T. Rigney (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} filmfiend) wrote,@ 2006-11-06 17:55:00 |
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Lovecracked! The Movie
Lovecraft is super-duper.
---
Occasionally, yours truly will receive screeners from up-and-coming directors in exchange for my goofy little opinion, something that's as foreign to me as a Tennessee orgy at Marijuana Mansion. But I'm always happy to help those in need of a review or two, though I make no promises as to how their film will effect my delicate sensibilities. Just because you're willing to send me a copy of your film FOR FREE doesn't mean I'm going to like it. Sorry, buddy. No hard feelings. So it's always nice when I end up with a flick like Lovecracked! The Movie, since I don't have to send them a link to a so-called "review" that may or may not result in some nasty words and a not-so thinly-veiled threat on my life. Director/star Elias has compiled a handful of short films into an entertaining full-length feature that unfolds like a bizarre mixture of Mr. Show and Tales from the Darkside. Genuinely funny and surprisingly horrific, Lovecracked! The Movie is unlike any horror anthology I've seen thus far. And coming from someone who usually can't stand anthologies, this is certainly high praise.
Held together by a handful of hit-and-miss segments featuring filmmaker Elias as a low-rent journalist investigating the life and times of one H.P. Lovecraft, the picture presents its core material as a series of short films inspired by the master of weird fiction himself. Ranging from straight-forward to downright surreal, these small pictures are quite well-done considering their limited budget, resulting in a wide variety of oddly-compelling narratives that share a common love of the truly strange. For instance, "The Statement of Randolph Carter" is a faithful adaptation of the classic Lovecraft tale, while "Remain" and "History of the Lurkers" tend to borrow the utter weirdness and outright creepiness found in the late author's best work. What does all this mean, you ask? Well, I guess it means that your enjoyment of the flick and its contents relies on your fondness for Lovecraft and his bizarro tales of unspeakable horror and ancient evil. Those unfamiliar with the guy will probably wonder what, exactly, Lovecracked! is all about. However, most horror fans will openly embrace this loving tribute to an author many of us consider to be a major influence on our artistic output. That's not to say your ignorance of Cthulhu and its ilk will limit your enjoyment of Lovecracked!. Heavens, no. But some of the film's subtler moments may be lost on you.
First, we'll tackle the good stuff. Alecto is by far the film's brightest moment. The segment's unsettling nature and darkly silent performances weave a tragic tale of childhood trauma and its ability to worm its way into our adult lives. It's pure art, simple and perfect. It reminded me of a Takashi Miike short film, and wouldn't look out-of-place in Three...Extremes. And in case you're wondering, that's a compliment. Seriously. Anyway, Bugboy is another quality piece. Outside of the uber-disgusting though slightly-edited presentation of Re-Penetrator -- which I'll discuss at-length in a moment -- it has the best FX work of any of the films on display, resulting in a stark, David Lynchian take on one man's inability to accept his ex-girlfriend's upcoming wedding. Its ending will linger long after the door abruptly slams in your face, mark my words. Chaos of Flesh would have been a high-profile contender, as well, if not for its resemblance to Dario Argento's Masters of Horror entry entitled Jenifer. I kind of guessed where it was heading halfway through, effectively robbing the film of its intended impact. Which came first? Can't say for sure. Regardless, it still retains the atmosphere of a good Lovecraft story. Remain is also a notable entry, though it simply cannot match the intensity of the others I've already mentioned. And while History of the Lurkers and The Statement of Randolph Carter are good, they're simply too forgettable to qualify as the best.
Also worth mentioning is the interview with Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma. I can't include it with my analysis of the Lovecraft-inspired short films simply because it ISN'T a Lovecraft-inspired short film. That said, it's easily the funniest interview with Kaufman I've seen thus far, and trust me when I say I've seen a TON of them. Both Elias and Lloyd are intriguing to watch, and I found myself quite sad when it came to an end. Great work, guys.
And now, unfortunately, it's time to straddle the negativity. That's right, folks. Climb aboard and hold on tight. First up is Re-Penetrator, a nasty little number I've seen once before in its uncut form. Hardcore pornography combined with over-the-top gore isn't something I find entertaining in the least, especially when both performers are pitifully unattractive. Its inclusion in this anthology is questionable, especially considering it has little to do with Lovecraft and more to do with, say, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls, though it has NOTHING on Lucifer Valentine's phenomenal exploitation shocker. I'm not a Burning Angel fan, and I'm STILL not a Burning Angel fan. So sorry. There's another segment, one about a pagan and her unsuspecting victim, that's plays out like a deleted scene from one of those mindless Witchcraft movies. And that's not a good thing. For the record. And while the Lovecraftian music video is entertaining, it's just not that great. However, considering the sheer amount of stuff found in this 87-minute jaunt into insanity, one outright failure and two so-so segments isn't that bad at all.
All in all, Lovecracked! The Movie is a wonderfully demented independent horror anthology, one that actually manages to best the numerous like-minded films that are currently collecting dust on video store shelves all across this glorious little nation. Kudos to all the filmmakers -- yes, even the ones who missed the mark -- for attempting to capture the essence of what made Lovecraft's fiction so alluring in the first place. Even the segments featuring our hapless journalist are well-executed and often quite hilarious, which is a feat in and of itself. Lovecracked! is another fine example of why independent cinema is the wave of the future. There's more ingenuity and talent on display here than fourteen Hollywood blockbusters put together, including those which rely HEAVILY on CGI in order to "effectively" tell their stories. Though it's not perfect by any means, Lovecracked! is still a satisfying blend of surreal horror and off-beat sketch comedy. Oh, and Stephen King is still a dickhead.
