Wednesday, May 03, 2006
DVD Commentary: Wolf Creek
By Katanga, Bill Nolen, Charlie Brigden, and George Merchan
This is a little experiment that we wanted to try out, and if I do say so myself, it turned out pretty well. Essentially, it's a DVD review in the form of a running commentary. We've singled out everyone by naming them and colour-coding, so it's easy to read. We just hope you find it fun. Enjoy!
Session Start: Wed Apr 19 16:24:50 2006
Katanga: Ok...
Bill: I'm in.
Charlie: Woah, pick a room.
George: SO MANY WINDOWS!!!
Katanga: I have only one.
Bill: Blow me where the pampers is?
Charlie: I have fourteen. That's only 'cause I was doing research and googled "Scarlett Johansson's Creek".
After about 10 minutes of figuring out Windows and the internets in general...
Bill: I'm at the Dimension Films logo... I don't know about you fellas.
George: I'm paused at the Dimension logo.
Charlie: I'm on the menu.
Katanga: I'm inserting the DVD...
Later that afternoon...
Charlie: Mine doesn't have a Dimension logo.
Bill: Shite.
Charlie: It has like ninety-five other company logos.
George: This should all go in the final review.
Charlie: "Starring William Shatner" Oh shit, wrong flick.
George: Hahaha.
Charlie: The Darclight logo just went.
Bill: I want to make a movie called Darcwingducklight.
Charlie: I'm on "a Greg McLean film".
Katanga: Kill me... please kill me.
Later that evening...
Charlie: This movie sucks. All it is is some guy's name on a black screen.
Bill: OMG, weird trees.
Charlie: Wow, it's the opening sequence to Point Break.
Bill: It's already better.
Katanga: NICE TRANSFER.
George: That's another thing... the cinematography in this bitch is NICE.
Charlie: Pan right and you'll see a Dingo playing "Duelin' Banjos" on a ukelele.
Katanga: The socio-political subtext is already apparent with Charlie over here.
Bill: Never trust an Australian mechanic or a Russian gynecologist.
Charlie: Dig the shot of the fan belt.
Charlie: Reminds me of those great montages in Kong of the Venture's engines.
Katanga: This Aussie dude deserves to die if he doesn't get a threesome out of this.
George: Nice tits... one on the left.
Bill: They're just friends.
Charlie: That girl in the LA hat is a terrible actress.
Bill: Is she a soap star?
George: She's a poor, poor man's Keira.
Charlie: A very poor man's Kiera.
Bill: And more stork-like.
Bill: Have you seen the other one in anything, Charlie?
Charlie: No, not as far as I know.
Katanga: She's drinking a malt beverage.
Charlie: Ooh, dance music. That's the subtext connotation for "fun".
George: How's the audio on this? I'm watching from my PC, so no 5.1 for me.
George: The stereo is good anyway.
Bill: I'm watching on a mini-player.
Katanga: Likewise.
Charlie: It's not bad, despite the fucking awful music.
Bill: It was good yesterday on the home system.
George: Cool.
Charlie: Am I the only one watching sight-unseen?
George: I think so.
Bill: I haven't finished it yet.
Katanga: Ew... that chick's legs!
Bill: Mmm... THAT chick's legs.
George: It's already different from the cut I saw last year. Much tighter.
Charlie: Get ready to see a 200 foot shark.
Bill: Oh shit, I'm watching the unrated cut. Others?
Katanga: Me too.
Charlie: I'm watching the UK version.
George: Theatrical.
Bill: George, how could you?
George: But it's different from the press cut I saw last year. Again, much tighter.
Katanga: The direction is very tight, so far. Real clean.
George: Very.
Bill: It reminds me of the opening of Open Water.
Bill: But with a more hopeful future.
Katanga: Filmmakers on a budget should see this.
Charlie: I dig it thus far, although it's dangerously close to looking like a commercial for Kotex.
Katanga: This is DV.
Bill: Yeah, DV.
Bill: You can tell in the closeups.
George: It's gorgeous for DV, though.
Charlie: I wonder what it was shot on, camera-wise.
Katanga: Neat POV through the sign.
Bill: Great landscape shot before the title.
Bill: Looming dread.
Katanga: I can tell what nerds don't like about this already.
Katanga: This is the kind of thing nerds don't do... so HATE HATE HATE.
