Hey folks, Harry here with a report from Munich from the Mild Mannered Reporter with a great report on the genre flicks seen at the FANTASY FILMFEST 2001 out there in Germany! Now, as you'll probably see by my upcoming review of JEEPERS CREEPERS, I radically disagree with this reviewer's take on that film. But more on that later...
Dear Harry,
attached you will find a couple of reviews. I recently attended Fantasy Filmfest 2001 here in Munich. Memento and Legion of the Dead have been covered enough, so I have concentrated on movies that should be of interest for you readers. I figure the reviews of "Jason X" and "Jeepers Creepers" should pique your interest. have them.
Beware: HEAVY spoilers ahead.
Faust: Love of the damned
Story:
The story is about a painter who is brought to a mental clinic after killing 18 people with Wolverine-like claws. A couple of weird (and mostly unnecessary) flashbacks follow, his attractive doctor falls in love with him, he goes to hell, comes back as a weird Spawn/Joker hybrid demon, and kills some more, trying to get his revenge on the mysterious character called M. Strange? Yes.
Background:
Based on the comic books, this is Brian Yuzna's first movie for his Spanish low budget studio "Fantastic Factory". Like all the other FF movies, it was shot in Barcelona, but tries to be set in America (New York this time). Doesn't really work, but hey - did anyone care that the TV series "Dark Justice" did the same thing? Anyway, the movie has a couple of American actors (including Yuzan stalwart Jeff Combs), and mostly Spanish actors that were obviously dubbed. It's pretty perverse - lotsa softcore sex, SM games (including whipping), bondage, etc. A couple of scenes (a whore has her tits and ass blown out of proportion, until she is a hideous flesh blob) are reminicent of Yuzna's earlier "Society" (Screaming Mad George also provided the FX this time). No doubt: "Faust" will be a favorite at fetish parties all over the world, that's for sure. Not unlike "Razor Blade Smile", which also has Isabel Brook in the cast.
Any good?
As Variety likes to say - "tech credits are fine". Camera, FX, editing, and sound are surprisingly sophisticated for a low budget schlock movie. The Faust costume is pretty close to the comic book design, and that is impressive, considering how weird it is. Unfortunately, all the creative elements in "Faust" quite simply suck. Brian Yuzna was never a good director, and while he is capable of setting up a scene, he totally lacks a filmmaker's vision. His movies always feel sloppily paced, with little narrative drive. "Faust" is no exception, especially since writer David Quinn (who also penned the comic book) still has a lot to learn about scriptwriting. There is cringeworthy dialog. You cannot cut and paste a word bubble from the printed page to the screen. However, what hurts "Faust" the most is the acting - nobody ever accused Andrew Divoff or Jeff Combs of being subtle, but watching lead actor Mark Frost physically hurts
- he is THAT bad. He makes Michael Rooker in "Mallrats" and Jeremy Irons in "Dungeons & Dragons" look positively sedated.
While it is obvious that Yuzna enjoys the lack of restraints in terms of graphic
violence and sex (he clearly knows his audience), he indulges in it a bit too
much. Horror geeks who still yearn for the 80's might enjoy it, but viewers
looking for a solid movie will be repelled. Thinking about it, "Faust" is a
movie that Jess Franco would've shot in the 60's, if anyone had given him a
decent budget. Whether that a recommendation (and a potential career for Yuzna)
is up for discussion.
In the end, "Faust" is a loud, dirty, perverse and empty superhero/satanism
hybrid movie that has more value as a curiosity item than as a legitimate movie.
Vampire Hunter D 2000 (aka Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust)
The Story:
In the far future (even though, apart from gadgets and vehicles, everything feels like it's set during the Renaissance), vampires are almost extinct. Bounty Hunters have brought almost all of them down. When young vampire prince Maier Link (sp?) kidnaps Charlotte, her family hires legendary halfbreed hunter D to bring her back. They have also hired the rogue bounty hunter gang "The Marcus Brothers" (even though they are not really siblings), a whacky mix of Akira-style high tech experts, and Street Fighter-style warriors. Both parties pursue the carriage with Maier and Charlotte, who are heading towards the castle of phantom lady Carmilla.
