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Reviews
Sztuka spadania (2004)
Not a simple exercise.
I enjoyed Fallen Art more than I did Kathedra (which I would rate 9/10). Kathedra was a stunning & visually elegant film with an interesting theme (The sublimation & petrification of the individual by religion. The mindless growth of religious entities towards the abyss.) Fallen Art has a more accessible & simpler animation style, as well as being extremely funny.
Fallen Art is a comedy about tragedy; the tragedy which has defined human existence since the earliest civilizations. The desire to impose order/control via the application of violence. In a word, War. Most specifically, the process of War & the State. This process leads to a macabre form of Art, which becomes the justification for further death & destruction. This process is similar to the process of producing animation (although this analogy is limited as there is a director responsible for a film/animation). It is linked & sequential. It operates on a variety of levels which obscure who is really responsible for the product. Once a step is taken, the following steps are inevitable. No one is responsible as they are just playing their parts in the complex operation. No one accepts any blame for the results. And despite the result to human life, there is enthusiasm for both the process and the ultimate result, the Art of war.
Like the best Eastern European animation, there are no intelligible words in the film. And none are needed. The words, "Blah, blah, blah", perfectly capture the "reason" of the process that leads soldiers to meaningless deaths. The smiley face medals are also apt.
The real brilliance of Fallen Art is in the final product of the on-screen process, the hilarious dance film created from still photos of the soldiers who are booted to their deaths from the jump tower. In the same way that societies create "Value" from the destruction of their "Enemies" via entertaining propaganda, the meaningless destruction of the soldiers here becomes mass entertainment; a music video. The process of destruction MUST continue or the deaths of those who have already been sacrificed would become meaningless. But there is no real end to the process. The music doesn't really stop. Another chorus or verse can always be added.
Even the frog, the voice of external reality, can only croak to record each new death splat.
Grimm (2003)
"Let's go home." and bring the donkey along.
A peculiar film which quite deserves its name, GRIMM is a post-modern non-fairy tale of (adult) siblings abandoned in the woods by their parents. They have a series of (a)sexual adventures as they are leaving the Netherlands (what a fitting name) for Spain.
Halina Reijn, who plays the sister Maria, is the spitting image of (a young) Mary Woronov. Her relationship with her brother Jacob (Jacob Derwig) is rife with incestuous overtones.
While it helps to have read the original Grimm tales (not the modern Disneyfied versions), knowledge of the history of Spain & the Netherlands is also quite useful. The 80 Years War was one of the bloodiest of the Cult wars between Protestantism & Catholicism (at least until the 30 Years war next door started in Germany immediately afterwords). The populations of entire cities were slaughtered by Spanish armies under the Dukes of Alba and of Parma. Dutch retaliations were also brutal.
Now the Dutch invade Spain every winter on vacation. The contrasts between the cultures are still apparent. Macho vs. modern. Fascist (loved the Guardia Civil emblem of the Fasces, Sword & Crown) vs. Anarchist. Anti-Sexual hot Spain vs. (A)Sexual cold Holland.
As soon as the couple drive through the "magic" tunnel & arrive in Spain's "netherlands" I was reminded of Alex Cox's STRAIGHT TO HELL, another modern "fairy tale". I'm not certain (as I haven't seen S.T.H. in at least 15 years), but I believe the western movie set town they finally arrive at for the final acts of GRIMM is the same place.
"Let's go home." and bring the donkey along.
Include on DVD is a short silent film called "Painting" (verb not noun). I quite enjoyed it.
Buffalo '66 (1998)
The only film I can recall ever walking out of, so why a 7 rating?
I have a hard time reviewing this film, and cannot personally recommend it to others without a severe caveat, despite giving it a rather good rating.
I could not stand to finish watching it. I walked out about 40 minutes in. When Cristina Ricci's character goes to the bathroom unsupervised at the Brown's house, I rooted for her to escape out the window. She didn't.
I couldn't stand to be in a room with these characters one minute longer. I had a choice and I took it.
BUFFALO 66 includes some breathtaking performances, especially by Angelica Huston and Ben Gazzara. The powerful & realistic portrayal of these toxic personalities is magical; albeit Black Magic. They did their jobs & animated their characters so well that they were unbearable.
I can see the comparisons to Yasujiro Ozu's work; most of which I have never been particularly fond of due to the overwrought & melodramatic subject matter (despite his masterful film style).