Charlie: I always kind of disliked the traveling lifestyle, because it was so many kids growing up who's parents paid for everything.
Bill: Blair Witch. Somebody was going to mention it.
George: Yup.
Katanga: Australia looks A LOT like Texas.
Bill: It reminds me of Nevada.
Charlie: I'm guessing the big windmill tower is a Texas Chainsaw reference.
Katanga: Cute kids, really.
Bill: Wonder if this is improv.
Katanga: I like these really normal, fun-loving kids... just chilling and being goofy.
George: It's these kinds of moments when they're just having fun, in a very natural way, that make the latter stuff all the more fucked up.
Katanga: Defintely... 'cause this is the sleight of hand of cinema.
George: I think the semi-documentary style adds lots to it, too.
Charlie: The docu style works.
Charlie: Although I think it's a tad played out in horror right now.
George: Which sucks since it lends itself well to the genre, I think.
Charlie: Exactly.
Katanga: Nothing's played out if it's done right.
Charlie: It works for the most, but I didn't like some of the editing and shooting at the caravan park.
Katanga: Mangy dogs are always harbingers of EEEEVILLLLL.
Bill: Where's the hobo guy on the bicycle?
Charlie: Birds flying away... it's The Day After Tomorrow effect.
Charlie: Oh jeez, don't take the dirt road.
Katanga: There should have been a scarecrow at the turn... or an old woman in a rocker.
Bill: A little boy making the throat cut gesture.
Charlie: Man in tire.
George: This guy's reminding me of Adama now.
Charlie: But... he's not Mexican.
George: The son!
Bill: Nice rack.
George: Nice rack indeed.
Bill: Emu Creek gets eaten by Wolf Creek.
Katanga: Holy shit... that camcorder is huge! This movie sucks.
Bill: Fly sound in the bathroom is disturbing.
Charlie: Is that Bruce Spence?
George: Too good looking.
Katanga: "Ben" Awesome name.
Bill: Shitty impression of Shatner.
Bill: G'Day, Shrimp on the Barbie, Mate?
Charlie: Yeah, this movie loses points for the obvious Shatner mocking.
Katanga: He definitely gets the threesome.
Charlie: This girl has great tits, but she's a fucking terrible actress.
Katanga: She's ok.
Bill: Why would he go for the other one?
Charlie: Holy fuck, it's Chopper!
Katanga: GAH!
Katanga: Uncle Jesse?
Bill: Sick balls Chopper?
Bill: Oh, that one.
Charlie: Mark "Chopper" Read.
Katanga: Eric Bana flick.
Bill: "Oy, give ya a fiver for the tarts..."
Charlie: This is a true story, right?
George: Yeah.
Katanga: Kick some Aussie ass, Ben.
Charlie: Kind of looks like Alan Lee.
George: Hahaha!
Bill: With horse hormones.
Charlie: "I'd kick your fucking arse if I weren't doing a 12-ft mural of Lothlorien, Sonny Jim!"
Katanga: HAHAHA!
George: HAHAHA!
Bill: Nice.
Charlie: I think this is based on Joanne Lees.
Charlie: She was an English chick who went backpacking in Oz with her boyfriend, and he got murdered by some loon.
Charlie: And she was tied up and shit.
Katanga: I read about that.
Katanga: A drug smuggler.
Katanga: I really credit horror films for never wanting to drive to the middle of fucking nowhere.
Bill: I had this feeling when i visited Area 51.
Katanga: Oh no, the brunette is vomiting blood!
Charlie: OMG foreboding skull.
Katanga: Bananas... very subtle, Mr. McLean.
Bill: Poo.
Katanga: Be funny if the skull turned to the camera and winked.
George: That's a great helicopter shot.
Charlie: Three drips of sap... foreboding!
Bill: Three saps in the desert, more like it.
Katanga: That's a big ass crater. In case anyone needs that pointed out.
Charlie: If there's a creature in a block of ice inside, run.
Bill: Seriously.
Katanga: Any guy that wouldn't accompany two nigh-fuckable girls to the desert doesn't deserve his own gonadia. Just sayin'.
George: Truth.
Katanga: This is realism.
Bill: If there's a king bed in the middle of that crater, yes.
Charlie: And there's kissing.
Katanga: Good, real kissing.
Charlie: True, although I think cutting to the close shot was a mistake.
Bill: Yeah, that was awkward.
Katanga: Someone needs to tell Bruce Campbell that chick stole his chin.
