This Week In Film (6/21/2021 - 6/27/2021)

June 21, 2021 - June 27, 2021

In the span of one week we saw 3 classics prior to the Chattanooga Film Festival, then 14 festival features, and 5 virtual events. The virtual events included The Nights That Panicked America, Barkett The Moon, Transgressions For Everyone!, Fangoria Presents Mental Health and Horror, Welcome to the Final Girl Support Group, and One Man Show the music and madness of Nick Latsko. And then all the coverage for said films and events. It's been a long road but I love the idea of virtual film festivals. It looks as though, fests may be held as hybrid events in the future with a virtual component. Could you imagine that one day, some schmuck from Chicago with a weekly blog could write coverage for Cannes? Yeah, me neither. But that's not what I came here to tell you about...

This Week In Film where I create a weekly rundown of the random sh*t I watch. There’s a HIGH / LOW at the end of this entry, so if words aren't really your thing, you can scroll quickly, look at pictures, and skip to my favorite viewings of the week.

Lets begin...

OVERVIEW:

 

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ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984)

dir: Sergio Leone

Instead of the word masterpiece, my thoughts drift to another word all together - problematic. While no one can deny there's a quality to this film that fulfills the epic-ness one searches for in a Leone film. And no one can question the beauty of the cinematography. Look no further than the boys running across the street with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. Always the symbol of a better life looming over them. And the performances are perfect. From child actors to big stars and to big stars in layers of thick aging makeup, everyone shines. While the plot shifting between the three time periods can be difficult to follow, and the overall story isn't anywhere near the realm of The Godfather (1972), these elements can be overlooked. What causes problems, serious problems, is the rape of Deborah (Elizabeth McGovern). This scene has no place in any film.

This is not the review to dive into any theories of rape depicted in film. There are cases for showing the act such as in the rape-revenge film or in a film that will use the scene to reflect the act as a trauma and comment on the justice or injustice of the victim. You don't, and this is for filmmakers everywhere, I repeat you don't have the star of your film - someone you are supposed to be cheering on - rape someone he loves when she says no to a marriage proposal. Furthermore, you don't film the scene with multiple angles and let it last for nearly three minutes. In a nearly 4 hour film, this scene occurs toward the 3/4 mark and honestly the rest was lost on me. De Niro's Noodles rapes two women on screen. The first is during a robbery, and it is later discovered that the woman, Carol, enjoys rough sex. This is still inexcusable, but it sure as hell is a better pill to swallow that what Noodles does to Deborah. Even if we use those cliched statements, "Things were different back then," it still doesn't help this particular case of violent rape depicted and enacted for no greater reason to the plot of the film.

The sex I was looking for in the film was between James Woods and Robert De Niro. They are the ultimate coded homosexuals. They share longing looks at one another. They promise to swear off women in honor of one another. If the rest of the story falls away, the heart of it becomes the love story between Noodles and Max. When Noodles is betrayed by his lover (Max) and asked to murder him as a favor, Noodles can't murder the love of his life. The homoerotic obsession as exhibited mostly by Max can't go unnoticed. We get an impotent Max when he's trying to lose his virginity to Peggy at the beginning of the film, Max gets exited when he watches Noodles kiss Deborah or later when he watches him rape Carol, and he shows nothing but violence and hatred toward the women in his life. Max only keeps the company of women that Noodles has been with. The film is disgusting as it shows all relationships from a prism of violence or objectification, but possibly this is due to the men in the film are unable to reconcile the fact that they would rather be with men.

SMOOTH TALK (1985)

dir: Joyce Chopra

Since this film was released on Criterion early this year, I've been meaning to give it a watch. I didn't know what to expect. You look at the Criterion cover for the film and see a young Laura Dern and Treat Williams. The title is in pink with amateur lettering, the spine number is in pink, there's a purple outline, the photo realistic painting is brightly colored, and there isn't one single shadow. You get the sense that Dern and Williams are going to have a torrid affair. This is all from the cover. Then the film starts, and it is a different beast all together.

The film is based on Joyce Carol Oates 1966 short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been." Upon finishing Smooth Talk, I immediately read the short story. Then I dove further into the inspiration for the short story. The Pied Piper of Tucson, Charles Schmid, who used his wealth and charisma to lure teens to their death. Schmid claimed three teenage girls as his victims and buried them in the desert. When Oates read about this man, Arnold Friend was born. The Friend of the short story and the Friend of the film are alike in most ways. They have a flashy car with cryptic numbers painted on it, they have a wing-man who'll easily tear a phone out if needed, and they have a devilish charm to them. 

