery. It’s definitely a nice assortment for folks who get into these things.
Recommended.
As a Comedy, perhaps All You Need Is Blood’s greatest weakness is the fact that it’s entirely predictable. Some would tell insist that isn’t a bad thing – a good number of cult films rely on such probabilities – but would it really have hurt anyone to throw the narrative a curveball here or there? That complaint aside, Blood is still best absorbed by the youngest amongst us as its sense of humor truly gravitates toward those who ingest cartoon schtick heavily, never wishing for the real world to invade on their private spaces. Thankfully, the cast gets it, and they ride all of it out until the final scene, delivering that closing moment as a reminder that life might never look better than it does on the silver screen.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of All You Need Is Blood (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