Bill: He should watch the razor beek when he snogs, too.
Charlie: It'd be novel if the other chick gets jealous, then slaughters them.
Bill: That doesn't happen?!?
Katanga: What are the girls names?
George: Tits and Bones.
Bill: Liz and kristy, according to IMDB.
Katanga: Cheater.
Charlie: Liz and Kristie apparently.
Katanga: Two cheaters.
Katanga: This isn't "slow" at all, btw... flying by, actually.
George: Yeah, it's FAST... compared to what I saw anyway.
George: OMG FOREBODING SUNSET!
George: And now, John Jarratt.
Katanga: He's awesome.
Katanga: Charlie, if you don't like this guy... I'm Dhalsim punching you from here.
Bill: This is the best Australian actor in the world.
Bill: Including Mel Gibson.
Charlie: Including Eric Bana?
Bill: Why not?
Katanga: Paul Hogan?
Bill: Bryan Brown, even.
Charlie: Jarratt is like Eric Bana in thirty years.
Katanga: Apparently, Tarantino put this guy in Grind House.
Katanga: You know what I love about this guy... he's so charming.
George: Just about to write that.
Charlie: He's like an Uncle.
George: Avuncular.
Bill: He's a great guy. Even later. Sort of.
George: I think so.
Bill: His face is like a Wallace and Gromit character.
George: LOL
Charlie: You can see how he'd be fuckin' scary.
Charlie: Like Sid Haig.
Bill: Large guy.
Katanga: God, this is so fucked up and lowkey... being towed by a total stranger.
Bill: I've been there.
Katanga: In the dark... in unfamiliar land.
George: It's perfect set up.
Bill: They have no idea where they are going. Great set up.
Charlie: Yeah, but Australia's extra dodgy, 'cause it's made up of English convict descendants.
Katanga: I love to think about at what point the writer glommed onto to a story...
Bill: Sort of similar to House of 1,000 Corpses.
Katanga: This is clearly the bit where he went, "Oh SNAP... this would be awesome!"
George: Thoughts on the music?
Charlie: Ginger Snaps-esque music.
Katanga: It's minimal, moody... not intrusive but eerie... I like it.
George: Yeah, works well with the visuals.
Bill: Oh, the little beeps are coming from the IM.
George: Haha!
Katanga: HA!
Charlie: According to the true story, the backpackers stopped to help someone with car trouble.
Charlie: But the dude shot him.
Bill: Nice hat menagerie.
George: Again, this is really well shot.
Katanga: Very well shot... I'm jealous.
Charlie: Ditto.
Bill: Great focus.
Katanga: Absolutely NO FAT.
Charlie: That timefade shot was amazing.
Bill: The new indie film look is clean and mean.
Katanga: I like that... leave the waste to Michael Bay.
Katanga: Plus, it indicates to me that these fellas really thought about their shots.
Katanga: Film grain... fine.
Charlie: I like grain.
Bill: I love fireside scenes.
Katanga: Yessir.
George: Love this scene.
Katanga: And Jarratt's muttonchops... excellent.
Charlie: He reminds me so much of Bana.
Charlie: Or vice versa
Katanga: Me too, Charlie.
Katanga: Look how clear his eyes are... he's a fucking pro.
Bill: I haven't seen Bana's early stuff.
Bill: My first was Chopper.
Katanga: Buy Chopper, Bill.
Charlie: Fucking hell, Jarratt is good.
Charlie: Chopper pretty much was his first.
Bill: Chopper is brutal.
Katanga: Won't regret it.
Charlie: Chopper is like the best most unseen movie ever.
Charlie: Before that, he was a stand-up comedian.
Katanga: An SNL type performer. Sketch comedy.
George: "Never know where I might pop up."
George: Creepy.
Bill: Whoa. Watch the face.
Katanga: Crocodile Dundee... I love that.
Charlie: Uh oh, he doesn't like the Croc Dundee stuff.
Bill: It's all fucked now.
Katanga: Look at that face.
George: So good.
Bill: Like Grampa from TCM, in a way.
Charlie: This scene is pretty tense.
Katanga: "like tourists"
George: Shit, such an awesome scene.
George: False sense of security. I love it.
Katanga: I love the slow burn...
Charlie: That chick is a good actress.
Bill: One Aussie making a Croc Dundee joke to another should not cause controversy.