Background:
This is a sequel to the popular 1985 anime Vampire Hunter D. Even though most anime lovers complain about the decline of the art form, the sequel is much more sophisticated in terms of style: subtle CGI is used to enhance chase scenes and fights, the frame rate is excellent (not as good as Mononoke, but since the characters are drawn infinitely more lifelike here, that would be impossible), and the overall design of the movie is flawless: It's mix of baroque and Greek, of Italian and Mad Max influences has to be seen to be believed. It has a feeling of scope that most animes are sorely lacking. The music is an odd mix, ranging from pop/classical tunes to amazing choir material. Surprisingly, the dubbed version was very good, with the English dialog being quite funny.
Any good?
Heck, yes. This is right up there with Ghost in the shell, Akira, Mononoke, and
Wings of Honneamise. While it is violent and action-packed, it also abounds with
scenes of amazing beauty. Every scene is choreographed with a care that is
simply dazzling. The world of vampire hunter D is filled with wondrous images,
weird characters, and ancient legends. Imagine "Lord of the rings" populated by
Anne Rice's vampires (you might be put off by the thought, but trust me on this
one). If there is any flaw, than it's the episodic nature of the story. The
whole movie consists of the bounty hunters chasing the carriage, and
encountering strange creatures along the way. One or two encounters less would
brought the movie down to a more digestible length, because at 102 minutes, it's
a tad long. Then again, "Vampire Hunter D 2000" is able to tell a pretty
straightforward story - something that already set the original apart from the
usual anime esoteric antics.
For anyone who complains that "they don't make 'em like they used to", this is
the perfect fix.
Heart of the warrior
Story:
In an incredibly clichéd fantasy world, barbarian Beldar is cursed by a sacred jewel. He wakes up as a teenage boy in modern day Spain. Then again, the boy Ramon is an avid D&D player, and Beldar is his roleplaying character, so it might just be Ramon's overacting imagination. But Ramon can't seem to let go, so he sets out on a quest - find the wizard (an esoteric fruitcake), find the buxom warrior princess (a drug addicted prostitute), and destroy the evil brotherhood (a political party aimed at teens, sponsored by a big conglomerate). Fantasy and reality mix to a degree where nobody know if Ramon is nuts or truly a barbarian in disguise.
Background:
It supposedly features the largest amount of CGI ever in a Spanish movie (come on, how hard is that?). All of it is well done, and once the viewer realises that the fantasy world of Beldar is supposed to look like a clichéd roleplaying universe, it's very entertaining.
Is it any good?
Every year at the Fantasy Filmfest, I pick one movie that doesn't strike me as "promising" from the catalog. It's my wild card. Last year, an Argentinian fantasy movie turned out to be an entertaining, if laborous surprise, so I went for a Spanish teen fantasy flick this time. The summary in the catalog made it look like a cheap Masters of the Universe knock off, so I didn't expect much. Boy, was I in for a ride! "Heart of the warrior" is a multi-layered tale of teen angst, isolation, political shenanigans, bravery, and destiny. While being lighthearted for most of the running time, the movie adresses several serious issues that are intricately intervowen. We never figure out whether Ramon really is Beldar, or if he is just insane. The ending is suitably ambivalent. Apart from the content, some sex and gore scenes should guarantee that this will be shown on "Fox Kids".
The pacing is a little off sometimes, since the movie takes its time to explain
what the hell is going on. Acting is good, especially the lead (who looks like a
young Eric Stoltz) and the actress who plays the warrior princess Sonja -
amazing how she turns vom Valejo-style bodybuilder into a pasty drug whore.
At the end of the day, the most pleasant surprise of the festival. Not the best
movie per se, but the one that came through against all odds.
Jeepers Creepers
Story:
A boy and his sister are on a cross country ride home. By passing the highway, the take a country road. They are attacked by a monstrous truck, and barely escape with their lives. Later, they see the river dumping something that looks suspiciously like bodies into a huge pipe. They check it out, and find the remains of literally hundreds of bodies. Unfortunately, the killer catches wind of this, and sets out to kill them. What's worse - looks like he is not human.
