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Reviews
Shot Rev 2.0 (1993)
For Die Hard Sisters fans
Generally cheesy/goofy collection of Sisters of Mercy music videos from the late '80s through early '90's (covering singles from the albums Floodland, Vision Thing and A Slight Case of Overbombing). It's hard to imagine that lead singer Andrew Eldritch has recently come to spurn the "goth scene", given that all his dramatic posturing in these videos typify the genre. Only the "Dominion" clip, with a cinematic scope and an Arabic setting, is a worthy effort. Nonetheless, this is a great collection of music (although pretty much all of the longer songs are understandably truncated for music video format) and a must-have for die hard SoM fans.
The Grid (1980)
Pretentious but Visually Interesting Short
Joanna Woodward (that Joanna, not Paul Newman's wife) directs her then-boyfriend Peter Murphy, lead singer of Bauhaus, in this grainy black & white short that is packed by a dissident, eerie Murphy-composed soundtrack. Murphy looks silly in pointed Spock-Ears, but jerks around the frame with the androgenous grace that made him famous. The film is basically plotless beyond average human comprehension-- Murphy is some kind of an elven demigod who lurches around an ampitheatre, comes across small rectangular object that looks like a wrapped-up ice tray. When he pulls off the cover the film turns into a visually crude but fascinating work of Claymation as odd creatures morph, multiply and interact. Murphy returns for one final, simple but very memorable shot. I didn't entirely know what to make of this film, but it was short enough to keep my interest and remember the gist of it after I saw it a year ago. I also wish Woodward had/will pursue a film career, because she did in fact have a budding vision resembling a potential genius.
Bauhaus: Gotham (1999)
Music Never Sounded Better, But Beware the Choppy Editing
Bauhaus still looks and sounds great if this 1998 taping of their Roseland Ballroom NY stop on their reunion tour means anything. Frontman Peter Murphy is still as foppish, flamboyant and overly-theatrical a performer as there has ever been-- his Dyrvish-whirling, mirror-dancing and feather-boa waving are all over this taping. Daniel Ash is still one of rock's great underestimated guitarists, and in "In Fear of Fear" he even breaks out into a rocking, off-kilter saxophone riff. Bassist David J and Drummer Kevin Haskins hold there own quite nicely as well. Clearly, as a whole the Godfathers of Goth have improved with age, and even the silliest songs ("Dark Entries", "She's In parties", and the "Stairway To Heaven"-type opus of Goth-rock that is "Bela Lugosi's Dead") sound fuller, stronger, harder. The filming itself is no work of art-- choppy editing and eye-rolling visual effects might have given this taping a passing grade with kitsch-heavy Murphy and bandmates, but any non-fan would quickly lose interest. The backstage banter and brief conversations with fans aren't particularly enlightening, but there is a kind of priceless scene involving a long-lost and now-found article of clothing. Bauhaus fans enjoy, everyone else stay away.
Behind the Scenes at 'Daria' (2000)
Daria Fans will delight putting faces to the voices
This brief featurette first aired after the premiere of the Daria TV movie "Is It Fall yet?" on MTV in 2000. Although it didn't go into as much detail as any "Daria" fan would like, it did at least reveal all the voice actors and some significant behind-the-scenes contributors. And guess what? They're all attractive (especially the voice director, of all people!). Typical MTV. Actually, a highlight of this special is Tracy Grandstaff (voicer of Daria)'s remark, and I paraphrase here, about how the show was testament to people's "desire for something intelligent" on MTV. I couldn't agree more-- hopefully Daria will be renewed for the next several years, because it is MTV's ONLY intelligent/quality show.
Jesus' Son (1999)
Heroin Chic with Humor and Heart
The latest in a growing trend of "Heroin is Bad But In Some Ways It's Great" films, "Jesus' Son" stands out with it's loopy, not-exactly-chronological first person narrative that pretty accurately reflects the mind of a junkie. Director Alison Maclean has some lovely and disturbing visuals here, in particular a scene where two junkies wander off a highway and into a field that could alternately be a graveyard or a drive-in movie. The script, based on a novel, stretches out as a series of vignettes surrounding the travels of lovable junkie known only as "F*ckhead" (Billy Crudup, in a performance that will dethrone DiCrappio as The Next Big Thing) whose first-person narrations offers some almost profound, ideot-savant wisdom.
A strong supporting cast includes Samantha Morton as F*ckhead's wild/tragic junkie girlfriend (Her scenes with Crudup play like "Sid and Nancy" with a little more heart), Denis Leary in his best role yet as a gruff, shaky-handed Cowboy Junkie, Dennis Hopper as a weary recovering addict, Greg Germann (from "Ally McBeal")as a hopelessly "limited" doctor, and Holly Hunter, who in a small part rises above the tongue-in-cheek camp surrounding her character's tragic story. And the true stand-out is Jack Black, the hefty young character actor who gets the most laughs as a drugged-out hospital orderly. His scenes in the hospital with Crudup are some of the most frightening, funny and bizarre scenes to appear on film so far this year.