Katanga: IT CAUSES MURDEROUS RAGE!!!!!
Bill: Exactly.
Bill: Slo-mo swing of machete to temple.
Charlie: "That's not a knife. This, is a knife."
Katanga: God... I love this movie.
Charlie: "That's not a knife, that's a spoon."
Bill: That's not a knife... oh wait yes it is. My bad.
Katanga: WHACK.
Charlie: I love the hairs on her face, by her eyes.
George: And it begins.
Katanga: I was really being glib... this flick so works because the girls are so real.
Katanga: Ben, too.
Bill: What a fucked up way to wake up.
George: The tonal shift from the last scene to this one is just so fucking great.
Charlie: There's so much Chainsaw in this.
Bill: Why do I think of Willem Dafoe when I look at her?
Katanga: It's nightmare stuff.
Katanga: I think the difference... is how quiet this movie is.
Katanga: It's so subtle and affecting... where as Chainsaw is like BLLLLLAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!
Katanga: Not better, mind you, just different approaches.
Charlie: That's the thing... Chainsaw doesn't particularly bother with characterisation.
Katanga: I'd say Franklin is well done... but yeah.. the kids are mostly ground chuck from the get-go.
Charlie: Yeah, Franklin's the only one with a real discernable personality.
George: The emphasis on realism here is part of what makes it really work.
George: And like I said, the docu style REALLY helps, too.
Katanga: I love the tact real horror movies are taking these days.
Katanga: So anti-Scream...
Katanga: Non-ironic...
George: Thank goodness.
Charlie: Exactly. Scream put a pretty damaging face on horror, for me.
Bill: Don't spoil Hostel for me, I see it tonight.
Katanga: Good for you, sir. Certainly one of my tops of the year so far.
Katanga: Oh Jesus...
Charlie: The colours are great here.
Katanga: I'm really terrified of being chased... no idea why.... but this shit really gets in my head.
Bill: Great location.
Bill: The hook, TCM homage.
Charlie: This whole deal is so TCM.
George: Great scream.
Bill: She looks at the girl when she screams, good scene design.
Katanga: Jarratt just is superb.
Charlie: It's like the scene with Marilyn Burns and Jim Siedow.
Charlie: And when Ed Neal is doing the mock crying
Katanga: That giggle.
Bill: Yep.
Katanga: God, I'd want to be shot.
Bill: I want a shot of tequila.
George: He's disturbing as fuck AND charming still. It's such a great little combo.
Katanga: "I always use a rubber with you cunts... I don't know where ya beeeeen!"
Bill: He's a killer, but he's conscious of STDs.
Katanga: Chilling.
George: He's fabfunk.
Katanga: She's too alive for fabfunk.
Bill: The one on the wall makes him fabfunky.
Charlie: That sting of music as well... so TCM.
Charlie: That line... "You know how I know you're not gonna tell anybody?'
Charlie: That's so fucking evil.
George: Totally. It's so fucked up.
Katanga: Ebert really hated this.
Bill: Ebert is kind of a pussy.
Katanga: You know this completely adheres to that old adage of doubting the filmmaker's sanity.
Charlie: I'd say so if we didn't hear shit like this on the news.
Bill: Aren't all filmmakers a little bit twisted? Ben? Charlie?
Katanga: The good ones get it out of their system on film.
George: On a subconscious level, for sure.
Bill: It takes a lot of work to make the gruesome stuff come through in a film.
Katanga: Cronenberg, who for years I thought wasn't acting Nightbreed, seems like a real sweetheart.
George: Exactly.
Bill: I wonder if Dario Argento is a nice guy.
Charlie: He is.
Katanga: Yeah... seems like it.
Bill: Or Lucio Fulci, in the past?
Charlie: It's like Giger... nicest guy in the world, but paints his nightmares.
Bill: It's good therapy.
Bill: That's why I started writing.
George: "Let's play." His face there. You can't help but not like the guy despite what he's doing.
Bill: That's the new angle in horror, identifying with the monsters.
Katanga: I wasn't joking about the socio-politcal subtext... given the history of England and Australia.
George: No doubt, K.
Katanga: Beating him with the rifle... good girl.
Bill: She should have gone for the head. At least she was going to shoot him again.
Charlie: Yeah, but it's the Wes Craven effect. How much can you be pushed before you're as savage as your attacker?
Bill: I love when they have to go back in....