Just kidding, Mr. King. Call me.
Lovecraft is super-duper.
---
Occasionally, yours truly will receive screeners from up-and-coming directors in exchange for my goofy little opinion, something that's as foreign to me as a Tennessee orgy at Marijuana Mansion. But I'm always happy to help those in need of a review or two, though I make no promises as to how their film will effect my delicate sensibilities. Just because you're willing to send me a copy of your film FOR FREE doesn't mean I'm going to like it. Sorry, buddy. No hard feelings. So it's always nice when I end up with a flick like Lovecracked! The Movie, since I don't have to send them a link to a so-called "review" that may or may not result in some nasty words and a not-so thinly-veiled threat on my life. Director/star Elias has compiled a handful of short films into an entertaining full-length feature that unfolds like a bizarre mixture of Mr. Show and Tales from the Darkside. Genuinely funny and surprisingly horrific, Lovecracked! The Movie is unlike any horror anthology I've seen thus far. And coming from someone who usually can't stand anthologies, this is certainly high praise.
Held together by a handful of hit-and-miss segments featuring filmmaker Elias as a low-rent journalist investigating the life and times of one H.P. Lovecraft, the picture presents its core material as a series of short films inspired by the master of weird fiction himself. Ranging from straight-forward to downright surreal, these small pictures are quite well-done considering their limited budget, resulting in a wide variety of oddly-compelling narratives that share a common love of the truly strange. For instance, "The Statement of Randolph Carter" is a faithful adaptation of the classic Lovecraft tale, while "Remain" and "History of the Lurkers" tend to borrow the utter weirdness and outright creepiness found in the late author's best work. What does all this mean, you ask? Well, I guess it means that your enjoyment of the flick and its contents relies on your fondness for Lovecraft and his bizarro tales of unspeakable horror and ancient evil. Those unfamiliar with the guy will probably wonder what, exactly, Lovecracked! is all about. However, most horror fans will openly embrace this loving tribute to an author many of us consider to be a major influence on our artistic output. That's not to say your ignorance of Cthulhu and its ilk will limit your enjoyment of Lovecracked!. Heavens, no. But some of the film's subtler moments may be lost on you.
First, we'll tackle the good stuff. Alecto is by far the film's brightest moment. The segment's unsettling nature and darkly silent performances weave a tragic tale of childhood trauma and its ability to worm its way into our adult lives. It's pure art, simple and perfect. It reminded me of a Takashi Miike short film, and wouldn't look out-of-place in Three...Extremes. And in case you're wondering, that's a compliment. Seriously. Anyway, Bugboy is another quality piece. Outside of the uber-disgusting though slightly-edited presentation of Re-Penetrator -- which I'll discuss at-length in a moment -- it has the best FX work of any of the films on display, resulting in a stark, David Lynchian take on one man's inability to accept his ex-girlfriend's upcoming wedding. Its ending will linger long after the door abruptly slams in your face, mark my words. Chaos of Flesh would have been a high-profile contender, as well, if not for its resemblance to Dario Argento's Masters of Horror entry entitled Jenifer. I kind of guessed where it was heading halfway through, effectively robbing the film of its intended impact. Which came first? Can't say for sure. Regardless, it still retains the atmosphere of a good Lovecraft story. Remain is also a notable entry, though it simply cannot match the intensity of the others I've already mentioned. And while History of the Lurkers and The Statement of Randolph Carter are good, they're simply too forgettable to qualify as the best.
Also worth mentioning is the interview with Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma. I can't include it with my analysis of the Lovecraft-inspired short films simply because it ISN'T a Lovecraft-inspired short film. That said, it's easily the funniest interview with Kaufman I've seen thus far, and trust me when I say I've seen a TON of them. Both Elias and Lloyd are intriguing to watch, and I found myself quite sad when it came to an end. Great work, guys.
And now, unfortunately, it's time to straddle the negativity. That's right, folks. Climb aboard and hold on tight. First up is Re-Penetrator, a nasty little number I've seen once before in its uncut form. Hardcore pornography combined with over-the-top gore isn't something I find entertaining in the least, especially when both performers are pitifully unattractive. Its inclusion in this anthology is questionable, especially considering it has little to do with Lovecraft and more to do with, say, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls, though it has NOTHING on Lucifer Valentine's phenomenal exploitation shocker. I'm not a Burning Angel fan, and I'm STILL not a Burning Angel fan. So sorry. There's another segment, one about a pagan and her unsuspecting victim, that's plays out like a deleted scene from one of those mindless Witchcraft movies. And that's not a good thing. For the record. And while the Lovecraftian music video is entertaining, it's just not that great. However, considering the sheer amount of stuff found in this 87-minute jaunt into insanity, one outright failure and two so-so segments isn't that bad at all.
All in all, Lovecracked! The Movie is a wonderfully demented independent horror anthology, one that actually manages to best the numerous like-minded films that are currently collecting dust on video store shelves all across this glorious little nation. Kudos to all the filmmakers -- yes, even the ones who missed the mark -- for attempting to capture the essence of what made Lovecraft's fiction so alluring in the first place. Even the segments featuring our hapless journalist are well-executed and often quite hilarious, which is a feat in and of itself. Lovecracked! is another fine example of why independent cinema is the wave of the future. There's more ingenuity and talent on display here than fourteen Hollywood blockbusters put together, including those which rely HEAVILY on CGI in order to "effectively" tell their stories. Though it's not perfect by any means, Lovecracked! is still a satisfying blend of surreal horror and off-beat sketch comedy. Oh, and Stephen King is still a dickhead.
Just kidding, Mr. King. Call me.