The story and the film are alike in most ways. They center on Connie (played by Laura Dern in the film) a fifteen year old girl who is one way at home and another way out in the world. She hangs out with her two best friends, and they go see movies and hang around the shopping centers all day. This is the summer before their sophomore year, and they are on the cusp of discovering their sexuality. They inadvertently end up crossing paths with the wrong Friend, and the innocence of their youth may be gone forever.

The film's maker, Joyce Chopra, was a documentary filmmaker and had created a few youth oriented projects. She injects the authentic teenage girl experience into every scene of the film. The rocky relationship with her mother, the tenderness toward her father, the loud music, the bombastic emotions of your teenage years, the first make out session, and that special feeling when the boys are sweet and nice to you. Three-quarters of the film builds up the experience of youth, while the last act seeks to destroy it. Smooth Talk is a masterfully crafted film about adolescence with excellent performances by everyone especially Dern and Williams. Side Note: Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) from Fright Night (1985) plays one of Connie's dates.

ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE? (1978)

dir: Walter Grauman

CBS used this tagline on many of their TV movies: Turn us on, We'll turn you on! Inadvertent bad taste for a film about a 17 year old who gets raped and fears no one will believe who her rapist is. This detail was pointed out in Amanda Reyes CFF presentation: THE NIGHTS THAT PANICKED AMERICA.

While Katie and I were watching this, she asked: "Was this written or directed by a woman?" I quickly looked it up and saw it was written by Judith Parker who had written two TV movies prior. "Why?" I asked her. She said all the details give it away. A mother and daughter who fight but still come to their senses and say I love you. The guidance counselor who takes the time to tell Gail (Kathleen Beller) that it is normally someone you know that harasses you. Or when the mother tells Gail that her father has lost his job but didn't want to worry her. Gail's mother, played by Blythe Danner, says: "Boys are so sensitive." The film is filled with intimate details and openly discusses men's insecurities. The writing exceeds normal TV movie fare by far.

The film opens with Gail being found by her boyfriend (Scott Colomby from Porky's and Caddyshack) after her assault. Gail's transported to the hospital and when she's asked who did this to her, she says, "No one will believe me." Most of the film is then told in flashback. It becomes our mystery to figure out who committed this heinous act. It was an odd structure for this story. There's a slasher film aspect to it as there are several POV shots, heavy breathing / obscene calls, and red herrings. There are sequences that feel authentic to the characters as they discuss a film they just saw at a double date with Gail's friend and her boyfriend (Dennis Quad), dates at a carnival, and babysitting. The theme of love is discussed throughout the film from the characters in Three Days Of The Condor (1975) to Lord Byron's poetry to mom and dad's college romance and a choir-kid trio at lunch singing Dion's "A Teenager In Love." When the film catches up to the beginning, we assume it will turn into a rape-revenge film, but that's not entirely the case.

We are shown a glimpse at the aftermath of Gail being a victim. She becomes a shut-in while her rapist roams free. Because of wealth and prestige the rapist isn't being held accountable. Gail's father and boyfriend want her attacker dead, but stay within the confines of the law. Gail wants to catch her attacker before he can assault someone new, but her last line of dialogue sums up the injustice: "Why does the system protect the rapist and not the victim?" While the genre of the film may not match its original intention, the message of the film outweighs any preconceived opinions. It's upsetting that a 1978 film about injustice holds as much truth today as when it aired on CBS.

HE'S DEAD & SO AM I (2021)

dir: Gabe Casdorph & Gabe Martinez

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

Meet Lance & Sandy, they've been best friends for more than 30 years. One weekend, long ago, they went out to the woods, tripped on mushrooms, ate some poisonous berries, sh*t their pants, and died. They've been haunting the woods ever since. Lance desperately wants to reconnect with the living, while Sandy - a bisexual Marty McFly complete with vest, shirt, and sneakers - misses the world of sex and pleasure. Sandy fills her time dancing and singing impromptu songs about hairy balls, while Lance stalks and pines for a jogger named Daphney.