I have been told by friends who watched the film to the end & did like it that there is finally some redemption of the characters.
Ohayô (1959)
My favorite Ozu film. Kill your TV! (for Terrance & Phillip's sake.)
Although I appreciate Ozu's film style & quality, I've never been a big fan due to the generally melodramatic themes of his movies.
OHAYO is quite different. The multiple comic themes range from fart jokes & clueless gossiping neighbors to fears of obsolescence in a rapidly changing society.
Particularly prescient is the early awareness of the Baka (idiot) power of television. In Japan it has been common for decades to have TV sets mounted in temples & shrines so that the Kami (spirits) can watch.
We in the U.S. have long been "a nation of 100 million idiots" (and then some) from our obsession with constant entertainment especially in the form of TV. Our children whine & act petulant unless they have their own TV & DVDs in their rooms & even when riding in the car. In many homes the TV is constantly on, regardless of what might be happening either on the boob-tube or outside (such as visitors calling).
Ozu saw it coming almost half a century ago.
El hacha diabólica (1965)
Viva Santo(s)
The most straight forward & linear Santo film I've seen. Much like Italian horror films of that period. Enjoyable despite its lack of really quirky elements common to Santo films. The special effects are typically dreadful and funny.
If Mario Bava directed a Santo film it might look like this
Slow at times & with an annoying near constant therimin squeal; at least the wrestling matches are connected to the plot.
Another annoyance is the amount & quality of "day for night" filter filming. This was, of course, a common failure in many B&W films & TV shows of that period.
Time travel technique copied from Roger Corman's THE UNDEAD.
Love the beehive hair!
Not enough beautiful women, unlike most Santo films
Ika resuraa (2004)
At last, a film that actually made it worthwhile to have sat through Star Wars.
Goddess, I sure love film festivals like the Hole In The Head festival in S.F. where I first saw this. I laughed out loud from start to finish, as did the rest of the audience.
This is a film about the values that are important to the characters & their society. Ultimately it is a film about family vs. modern society.
A comparison to "professional" wrestling is appropriate. The morality play, the hype, the biological enhancements of the participants, the utter fakery of its "sport" & "competition" of "pro" wrestling are all mirrored in C.W. It isn't a big step from the steroid enhanced stars of the WWWhatever to the crustacean enhanced stars of C.W.
The charm of the movie is how seriously it takes its subject matter, despite the ludicrous plot. The "love interlude" is both screamingly funny and truly touching. You want to believe in the characters.
I don't know how apt the comparison to Santo movies is, however. Although both C.W. and the Santo films include wrestling scenes (with monsters); the match wrestling scenes in Santo films are gratuitous and unrelated to plot. (p.s. I love Santo!). In C. W., match wrestling is both integral to the plot and of integral value to the characters. Compare to the scripted violence of "pro" wrestling, which claims to be "real", yet is so obviously fake to anyone who has ever wrestled. ("Pro" wrestlers are trained athletes: but they are actors, not wrestlers, when performing their stunts in the ring.)
I was & remained charmed by this film. No one I have shared it with has watched it without falling out of their seats in laughter.
Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh (1991)
Tomato salmon casserole
A masterpiece from the opening scene; this film is both a hilarious parody of "buddy cop" films (LETHAL WEAPON, 48 HOURS, BAD BOYS, etc.) and a superior precursor of the present lame & un-funny comedy-horror films of the SCARY MOVIE ilk.
Beverly Penberthy steals the film as Sweeney the cop's wife, Erma Birdwell. Erma, despite her aerobic fitness, is a cigarette smoker who worries that her husband is no longer attracted to her. Attempts to stop smoking haven't worked. Her travails finally lead to an appearance by an avatar of the Egyptian God of the Dead. "The f--k it isn't, I know Anubis when I see It!"
Also wonderful is MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD veteran Don Brockett as the raving homicidal Police Chief. And Veronica Hart, as Grace, continues to be one of the few "actresses" from porn films who can actually do a passable job acting.
Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966)
Lamest Director of all time.
In the early '80s I had the misfortune to spend a full day with Mr. Steckler and his movies in a college classroom. Included was RAT PFINK A BOO BOO. As well as filming some of the worst music videos of all time, including the unwatchable first video of the Jefferson Airplane (circa '68 I believe), he is the only person to make an airshow by the USAF Thunderbirds appear to be boring. His "Star" & girlfriend, Carolyn Brandt, is a narcoleptic "singer" who appears in his films randomly and without any notable connection to plot. The real crime of Steckler's films is the total lack of fun. They are boring. Every element of his film-making is either trite or lacking any connection to concept. He doesn't appear to really like to make movies. My impression was that it is compulsion rather than desire that drove him to film. Do yourself a favor and avoid any of his films unless you are trying to get rid of unwelcome guests in your home.
