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gerriemackenzie
Reviews
Satan's Children (1975)
A Film For Nobody
If the church of Satan made recruitment films, like the Billy Graham Ministry
or Bob Jones University, then SATAN'S CHILDREN might serve some kind of tangible purpose. Even they, however, may want no association with a movie so messed up it needs it's own therapist. There is no shortage of bad movies to
be had, but precious few can lay claim to being so psychologically disturbed
as this one. For starters, there is the already observed schism between the screenplay's hateful homophobic dialogue and dramatics and the late Director Joe Wiezycki's insistence on displaying lead Stephen White in nothing but his undershorts for about two thirds of the picture's duration. Secondly, there is such general misanthropy on display that there is no character to identify with or particularly care about.
The cinematography, sets, wardrobe and hairstyles are as ugly as the underlying message of the film. I suspect that SATAN'S CHILDREN was intended to exploit the success of then recent hits ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE EXORCIST as well as the Manson Family debacle. Due to the overall incompetence on display here though, the end result is so simultaneously laughable and nihilistic, that SATAN'S CHILDREN could have no possible audience on earth.
Nevertheless, if you believe that all motion pictures serve as some kind of sociological or historical document, no matter how commercial their intent or
poor the technical execution, then this feature still serves as a damning record
of its creators' twisted mentality. Perhaps this is all the legitimacy SATAN"S CHILDREN requires.
The Crossroads of Hunter Wilde (2019)
Mixed Messages
My initial comments on this picture were rejected for publication on this
forum, perhaps because my assessment of this film's writing and technical
aspects were too negative and disrespectful. If I could make one main point, however, I would like to state that my main problem with this picture is the contradiction between the central character's professed Christian beliefs and his violent actions throughout the movie. The Crossroads Of Hunter Wilde may not be the first picture with such a contrast, but the
heavy reliance upon physical conflict (including the final confrontation
with Dagon) in my opinion, negates any Christian message the narrative may have been attempting to communicate. Thus we are left no discernible point to this film.
Overnight (2003)
He Who Slays The Golden Goose.
Throughought its hundred plus years of existence, cinema has brought us countless tales of horror and debasement in both fictional and documentary forms. Though the story told here is clearly of small scale and ultimately insignificant, nevertheless, as someone with film-making aspirations myself, I find OVERNIGHT to be one of the most disturbing movies I have ever seen. Some previous comments have cited the picture as poorly made and lacking insight into the broader details of its subject. While such criticisms may indeed be warranted, I would like to point out that co-directors Mark Brian Smith and Tony Montana have simply recorded a disaster from ground zero and edited it all together. Those who experience an earthquake or a tidal wave are in no position to analyze its origins, context or place in the grand scheme of things. The best they can do is endure and hope to survive it. Troy Duffy is a walking cataclysm, and despite the fleeting presence of such lower tier celebrities as Mark Wahlberg and Jake Busey, our would be Tarantino is the whole show here.
This world is blessed with relatively few bona fide geniuses, but fortunately it is also cursed with even fewer individuals stupid enough to strangle, disembowel and desecrate any golden goose good fortune might send their way as Duffy has done. The grotesque spectacle of Troy's incessant verbal and psychological abuse of friends, family members and the industry insiders who foolishly offer him the keys to their otherwise closely guarded kingdom carries a lot of shock value.
While the completion of both BOONDOCK SAINTS and the subsequent record album under adverse circumstances is admirable, Troy's derisive responses to Taylor Duffy's plea for his full commitment to their band and the film student who advises him to be proud of his achievement and move on to the next project as all movie makers must, provide a devastating insight into his twisted character. Whatever the level of his talent may be, Troy Duffy displays none of the genuine passion for either cinema or music which is essential for artistic growth and development. These two mediums are merely tools for his own desperate self-aggrandizement. This observation is borne out in OVERNIGHT's final scene of the now disenfranchised Troy's solitary rant outside a bar on a dark and empty street. His need to publicly pontificate still remains, though his audience is long gone, likely forever.
Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare (1987)
We Live To Suck!
Like most of you, I've witnessed more than my fair share of duds in my movie going days, but tonight I kneel before the awesome stupidity of Jon-Mikl Thor and his Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare (aka The Edge Of Hell). Despite some better than expected cinematography, Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare bears the all too familiar Canadian motion picture hallmarks of woefully inadequate financial and technical resources as well as an incompetent cast and crew. Astoundingly though, Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare goes that extra mile with incoherent scripting, sexist female characterizations, thudding ham fisted heavy metal music, tasteless 80's glam rock fashions, make-up and hairstyles along with frequent extended POV stedicam shots through the farmhouse interiors which add absolutely nothing to the plot.
That's not even mentioning the band members' failure to notice the drummer's miraculous transformation from an Australian to a Canadian late in the film and Thor's titanic barn set struggle with an immobile rubber Satan while his infernal army of four killer sock puppets from Hell gawk from the sidelines. The impressive digital restoration and supplements included in Synapse Film's DVD are more than this picture deserves and probably exceeded the entire cost of the film itself. While Canadian cinema in general just doesn't cut it, Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare distinguishes itself for starting at the bottom and relentlessly digging its way down.