This film is pure fun from frame one. The style, wardrobe, pacing, 80's synth music, title cards, and acting are all top notch. The comedy infuses with each moment to create a tapestry of whimsy all for genre fans. Sandy (Melanie Stone) is a ray of f*cking sunshine. Her infectious humor is intoxicating. While Bartholomew (Alex Gunter) chews up some scenery and plays a fun demon salesmen constantly trying to pitch Hell to our beloved duo, Sandy steals the film. All of the film's great lines were given to her: "Shake him until he sh*ts," "I urge you to use your vagina for personal gain," or even the misquoting of overheard song lyrics make it utterly impossible to forget Sandy or He's Dead & So Am I. As a horror fan, I'm normally partial to the horror comedies that dip further into the horror, but the Gabes (Gabe Casdorph & Gabe Martinez) have converted me.

ONE MAN SHOW: THE MUSIC AND MADNESS OF NICK LUTSKO (2021)

dir: Nick Lutsko

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

While this is no film, it is a great collection of musician Nick Lutsko's bat-sh*t insane music videos. All of the videos here are featured on Nick's YouTube channel,  and they should be checked out. Besides, the humor found in Nick's art, it is his ability to go so over-the-top that I admire most. It's his most addictive quality for sure. To see blood drooling out of his mouth, sweat pouring from everywhere, and eyes bulging out while trying to sing a song about being on S&L (not SNL for some reason in the subtitles) is captivating. Also of note during the Saturday Nick Live, Nick's bloody hospital gown reminds me of Sam Neil's John Trent from In The Mouth Of Madness (1994).

 

 EMPIRE OF THE DARK (1990)

dir: Steve Barkett

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

Part of CFF'S BARKETT THE MOON, a double feature salute to writer/director/actor/action icon Steve Barkett. 

"We'll give them all the sacred steel they can eat!"

You know how people say that something has a lot of heart? That is the perfect idiom to apply to Steve Barkett. Upon seeing him here in Empire of the Dark, he looks like your run-of-the-mill uncle. He's a bit oafish and wears his mustache as leftover 80s memorabilia. No one would assume he's an action hero, but he should be idolized. Barkett made himself into an icon within his own filmography (or duology as he made only two films). While on one level, this is pure narcissism - just a series of vanity projects, but then again, it is also a brilliant document of indie filmmaking. Barkett is the every-man, and this gives his work the heart it needs to live on in cult nirvana.

Empire features father and son duo Steve & Christopher Barkett as none other than a father and son duo battling demons in an effort to stop the gates of hell from opening. We get stop motion demons (that look fantastic) grabbing at matchbox cars, the most rules ever conceived for opening Hell, a hero in a bathrobe, Sister Mary saying "Bullsh*t," more than one sword training montage, guns versus swords, and an excellent shoot-out in a grocery store. At first, each scene feels so tedious as if we know Barkett is trying to fill his runtime, but after the intro we grow accustom to this pace. He sets aside multiple scenes to drill in exposition, because Barkett knows the other screenwriting rule. Not the show don't tell rule but the when in doubt talk it out rule of B-movies. We are told that the ritual requires 20 sacrificed women and can be only done in 20 year intervals. After the 20 are sacrificed they must wait 24 hours then conduct the ceremony of killing a mother and son. Once finished the gates of hell can open, and the demons can take over. All the exposition pays off. If you found yourself bored between action sequences, then Barkett has a finale for you. So many demons are killed, it feels like the revolving door violence in The Wild Bunch (1968).

We learn from the interview with Steve and Chris Barkett that the original title was Evil Night (maybe Knight I'm not sure) but after a screening with Jim Wynorski (Chopping Mall), he told Barkett the title needed to be something way bigger. And while I think the title should have been Sacred Steel, they settled on Empire of the Dark. And the rest is... history.

THE AFTERMATH (1982)

dir: Steve Barkett

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

Part of CFF'S BARKETT THE MOON, a double feature salute to writer/director/actor/action icon Steve Barkett.