Background:
Probably the biggest horror hype of this fall, "Jeepers Creepers" is supposed to put director Silva back on the map. After being indicted for child molestation, and the bomb that was "Powder", he needs a boost. Unfortunately, most of the people still judge his movies based on his criminal record. "Jeepers Creepers" will get a big theatrical release and is hoped to be the next "Blair Witch Project".
Is it any good?
Quite frankly, no. The buzz was incredible, and the organiser of the festival promoted "Jeepers Creepers" as a must see, but most viewers were at least disillusioned when the lights came back up. The general consensus was: a great first half hour, with nowhere to go afterwards. Don't read on if you don't want to spoil your moviegoing experience, but I feel that the movie died the second it was clear that the killer was a supernatural/alien (we never find out) beast. Since we have no clue how it can be killed, we cannot hope for our characters to survive the ordeal. It's a problem that the most recent sequels to "Friday 13th" and "Phantasm" had - the antagonists turned out to be practically immortal, so we knew they'd always come back. Takes out the drama. It doesn't help that "Jeepers Creepers" also uses most of the oldest clichés of suspense filmmaking - straightfaced. There is very little irony here.
Technically, "Jeepers Creepers" is fine. The monster is well done, photography
is okay, and the splatter scenes are suitably brutal. As I said, the first half
hour (when we still think it might turn out to be "Duel" or "Texas Chainsaw
Massacre" variation) works like a charm, helped to a large degree by great lead
actors and very authentic dialog.
Jason X
Story:
Since no one can kill JasonVorhees, he is prepared to be cryogenically frozen. Unfortunately, he gets one last stab at his enemies, and when they manage to put him on ice, he takes a young female doctor with him. Fastforward to 400 years later - earth is a biological death zone, and a retrieval ship from Earth 2 finds Jason and the doctor. It doesn't take long for the hockey-masked one to start prowling the spaceship. Murder and mayhem ensue.
Background:
The tenth (count 'em, ten!) installment of the "Friday the 13th" series is obviously aimed at a larger market than the predecessors - big scale special effects, and a title that obscure the roots should help to draw in people who have never heard of Jason. Both lead actresses from the TV series "Andromeda" are present, and stuntman Kane Hodder again dons the masks (you'll understand the plural when you see the movie) of Jason. He was also Leatherface in the TCM sequels. The movie also has a cameo appearance by David Cronenberg. The movie was shown as a world premiere in Munich, with a US release in March 2002!
Is it any good?
I never though I'd say that, but the latest installment in the Jason saga is awesome! I mean, we expected a cheap space movie with some slasher elements. A couple of horror franchises that ran out of steam went to space (Critters, Hellraiser, Leprechaun, Shadowchaser), and it seemed like "Jason X" would do the same - rehashing earlier plots in a new surrounding.
But "Jason X" definitely kicks ass. Tons of top notch CGI makes this look as big as any recent space action movie (Red Planet, Supernova, Pitch Black). The design is very good, and the acting is more than sufficient. I don't what the budget was, but "Jason X" looks very expensive. Even considering that it was shot in Canada, I'd say it looks like 35 mio. dollars.
But what really makes the difference is the writing and directing. The script is smart without being tongue in cheek, and it makes great use of the new setting (the holodeck sequence is better and more effective than anything they ever came up with for Star Trek). The dialog is suitably corny, but most of all - the script stays true to the Friday movies by having Jason prowl around doing what he does best - killing people in inventive ways. And let me tell you - "Jason X" is not short on gory and surprising killings.
All of this is directed with surprising efficiency. Like "Pitch Black", "Jason X" has no fat. It cuts to the chase, has no unnecessary "underlying theme",and blasts ahead at a breathless pace. At the end of the day, people looking for cerebreal sci-fi will be disappointed
- "Jason X" is a slasher movie set in space. But it is such an effective slasher movie that it should be able to expand the potential audience. In my opinion, this one could make 70 mio. dollars at the box office. If there is anything to complain about, it's the fact that the spaceship seems to be populated by young supermodels in incredibly trendy outfits. But the fact that this feels ridiculous is outweighed by the fact that it give the male viewers something to ogle...
On a side note, this sets up "Jason vs. Predator", but not "Jason vs. Freddy".
The Mild Mannered Reporter