George: TENSE.
Charlie: The sound on the gunshots is great.
Katanga: You know... the missing keys and failed ignition thing is such a staple it's almost a cheat to ignore it. Done well here.
Katanga: I wish I was watching this on the big screen with a crowd again... this flick worked on my audience. Like a motherfucker.
Katanga: How was your theatrical, George?
George: It was all press types, but the 5 or 6 guys I spoke to afterward DUG it.
Katanga: Seeing it with press is a different beast, usually.
Charlie: I wish I'd seen this in the theater.
Katanga: Pushin' the truck... FUCK YOU MCLEAN!
Bill: Why dump the vehicle? Keep driving.
Katanga: It died, right?
Charlie: Did it mention what happened to the dude?
Katanga: I was pontificating... dunno.
Bill: Just wait, Charlie.
Katanga: Ben is enjoying a Wimpy's burger and chips.
George: People bitched about this moment on CHUD.
Bill: It's so LOTR.
Bill: LOL
George: Chewers are idiots! This scene works to perfection.
Katanga: Fuck City, USA... another old gag done to perfection.
Bill: LOL
Charlie: "Why not go through the Mines of Moria?"
George: LOL
Bill: There he is.
Katanga: Notice the lack of typity-type...
George: Enthralling.
Bill: Riveting. Totally engrossing.
Bill: A must-see.
Charlie: Cars... again, TCM.
Charlie: Does it stir your emotions?
Katanga: "catch me..." That really gets me.
Katanga: Definitely.
Bill: She should hide her.
George: I like the music here.
Katanga: Anyone who wants these girls to die... is probably a sociopath.
George: Or Andrew Clarke.
Katanga: Same thing.
George: Touche.
Bill: Anyone who leaves the house deserves what they get!
Katanga: Hahaha.
Bill: Real doll on the wall there.
Katanga: Call 1-888-FABFUNK to order one of your own!
Bill: I like the fumbling for the ammo. Always raises the blood pressure.
Charlie: The thing is, people who usually complain about this kind of stuff haven't been in any kind of situations where they've been traumatized, and they take the "oh, it's dumb" route instead of actually thinking about what happens there.
Katanga: Hey, Heath Ledger! Nice of him to cameo.
Bill: There's some nice porn on the wall.
Katanga: Oh fuck... the body pit.
George: The camcorder stuff is good.
Bill: She should have said, "groovy".
Bill: See's chain for pit.
Katanga: I'm a bit ahead. Tell me when you get past the pit.
George: She's in the car trying to get the right key.
Katanga: I'm paused at the line of cars just after that.
Bill: Goddamn George, how did you get that far ahead?
Charlie: I don't think that's in his version.
Bill: Oh yeah.
George: Oh yeah.
George: Rated.
Katanga: Wow...
Charlie: She went straight from camcorder to starting car up.
Katanga: No body pit?
George: Nope.
Bill: The rated must suck.
Katanga: Oh man... that unrated cut might mean something here.
George: Describe the body pit, someone.
Katanga: Worms, maggots, decomposed bodies.
Bill: Worms.
Bill: The smell of cheese.
Katanga: Heaps and heaps under a tin shack.
Charlie: Dingos eating babies?
Bill: Intestinal liquor everywhere...
Bill: Shrimps on the barbie.
George: Interesting... and this is after the camcorder footage?
Katanga: No camcorder scene here.
George: Oh really?
Katanga: Don't think so.
Bill: I think it's coming up.
Katanga: She goes from looking at his newsclippings... body pit... now cars.
Bill: Back to another board of pictures.
Charlie: Oh snap, the old Michael Myers back of the seat.
George: "THIS IS A KNIFE!"
Charlie: FUCK.
Charlie: Fingers for dinner.
George: Crazy scene, Charlie.
Katanga: Hey, he has Amazing Fantasy #15... alert Helix!
Katanga: The souvenirs are stronger than the newsclippings... same effect, basically.
Charlie: Holy shit.
Charlie: "Head on a stick."
George: The girl getting it in the spine is SO fucked.
George: It's awesome.
Charlie: Dig the spiderweb shot.
George: Tits is running in the fog. Awesome shot.
Katanga: I'd say the camcorder scene is brilliant.
George: Quite.
Charlie: It adds another layer of creepiness to Jarratt.
Katanga: Hahaha... I just made sure my door was closed.
