Some might say that the purpose of a film is to entertain, enlighten - provoke thought, perhaps - or reflect the heartbeat of a culture
Two films that I caught last night - "Murder-set-Pieces" and "Chaos" - had very little redeeming value in the great scheme of things.
Of course, there were a couple of excellent acting turns on screen - Kevin Gage in "Chaos", for instance - and special effects that were riveting.
But - ultimately - a lot of guts, gore, and mutilated bodies standing alone do not a good film necessarily make.
Years ago - when "Caligula" first alighted in an Art Film House in Vancouver (B.C.) - the seats were basically empty opening night. After all, many filmgoers in the picturesque seaside town were unfamiliar with the Guccione project.
But, once the word got out about the graphic sexual images and gut-wrenching violence on screen, religious fundamentalists parked out front of the theatre to protest.
Bingo!
The lines started forming down the street and around the block the next night and "Caligula" became a knock-out box-office success selling tickets for weeks on end.
Nonetheless, a controversy swirled over the explicit nudity on screen. Did Guccione go too far? Also, many were outraged by the shocking brutality which was damning - so realistic - and in-the-face.
In the case of "Caligula", I was inclined to side with the those who supported the film on the basis of its "artistic merit".
Although the producers went over-the-top - and to use an old cliche - stridently "pushed the envelope" - the filmmakers succeeded in making a valid statement about the decadence of the Roman Empire in the final days.
In the case of "Murder-Set-Pieces", the director failed to meet any standard.
When I asked Nick Palumbo - "What was the purpose of this film?" - he noted that friends with the Las Vegas Police force who investigated brutal serial killings were his inspiration for "Murder".
"I wanted to make a film about true crime, about the mind of a psychopath, without pulling any punches. I wanted realism."
Well, he got that in spades. The scenes were so gory - that on occasion - I was forced to hide my face behind my hands. In spite of my attempts to block out the revolting images, I still felt queasy and half-expected I'd throw up at any given moment.
Actresses couldn't even stomach the idea of playing the roles, the director noted, almost gleefully. So, he was forced to hire a couple of prostitutes to inhabit the tender skin of the characters on screen.
Another part of the problem - for me, anyway - was the lead actor. Although he had a powerful build, which suited the role, his acting was uneven. One moment his performance resonated with a kernel of truth; a few moments later, the acting was stilted, laughable, and unconvincing.
The problem may have been due to the script.
When a filmgoer in the audience asked about a Nazi storyline, for instance, the soft-spoken director confessed that story idea was thrown in last-minute.
And, clues he dropped like lead balloons here and there in flashbacks, were never resolved.
"I wanted to leave it open."
As a result, "Murder-Set Pieces" ended up being - forgive me - a bloody mess!
In fact, William Lustig - the director of "Maniac" - chewed Palumbo out when the film was first released.
"You took the genre to a level it should never have been taken to."
Undoubtedly, that's why the slasher film - budgeted at 2 1/2 mil - bombed at the box office and was a financial disaster.
The producers of "Chaos" - on the other hand - attempted to give the impression that their film was a cautionary tale.
When the credits first rolled, the filmmakers harped that the film was intended to warn parents about what may happen if they neglect their children or their family responsibilities.
In view of the storyline that unfolded on the silver screen (splashed with generous buckets of blood, scraps of flesh, semen, urine, you name it) it was a flimsy excuse for making this revolting film.
In a nutshell, two teens venture into the woods in search of a rave party.
A trio of wacko deadbeats kidnap the nubile young ladies and proceed to wantonly "have their way" with them.
In "Chaos", the filmmakers were not content to rape, ravage, or even demean their characters.
After slashing the carcasses brutally, and debasing the human body in a myriad of disgusting ways, the attackers proceed to engage in wild sex romps with the dead bodies.
Ugh!
The minds that conceived "Chaos" are - undoubtedly - demented and the individuals obvious social misfits.
As Michael Moore would say,
"Sicko!"
If there was a stronger rating for a film than NR17, I'd highly recommend it.
The two films screen again tonight at the New Beverly Cinema for those keen (and brave enough) to determine on their own the merits of this "trash" masquerading as "art".
No comments:
Post a Comment