Short Flick Review: The Shower - 2012

The Shower

Director: Gianluca Minucci

2012

Short

What we see is in essence a woman taking a shower. She get is, put on the water; soap herself, wash of the soap and climbs out of the shower. This is made really sensual by beautiful music and it’s a very beautiful scene to watch. Although we get to see her breasts and some pubic hair I would not consider it a sleazy short of any kind. It’s extremely tasteful and kind of sexy and there are no strings attached. We might expect to see more of her body but at the same time we realize that this isn’t going to happen. Absolutely adorable! It’s about 8 minutes long and doesn’t contain more plot than I already have described. It’ll be hard to rate it so I won’t…

It can be viewed HERE!

Mondo Flick Review: Mondo Cane - 1962

Mondo Cane

Director(s): Paolo Cavara, Gualitiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi

1962

Mondo

Once upon a time I thought these movies were of great entertainment values. Mondo flicks that is. I’m not sure if I even was aware what a mondo flick really was and I think I confused it with shockumentaries such as Faces of Death or Executions. Here we have a flick that are not even remotely connected to them. This is the real thing and one of the most famous ones. Possibly even the first of it’s kind but who knows? It might be interesting to know about the origin but it has nothing to do with the entertainment values.

I get the feeling of comedy here. Mostly because of the choice of music score. I don’t know if the intent is to make us laugh at what’s going on in a very cynical matter but that’s how it seems to me. But is it funny? Well… No! I can’t really relate to why it’s funny to ridicule native tribal traditions or to compare them with equally ridicule western traditions.

There are some observations of animals as well but most of the time the film lives up to it’s title – Translated into A Dogs World. I do find it entertaining that the whole thing start with barking dogs though. It creates the clever metaphor that the title suggests. But the cynicism isn’t very entertaining. I would much have preferred if the narrations were true and really described what’s going on before the camera. I cannot be absolute sure that it isn’t of course but it seem fairly obvious that the truth has been bend a bit…

I won’t grade this as I feel it would be unjust to the pioneering aspects. It has some qualities when it comes to that, there’s no doubt about that. But I won’t be watching this again for a long long time!

Independant Flick Review: Kiiling Heat - 2012

Killing Heat

Director: Daniel Dahl

2012

Action

When JD gets fired from his job he goes to visit his old pals Gordon Goldman and John Walker in Thailand. They promise him a wonderful time filled with alcoholic beverages and as much pussy as he can possibly want. It’s starts out well enough, the booze is clearly no problem to get. The heat may have something to do with his erection problems though and he gets laughed at by some of the local prostitutes. The next day he picks up a couple of lady boys, not knowing what they are. As soon as he realizes each of them actually have a dick he escapes his room quickly. Why can’t he just get laid? The frustration gets on his nerves and when Gordon and John has to attend an important business meeting he goes out to get absolutely shit drunk! He eventually passes out and when he wakes up again he’s in the middle of the jungle with no memory of the night before. Where is he? Why is he there and how does he get back to the city?

This was sent to me by Kenny Wang who plays the character of JD. I believe that he’s also involved with the script and a whole lot other things in the movie. I got a warning early on that it was an extremely independent film and that I should treat it as such. My fears of that it being complete crap grew but I thought that I should give it a shot. It’s the very least I could do and who knows, it might be a real gem!

Well, the acting is really bad and the main characters English pronunciation is even worse than that. But apart from that it’s a real treat for underground film fans. I especially like the choice of music which emphasises every scene! The story is very interesting but I don’t know why. If there were any logic in this world it wouldn’t be since the plot is very shallow and the characters pretty flat. But something makes it worth my while to keep watching. It might be the political incorrectness that begins at almost the exact point where the film does. The Thai people is referred to as monkey throughout the film and the women seems only be good for one thing. I absolutely adore the sense of humour that this movie delivers. I most definitely  don’t agree with the domination the “weaker” that the movie proclaims but I realize that the films makers don’t either. It’s just a way to make a movie enjoyable an it fits well in the concept.

You could say that the movie has two parts. First JD and his friends party all day long and all night long for a few days. Everything seem to be a bliss (apart from JDs erection problems maybe). Then the second half of the film begins. This is where it gets really violent and where JD tried to get himself back to the city. He is hunted and he shots to kill his enemies. The only problem I have with that is the total lack of remorse. Not one time does he seems sorry for killing another human being, but then again, they’re just monkeys anyway…

In general I’m very poor a remembering quotations from other films but here I recognize a few borrowed ones. There might be more, and that is my full conviction, but there are at least Big Badaboom from The Fifth Element and Come to Thailand, let’s get together, have a few laughs paraphrased from Die Hard. Since it’s a movie filled with clichés I like these borrowed lines. It adds some humour to it! And as I said, I think that there’s more, I just can’t remember lines that good.

It’s too bad it’s a major spoiler to reveal what the who point of the movie is. It comes as a semi surprise at the very end but rest assure that there’s no holds barred when it comes to this flick. I can guarantee that you will be shocked when viewing what these Norwegian guys made out of a budget of $5000!

8/10

Cult Flick Review: Venus in Furs (Masimo Dallamano) - 1969

Venus in Furs

Aka: Devil in the Flesh

Director: Massimo Dallamano

1969

Erotic/Drama

To be frank I don’t really know if there’s anything more to the story than what is obvious. A man gets obsessed by this woman and claims that women in furs are the sexiest thing on the planet. The rest of the film seems to be about shooting as many scenes as possible with as little clothes on the actresses as possible. I realize that I’m being unjust to the movie with these views but I have a very difficult time finding it worth my time watching movies like these. I like naked women as much as the next guy and I am probably a bit of a pervert but when it comes to softcore sexploitation I have a hard time.

Therefore this will be a somewhat strange review. What can I write about when I don’t see the point of the movie at all? I could say that the women are lovely and sexy – which they are. I could also make comment about the atmosphere and the aesthetics which is really nice but I don’t think that the movie should be seen just for these things. Actually I think that the only reason to see it is if you’re horny enough or as a reference to the sexploitation films of 1969.

I’m going to give this a bit better grade than it deserves just because of the aesthetics. It’s something I really enjoy in European movies like this but I need something more… It gets so tedious after a while…

3/10

Sleaze Flick Review: Amateur Porn Star Killer 2 - 2008

Amatuer Porn Star Killer 2

Director: Shane Ryan

2008

Horror

I figure that if you have any interest in this movie you have already seen the first in the trilogy. I find it unnecessary to write down a synopsis in bold letter as I usually do since it’s really more of the same thing. Brandon picks up girls, fucks and kills them.

There are two version of the film on this DVD release. There is the movie version and the snuff version. They are similar of course but also quite different. The snuff version is more to the point without a lot of the stuff going on around the movie version. Personally I like the snuff version better, it’s somewhat rougher and also what the killer really intended. The victims’ pain and humiliation comes through better!

But both versions are very hard to watch, not because of the theme – which is truly a horrible one, but because of the way the story is told. Out of order and with a very shaky hand hold camera. There is lots of nudity – both male and female. It’s one of the things that the film benefits from; it makes it a little more realistic to be sure! But for the most part I’m sorry to say that it’s quite dull. I’d rather see the first film than this at any time but I’m still looking forward for the final part which I will review soon!