The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!? (1964)
Lamest Director of all time.
In the early '80s I had the misfortune to spend a full day with Mr. Steckler and his movies in a college classroom. Included was INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING & BECAME MIXED UP ZOMBIES. As well as filming some of the worst music videos of all time, including the unwatchable first video of the Jefferson Airplane (circa '68 I believe), he is the only person to make an airshow by the USAF Thunderbirds appear to be boring. His "Star" & girlfriend, Carolyn Brandt, is a narcoleptic "singer" who appears in his films randomly and without any notable connection to plot. The real crime of Steckler's films is the total lack of fun. They are boring. Every element of his film-making is either trite or lacking any connection to concept. He doesn't appear to really like to make movies. My impression was that it is compulsion rather than desire that drove him to film. Do yourself a favor and avoid any of his films unless you are trying to get rid of unwelcome guests in your home.
Street Trash (1987)
Second Best Horror/Comedy film ever! (9.5 out of ten)
During the late 80's I chanced to live in downtown San Francisco with more than 30 "alternative" theater screens within a 20 min. walk, including the theater in Nihomachi, where I saw (among many others) more than 25 Kurosawa films including DONZOKO, ie. Maxim Gorky's LOWER DEPTHS. Several years later when I moved away from such a bounty of film, I was left with only video rental stores (early 90's) where I discovered this film. If THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is a remake of SEVEN SAMURAI with sixguns; STREET TRASH is indeed a remake of DONZOKO with melting winos.
The point is not the melting winos or the sixguns; the point is the underlying style & feel of the films, especially in the handling of the many characters in the ensembles. By no means do I suggest that the actors are of the quality of such like Toshiro Mifune or Minoru Chiaki. In fact the nominal lead actors in STREET TRASH are truly awful. It is the minor characters that bring the movie to life. Tony Darrow & Jim Lorinz demonstrate comic genius with their interludes, but they are essentially outsiders. Also fun is the coroner scene, with horseradish sauce.
The street trash themselves are what brings the movie to life. When I traveled to Japan in the early 80's I observed the Japanese version of street trash, still living completely invisibly while in plain sight in the middle of Yokohama & Tokyo. We in the U.S. see our street trash little better than they do. We notice them with distaste & fear or superior sympathy. By giving "character" to the despised ala Kurosawa, Jim Muro & Roy Frumkes bring dignity & depth to their subjects, despite the disgusting lives of many of them. And even as disgusting as the worst of the trash are; there are normal characters who are as bad or worse; like Frank, the owner of the junkyard where the action takes place (a wonderful turn by Troma vet Pat Ryan). Or the police.
Make no mistake, horrible actions do take place in this film. Gang rape & necrophilia are mentioned in many of the reviews here for good reason. Unlike nearly all mainstream and horror films violence is not stylized. The movie does not flinch from looking at the actuality of human behavior. The fights are incredibly realistic in both style & effect on the participants. In many scenes, the characters are speaking what they feel rather than what they are expected to say in that situation. Some people do behave like animals when placed in such situation. Worse, some like Bill the Cop & Bronson act like human beings.
I was especially impressed by the primal nature of the man to man relationships in this film. In the scene where Bill the Cop confronts Tony Darrow's character in his limo after beating the Hit-man to death & inducing emesis; you can smell the testosterone and hear the brain cells die. The seething frustration leads to his premature & hence fatal encounter with the ultimate Alpha ape, Bronson, an acting tour de force by Vic Noto worthy of Brando at his prime.
Most Horror films are fantastic (not in the sense of great). Despite the fantasy of its nominal main theme of melting winos, STREET TRASH is bound to the ugly reality of its characters.
The best horror films & stories always have much more to say than the fear or horror alone. Many help us face our own mortality & fears. Some are wonderful love stories like Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE, the only horror comedy I find superior to STREET TRASH. The love story here is, like THE LOWER DEPTHS, the love of breathing, the love of waking up alive, even if it's in a "merde"hole. Not melting down some damn toilet like Elvis.
The DVD has a couple of extra scenes added to the VHS release, but sadly no commentary.