This was my first foray into the world of Barkett and I watched the films out of order. In Empire of the Dark, Steve put on some weight and doesn't look like your normal 80s action hero. This gives the film... well, everything. In The Aftermath, Barkett appears more like an action star. He's still an avuncular type of star, but still a star. The film gives you Planet of the Apes, The Hills Have Eyes, and The Omega Man vibes. Its funny how I just kept dreaming of Charlton Heston playing Steve's role. But we start out in spaceship above Earth with beautiful set colors complete with state-of-the-art boops and beeps technology. Our space heroes Newman and Matthews survive a crash landing only to find that civilization was destroyed by atoms and germs. People are either dead, mutated, or rapist ravagers. Or, and I almost forgot the rarest kind, pedantic museum caretakers. The chaos of Earth is shown via matte paintings and about 10-20 extras running around frantically. Sid Haig is Cutter. The meanest and most sinister of the rapists. He provides a Hills Have Eyes vibe. We get a Dick Miller recording that provides context for the end of man. We also get a lot of murdered kids. Steve dons his best Safari garb and explores the ruins of Los Angeles. He learns of the rapist and child killer. He decides to do something about it because as he says, "I can't live in a world with a baby killer on the loose!"

Newman finally invades Cutter's world and steals his hostages. From that moment, a war is ignited and Cutter will have his revenge. As a 1982 action film, I see no issues. Everything is as over-the-top as it should be. The shootouts and fistfights are ample and well done. While Empire of the Dark feels like a farce, The Aftermath is a genuine 80s action romp. I'm saddened that this wasn't part of my USA Up All Night education in the early 90s. You really dropped the ball Gilbert Gottfried.

SCENES FROM AN EMPTY CHURCH

dir: Onur Tukel

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)\

"That was like Dueling Banjos but with scripture."

I've never seen a film from Onur Tukel, but if Scenes From An Empty Church is any indication to the director's talents then count me in. While I may not be versed in Applesauce (2015), the director's big hit to date, I am a seasoned fan of Hal Hartley. And Scenes gives off heavy Hartley vibes. Immediately, we see an aged Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan) on-screen but here he goes by Father James. A quick refreshers of Father Andrew (Kevin Corrigan) and we see that our two stars were both in Henry Fool (1997) together. All we needed were cameos from Parker Posey and James Urbaniak and we would have an unofficial cast reunion. But I digress. This Hal Hartley connection is deeper than Thomas Jay Ryan who acted in four of Hartley's films, it is the open discussions of humanity and philosophy that cement the film in the same category. 

"If they have a cough, send them off."

Scenes takes place three months into the NYC quarantine. The film is firmly within our reality. Everyone must wear a mask, people cheer for first-responders every night at 7:00pm, and everything is closed. When the film begins, our two lead priests Father James and Father Andrew have lost their lead priest Father Brooks, and in losing him have lost their own way. An outsider from Father Andrew's past barges into their lives and upsets everything. But it may be the jolt the priests need to find a new path in uncertain times.

While seeing this at a genre fest, I was waiting for one of Joe Bob Briggs' 3 Bs (Blood, Breasts, or Beasts). I don't want to spoil the film, but this is not a horror film - but one of the Bs is present. The film is a series of discussions that revolve around faith, the lack of faith, leading a decent life, and how can we live through a global pandemic? "Even Sisyphus must have told himself at one point, at least I'm getting a good workout," Father James quips at one point and smiles at his own wit. The film feels at once like a stage play, but the marvelous acting in close-up and segues give us the cinematic experience. The cast is rounded out by Max Casella as the mysterious Paul, Annie McCain Engman as Paul's girlfriend, Paul Riser as Father Andrew's father, and Craig Bierko (UnReal) as a stranger seeking baptism.

TEDDY (2020)

dir: Ludovic Boukherma, Zoran Boukherma

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

 I saw a synopsis for this that says Teddy (2020) is a French Teen Wolf (1985). That's like saying Martyrs (2008) is the French version of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Teddy and Teen Wolf both involve a teenager getting infected by a werewolf and thusly become a werewolf. End of comparison. Maybe if you include David Cronenberg's body horror into your comparison, you get a little closer to what Teddy is.

Teddy Pruvost is an awkward teenage bad boy, we know this because of his dragon shirt and heavy metal he listens to. We gather that Teddy dropped out of school to care for his mother. Teddy's whole world is his girlfriend - who is about to graduate. One night, Teddy is attacked by an unknown animal. And we all know what that means. It was a werewolf and he's now on the road to becoming one. Or is it all in Teddy's head? I guess you'll have to watch to the end to find out. And what a climax it is. If some of the pacing is a bit slow in the middle of the film, the end is worth it. Trust me.

 NIGHTDRIVE (2021)

dir: Meghan Leon, Brad Baruh

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

 Rusty (AJ Bowen) drives for a rideshare called Jaunt. He's about to end his night after one last ride. When Charlotte (Sophie Dalah) gets in and slides him $500.00, Rusty's night isn't going to end anytime soon. The chemistry between the two leads is great, but don't get any ideas that this a love story. There's murder, mystery, burying bodies in the desert, burning evidence, and a MacGuffin that will change everything.

