Kelly WandDolls
October 29th 2006 03:49
Back in the nineteen eighties, Empire Pictures were dependable low budget horror heroes. Sometimes they hit mighty peaks with “Re-Animator” and other times they just pumped out perfectly adequate sub “Gremlins” rip offs like “Ghoulies”. At least they kept the technicians at Rome’s Cinecitta in business as the Italian industry fell into decline.
From Alien World War 2 oddity “Zone Troopers” to the fabulous “Trancers (AKA Future Cop), Empire were there to provide a few giddy thrills at a reasonable price. Sure, most of their stuff had “Straight to Video” stamped over it in big bold red type but I think we will look back at this period as a golden age one day. The home video market let so many freaks in through the otherwise closed doors. Well those closed doors always deserved to be kicked in.
In Australia, the federal government decided to boost film production by offering tax breaks to investors. Most industry people describe this period as a time of terror where standards dropped as outsiders tried to squeeze there way in. Well, sod them. What mythical standards were they talking about? Who could seriously put “Neighbours” on their resume of artistic endeavour?
The most interesting films have always come from complete outsiders, the lonely losers who know a hundred times more about cinema than the accountants who are running the show these days.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say graduating from film school should utterly forbid a person from making a feature film. Hell, those bums shouldn’t even be able to get a job fixing the tea. (I’m sorry, those arse wipes call that being 2nd Assistant Director, don’t they?)
“Dolls” is one of my favourite films by director Stuart Gordon. (They didn’t let him into film school) It is not a particularly famous film and tends to be overlooked. Gordon has built most of his career on H P Lovecraft adaptations. “Dolls” is a fantastic little fairy story. There is an Old Dark House, a stormy night and a car trapped in the mud. There is a creepy couple who you find yourself liking enormously even though you know they lure weary travellers to their doom.
There are demonic dolls stalking the darkened corridors. Being a grown up is the worst possible crime imaginable. And it is all good – if bloody – fun. It is lovely seeing the old single frame animation, the rather obvious puppetry and stifling the urge to yell at the screen.
“Look out behind you, mister!”
The child in you will enjoy this enormously. Leave your grown up self in the other room.
From Alien World War 2 oddity “Zone Troopers” to the fabulous “Trancers (AKA Future Cop), Empire were there to provide a few giddy thrills at a reasonable price. Sure, most of their stuff had “Straight to Video” stamped over it in big bold red type but I think we will look back at this period as a golden age one day. The home video market let so many freaks in through the otherwise closed doors. Well those closed doors always deserved to be kicked in.
In Australia, the federal government decided to boost film production by offering tax breaks to investors. Most industry people describe this period as a time of terror where standards dropped as outsiders tried to squeeze there way in. Well, sod them. What mythical standards were they talking about? Who could seriously put “Neighbours” on their resume of artistic endeavour?
The most interesting films have always come from complete outsiders, the lonely losers who know a hundred times more about cinema than the accountants who are running the show these days.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say graduating from film school should utterly forbid a person from making a feature film. Hell, those bums shouldn’t even be able to get a job fixing the tea. (I’m sorry, those arse wipes call that being 2nd Assistant Director, don’t they?)
“Dolls” is one of my favourite films by director Stuart Gordon. (They didn’t let him into film school) It is not a particularly famous film and tends to be overlooked. Gordon has built most of his career on H P Lovecraft adaptations. “Dolls” is a fantastic little fairy story. There is an Old Dark House, a stormy night and a car trapped in the mud. There is a creepy couple who you find yourself liking enormously even though you know they lure weary travellers to their doom.
There are demonic dolls stalking the darkened corridors. Being a grown up is the worst possible crime imaginable. And it is all good – if bloody – fun. It is lovely seeing the old single frame animation, the rather obvious puppetry and stifling the urge to yell at the screen.
“Look out behind you, mister!”
The child in you will enjoy this enormously. Leave your grown up self in the other room.
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