Bill: Nice fog, very nice.
Katanga: Love the POV switch.
Katanga: Running down road... this kills me.
George: The sniping stuff is so awesome.
Katanga: Thermos just got it.
George: Haha, love that.
Katanga: Spatter on the windshield was beautiful.
Charlie: That blood is great.
Katanga: Right in the eye, Uncle Jesse!
Bill: Get behind the CAR!!!!!11111
Katanga: Charlie's digging this... I'm happy.
George: Shit.
George: Car coming up the road.
George: AWESOME.
Bill: Mad Max moment.
Charlie: That's a great shot of the car in the road.
Katanga: Bit of fish-eye... yeah Mad Max, perfect.
George: It's magnificently done.
Bill: He's driving on the wrong side!
Charlie: Yeah, this is so MM.
Katanga: Waving... what a prick!
Katanga: I <3>
Bill: The chimes in the score are great.
Bill: He's the Creeper, he can't be stopped!
George: HAHAHAHAHA! Jarratt is the shit.
George: Great moment...
Charlie: BANG!
Bill: I want a hundred prequels.
George: Haha.
George: Man.
Katanga: "A WINNAH!"
George: Sniper shit is so great.
George: Jarratt.
George: Love him.
Charlie: I hate how charismatic this guy is.
Charlie: 'Cause I fucking like him.
Bill: Evil bastard.
Katanga: I haven't loved a malicious little giggle as much since Amadeus.
George: You root for him...
George: But you're NOT rooting for the kids to die either.
Katanga: God... that wide shot.
Charlie: That wide shot was amazing.
Katanga: Patience... subtley in the following mid shot.
Bill: He's going to win.
Charlie: OMG that fire shot.
George: NICE.
Katanga: Her feet... man.
Bill: From the hip.
Katanga: NO, BEN!
Charlie: Fuck, the dogs.
Katanga: Oh, cruelty to animals... fuck this movie!
George: Hahaha.
Charlie: That old Jesus motif never gets old.
Bill: He should say, "Got farther than most."
Katanga: I was about to make a crack about the overuse of Christ symbolism.
Charlie: Always look on the bright side of life.
Katanga: Dafoe was better.
Charlie: Dafoe would have been better playing Jesus as Klaus.
Bill: Playing Jesus as Max Schreck.
Bill: Ben is in trouble.
George: Ouch. Great writhing by this guy.
Katanga: I HATE when guys in horror movies act bad ass.
Katanga: This dude is scared and in pain.
George: You're so right.
Charlie: I hate it more when people watch stuff like this and say they would have been bad ass if it happened to them.
Charlie: Because they're lying.
Katanga: Of course they are.
George: And I love that they took out the girls, and let Ben live. It's not what's expected.
Katanga: Did you see Hostel, George?
George: Not yet. I ordered it, though. So soon.
Katanga: It's similar in that regard.
Charlie: Having been in an extra traumatic experience when that guy broke into my house, I know what those kind of situations are like.
Charlie: You don't crack wise. You don't go for the nearest knife. You don't kick ass.
Charlie: Hell, I was so frozen in fear I couldn't dial the fucking cops.
Katanga: I think we're onto what the folk didn't like about this... and it's right there in Andrew's piece today (click here).
Bill: That's why I always question it when the victims win. They are so overmatched and their reactions can't be perfect.
Charlie: It took an amazing amount of antagonism before I was ready to fight back.
Katanga: It always does, Charlie.
Charlie: Camper van... TCM.
Katanga: I love Ebert... but he's so wrong here.
George: Very wrong.
Charlie: As are a lot of people.
Bill: Home invasion is a hard one to comprehend.
Bill: It would take me like two minutes to get a pistol in my hand.
George: There's brilliance in the film's ending.
Katanga: Backlit of Jarratt into the sunset... class.
And finally, Wolf Creek comes to a close...
George: Loved this.
George: Again.
Katanga: Me too.
Charlie: Amazing film.
Charlie: Fuck the haters.
Katanga: Astonishing first film.
Bill: I'm glad it is better than I was expecting.
George: And I'm so happy it's been tightened up since I first saw it. It was great then, but it's even better now. It would've been higher on my Top 15 last year.
Bill: So does the era of DV allow many talented filmmakers to do their thing, where film production might have slowed them down before?
Charlie: Yes and no.
Bill: Did you buy your copy, George?
George: Yeah, I bought it.