There's a wonderful bevy of dark humor running throughout the film, mostly in the guise of apathy toward the grisly. The comedy has context once you reach the climax which will make subsequent viewings even more pleasurable. There is one scene that stood out for me and I think it's okay to spoil without giving any story before or after. Charlotte is bashing a dead body's face in to pluck the teeth - you know so they'll be harder to identify - and grabs a bag of chips, eats a few, then pours the bag over the body so she can have a receptacle for the teeth. This moment is pure comedic nihilism and it was here that I fell head-over-heals in love with this film.

 

 

DANNI AND THE VAMPIRE (2021)

dir: Max Werkmeister

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

From the moment the trailer for Danni and the Vampire began, I was more than excited. Katie and I placed it at the top of our must-see together list. We made the mistake of hyping it up too much. That was our fault, not a fault of the film. What we wanted out of the trailer, we got. Blacklight gore, geysers and blood spurts, chemistry between the leads, kitschy art direction, and an interesting vampire philosophy were all present. Danni (Alexandra Landau) and Remy (Henry Kiely) are fantastic together and on their own. Danni wants to feel useful again, and Remy is a vampire that has never been selfish about his own desires. They work to make each other happy which works for us as an audience. Their story works. They are nearly perfect.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the rest of the characters in the film. The moment Danni and Remy aren't on-screen the film slows significantly. And any scene that includes Kaine (Scott Vermeire) tends to crash and burn. At one hour and forty three minutes, I'm sure cutting out thirteen minutes of Kaine scenes would cure all that ails this film. 

Back to Danni and Remi. Alexandra Landau's Danni is a continuation of Werkmeister's short film The Jersey Devil (2014). The plot of the short is discussed and directly tied to Danni. Henry Kiely plays my new favorite cinematic vampire. He's level-headed, considerate, and overall embraces existence. At times he comes across as ignorant, but that's because immortality has taught him not to sweat everything. He's the kind of vampire we should all aspire to be.

WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR (2021)

dir: Kier-La Janisse

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

 There is so much to digest with this sprawling documentary. The first thing we learn is what is considered the 'Unholy Trinity' in British Folk Horror. This includes Michael Reeves’ Witchfinder General (1968), Piers Haggard’s Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) and Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man (1973). This means firstly, now I must seek out and watch Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan's Claw. Kier-La Janisse's film is broken into easier to consume chapters that embrace the whole of Folk Horror from what seems like every imaginable avenue. At first, the 3+ hour runtime was intimidating. However, after a pace is set  and we dive headfirst into the rabbit hole, the film holds us until its end. One of my favorite quotes that becomes its own chapter is: "If science doesn't have the rules, we make new ones. We don't go back." This sentiment is held throughout Folk Horror. The fear of Paganism, witchcraft, Voodoo, or any of the 'other' religions or belief systems that remain feared by the mainstream religions is that there may be some truth to 'the old ways.' 

For me, this is why the end of Ari Aster's Midsommar (2019) is so poignant. Dani finds a community that embraces emotions and allows her to fully grieve all that she has lost. She has found all that she needs within 'the old ways.' The reassessment of The Wicker Man also finds Lord Summerisle and his flock of Pagan's in the right for sacrificing the closed-minded and religious bigot Sergeant Howie. Or how the end of The VVitch (2015) gives Thomasin a happy ending once she signs the dark lord's book. There is normally a truth to the old ways and a beauty given to those who break from traditional religion in Folk Horror films. I love how these films make skeptics believe and force a paradigm shift unto devout believers.

 

THE OLD WAYS (2021)

dir: Christopher Alender

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

A junkie wakes up in a DIY prison only to find out her cousin brought her to a witch to exorcise a demon from her. I wasn't excited for this, but that's because how many times are we going to watch an exorcism? But this film has a lot more under the hood than it lets on. Christina is a Mexican-American reporter who decides to take a story back home in Veracruz. She hasn't been back home since the death of her mother when she was young. Instead of a report, Christina is looking to end her life or die trying. When she is captured and forced to drink goat's milk, she begins to come to terms with her heritage, her drug addiction, and the paths she's made for herself. If we scratch the surface, right below the demon exorcism part, we see this is a film about coming into your own power. But the demon, the effects, and the gross-out moments are pretty dope too.

CLIFF A PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST: (2021)

dir: Adam Brooks

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

 Adam Brooks, exploitation film extraordinaire, shifted gears and spent time with eclectic artist Cliff Eyland. This Canadian artist worked mostly in the 3X5 format creating thousands of pieces and installations. Brooks catches up with him after a double lung transplant. Cliff opens up about his life as a nudist, painter, and instructor. He shows how his small format in great quantity can transform spaces. We see Cliff hiding 3X5 index card paintings inside books at libraries and we get an intimate look at his various creative processes. Ultimately, we see Cliff's declining health, but never once do we see his spirit vanish from all that he discusses and all that he creates. The world has lost a great artist and Brooks' documentary shows the humanity that rests within all of us no matter our status. Adam Brooks accomplishes Cliff Eyland's philosophy that all people of any greatness are still just people. I wasn't aware of Cliff's work prior to this film. I am grateful to Brooks for documenting the beauty of this artist and his creations.

THE NIGHTS THAT PANICKED AMERICA: A Brief History of the Golden Age of the Made for TV Genre Movie

By: Amanda Reyes

Thank you CFF 2021 and Amanda Reyes. This presentation was fantastic. Now I have new slew of treasures to seek out: Deliver Us From Evil, See How They Run, The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver (1977), The Girl Most Likely To..., Five Desperate Women (1971), Savages, Look What Happened To Rosemary's Baby, Born Innocent, Initiation of Sarah, Werewolf of Woodstock, and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

The presentation begins with the history of television and how TV was used to bring women back into the home after WWII by showing happy subservient housewives.1950's America didn't like the fact that women were in the workforce while the men were overseas fighting, so when the soldiers came back the women were forced back into the home. This was the beginning of TV marketing toward women. Only later did the marketing also gear toward 10-31 year olds. This lead to a slew of genre TV movies in the 1970s. Reyes gives a great overview and lists so many amazing titles. I'll definitely be buying her book: Are You In The House Alone?: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999

 

 FIVE DESPERATE WOMEN (1971)

dir: Tony Post

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

Secret Screening #2 of the festival and introduced by Amanda Reyes. During the introduction Reyes tells us this is a proto-slasher film that aired on ABC in 1971 and 40% of American households tuned in. In 1973 ABC re-aired the film as part of their sweeps week / best of what ABC had to offer.

As a proto-slasher a lot of tropes are present that hadn't been introduced to the horror genre yet. As a 1971 film, we pre-date Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974) and the violence of Last House On The Left (1972). Sure we had Mario Bava and Dario Argento, but you'd be hard pressed to find a horror plot involving a group of twenty-somethings having a reunion and a psycho killer on the loose.

The film starts with someone jumping out of a window and breaking free from an institution. Radio reports will indicate his name is Edward Faucet, and he was put away for murder. We see him drown a guy on the beach as our opening kill and from there we jump to meeting our quintet of possible victims. As a TV movie, we get to spend more time with our cast of ladies. A drunk housewife, a possible prostitute, a habitual lonely liar, an arrested development mommy caregiver, and the well-to-do socialite rounds out the group. It's been five years since school, and they want to spend a cozy weekend getting to know one another again. Like slashers that would come later, the next to die is a dog. When it nearly breaks the lonely liar's heart, she takes a few sleeping pills and rests while the other women go swimming. She's next to die. With her death and subsequent discovery by the rest of the friends: we are given a whodunit mystery. The film cleverly hides the face of the killer and makes us guess until the end.

While we don't get any blood, nudity, or many kills since it was a TV movie, we do get an explosion and an interesting film entry that could be another clue in finding that ever-elusive path toward the Slasher boom.

 

 

COMING HOME IN THE DARK (2021)

dir: James Ashcroft

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

Secret Screening

This is the feature debut for James Ashcroft, but nowhere does it feel like a first film. Aschcroft breaks horror narrative rules early on, but is still able to ratchet tension until the end. To say anything about the narrative would be a disservice, as the premise revolves around that more than effective question: What the f*ck is going to happen next?

I can spoil the beginning because it is a build up we've seen before. A family goes on an idyllic outing and enjoy each other's company... and then they're f*cked! But this film begs to ask, how f*cked are they? And continues to ask that question while building suspense right up until the very end. If you can't tell, I highly recommend it. If you can stave off seeing a preview and go into it cold, do so.