Bill: I sometimes regret unrated cuts. Cheap marketing ploy.
Charlie: In this case the move wasn't "cut" or "censored" to achieve an MPAA R-Rated cinema release.
George: I just wanted the cut I saw and dug...
George: Which I actually didn't get. This was better.
Katanga: The flick isn't what I consider gory, either.
Charlie: In reality, the killer went down and the girl survived, but there are people who think her boyfriend faked his death and the killer is innocent.
Charlie: That was greatness.
Charlie: I'm wholly fucking jealous.
Katanga: Really glad you dug this, Charlie.
Katanga: It's pretty inspiring.
Charlie: This is the kind of shit I want to make with you.
Bill: Very good. But alas, no threesome.
Katanga: IT'S IN THE SUBTEXT, BILL.
Bill: I want it in the SUPERTEXT.
Katanga: Hahahaha.
Katanga: That was fun... too bad Andrew Clarke had a Lovejoy marathon so he couldn't join us.
Bill: Well, this killer stands above any charismatic killer I can think of.
Katanga: He's downright lovable... which is extra evil.
George: Yes.
Bill: He's just bored.
Bill: He wants love.
George: And like I was saying, it's not like most other slashers where you want the kids or whomever to die. More on its mind than that.
Katanga: You know... I actually "like" Henry...
Bill: He seems so competent at every turn.
Bill: You like the character Henry?
Charlie: Rooker makes Henry likeable.
Katanga: "like"... I feel for him.
Bill: Henry is a classic sexual sadist.
Katanga: You know, that moment in Manhunter/Red Dragon where you really want Dollarhyde to be normal, relinquish demons?
Katanga: It's like this thing with Mick is just a big misunderstanding!
Charlie: Exactly. You want him to be joking, and it to be a paranoid delusion.
Katanga: That lack of twists appeals to me.
Katanga: I love that Ben is absent through the action and that this is the girl's story.
George: Good point, K.
George: It changes the dynamic and it doesn't make the girls tough either, which I'm sure a lesser filmmaker would've done.
Bill: Like I said, a victim's reactions are unpredictable, and they have very little chance to overcome the patience of the killer.
Charlie: Exactly.
Charlie: People can say what they want about doing whatever in that situation.
Charlie: But they can't say it until they've been in it.
George: Yup.
Charlie: Which is why these movies exist, to put US in those situations.
Bill: Adrenaline fucks up everything and encourages flight.
Bill: It's not great for reasoning.
George: Which too many people feel they need to do.
Bill: But most slasher movies aren't that smart. They fall back on the victim falling down a lot.
Charlie: That gives me an idea for an editorial.
Katanga: Sort of close to Andrews piece... this is considered a shit movie... but I find it confrontational as it totally puts me eyeball-to-eyeball with a very innate fear.
Charlie: I'm surprised Andrew hated this.
George: I am too.
Katanga: He did?
George: HATED it.
Katanga: I can see not wanting to watch it a lot.... but HATE?
Bill: The transition is jarring, but that's not a fault.
Charlie: Again, he says stupid characters.
George: They're not, really.
Bill: Smart killer, I say.
Charlie: Fuck it, I'm writing an editorial on stupid characters (click here).
Katanga: I think he might have an inflated view of human beings... good for him... BUT...
Katanga: Making characters "as smart as you" would alleviate the horror film experience of 9/10ths of its charm.
Charlie: Completely.
Bill: So what did we learn today? Don't get stuck in Texas or Australia. That's the rule.
Session Close: Wed Apr 19 18:59:10 2006
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Very very excellent. We should definitely do more because we are awesome.
No, i don't like the movie though. After an interminable build, presumably only there to make these characters 3 dimensional they then start acting, not like scared/dumb real people, but exactly like dumb movie people do.
I think the beginning just didn't grab me, which made me hypercritical of all the later stuff - it's as if the director learnt about the slow beginning from TCM, but not about the build-up. Nothing bloody happens! and maybe i don't like that kind of 'traveller' person - i find them very selfish.
Selfish...for travelling? You need to explain that one, Ninjak.
The sort that will pretend to be broadening their horizons but instead just shrink the world, who will go to some exotic country and spend all their time in western bars, surrounded by western friends. Recreational Imperialists. They learn more about the countries they visit from their 'rough guide' book than from actually being there. Plus they like Ibiza dance crap.