KANDISHA (2020)

dir: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

There is no denying the genius of Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury. With their first foray into filmmaking, the creative team conjured up a film that rests firmly on every disturbing cinema list since its inception. In 2007, Inside ripped audiences apart. It became an instant classic and cemented the filmmakers as genre visionaries. Inside also helped to solidify French Extreme as an international sub-genre. In the years since, Bustillo and Maury have continued their brand of extreme cinema - to varying degrees. Prior to Kandisha, the makers gave us our latest Texas Chainsaw Massacre entry in the form of another prequel - Leatherface (2017). This film divided the horror community, I was a fan.

This leads to their latest offering, Kandisha. Three female friends, who playfully nickname each other via their race/ethnicity - Morjana (the Arabian girl), Bintou (the Black girl), and Amelie (the White girl) - sneak out every night to paint a mural in a condemned building. The three see a name painted on one of the walls: Kandisha. Morjana tells her friends about a female demon that can be summoned to destroy the men who wrong women. A vengeance demon, less interesting that Anya from Buffy, of course. Amelie is assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, and she summons the demon. It's now up to the three friends to put the genie back in the bottle or all the men in their lives will die.

Reading up on the Moroccan she-demon, I love the fact that she becomes so consumed by her power that she can't stop killing. This fact isn't explained in the film, but it is conveyed. Kandisha goes after ANY man. Overall, the film is an interesting concept that seems right at home in our #metoo era. The makers lack the commentary in the film to rise to the occasion. While the symbol of Kandisha is a powerful one, it feels as though the creators didn't know how to wield that power. So instead they relied on old cliches to fill the gaps in the story. There are some nifty death scenes and a hooved demon woman baring her breasts is interesting, and there are a few nods to Candyman (1992) that are great, but overall the endeavor is a tad lackluster. I can't wait for Bustillo and Maury's next outing. I'm also excited that the creators are getting a Shudder premiere for this film.

 

SHE WATCHES FROM THE WOODS (2021)

dir: Beau Ballinger

@ChattFilmFest (Chattanooga Film Festival 2021)

We are introduced to young June Martin and her sister as they play with a doll and talk about boys. Within moments, the strange straw doll begins to bleed and June's sister is pulled into the lake. As horror fans, it must be that strange doll they found by the water. But what if what follows is the truth. June grows up in institutions forced into outdated techniques such as Electroconvulsive therapy, all to re-write the narrative of her childhood. Now June's all grown up, she's an artist with voices in her head. When she hears of her mother's impending death, she decides to go back home with her girlfriend in tow. Having her dying mother tell her she's the one that murdered her sister and a town that didn't forget pushes June to her breaking point.

She Watches From The Woods is well shot, the acting services the story, and the mystery is well-hidden, but it doesn't cover up the mess at the heart of the film. Moments linger too long, and all suspense is absent. We try to piece the story together along with June, but confusion sets in and it becomes difficult to follow. Maybe the intention is for the viewer to experience the schizophrenia of the lead character or maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention. From the institution montage at the beginning, I felt the film was attempting scenarios that were beyond its budget. For a film rooted in reality, that is to say there were no surreal elements to the art direction, the institution sequences that are scattered throughout the film feel too forced. In a film with excellent cinematography and well drawn characters, the pacing issues made it too easy to be distracted. I'm very excited to see Ballinger's next work.

*****

 

High: After 6,000 words about 19 films, I'm supposed to pick a favorite? I'll be honest some of my favorite moments this week included watching Five Desperate Women after Amanda Reyes presentation THE NIGHTS THAT PANICKED AMERICA, or the mix of Nick Latsko videos, or being introduced to Steve Barkett, but my favorite festival viewing was hands down He's Dead & So Am I. But, my absolute favorite viewing this week was Smooth Talk and the subsequent reading of the Joyce Carol Oates short story.

BEST VIEWING: SMOOTH TALK

Low: There were a few low points this week, not many, but a few. Once Upon A Time In America really threw a curve ball. I wanted it to be as great as most people say it is, but it just doesn't hold up. I wanted more from Kandisha and Danni and the Vampire but they weren't the low point of the week. My least favorite viewing has to be She Watches From The Woods. I expected so much but I was easily distracted out of the viewing experience which is odd because the film is beautiful to look at.

WORST VIEWING: SHE WATCHES FROM THE WOODS