Monday, November 18, 2019

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (2011)

"Welcome to Fucktown!"

As the film opens, homeless man, Rutger Hauer, rides into town on a freight train.  A normal person would take one look around Hope Town and nope straight the fuck out of that dump as quickly as possible. Especially after a man is decapitated in broad daylight in the middle of the street and nobody cares, but no, not ol' Rut.  He sticks around and even chews some glass in exchange for the $50 that he needs to buy a used lawnmower...nobody said he was smart.  Anyway, after all kinds of goofy Troma-level mischief happens (including Rutger being tortured by the police), he buys a shotgun and starts blasting fools.  It's mildly entertaining.

Theme song from MARK OF THE DEVIL used during the opening credits, ridiculous story that probably took less than a hour to write, overacting galore, mild blood and gore that just looks cartoonish, unimpressive toplessness, extreme colours, unsatisfying ending, cheese dick dialogue that was mostly just people screaming "fuck" a lot, zero emotional attachment to the main character (or anybody else for that matter), steady pace.

Overall, HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN is watchable, but way too close to a Troma film for me.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

THE WICKER MAN (1973)

"...here the old gods aren't dead."

Mainland police receive a letter about a missing child on the island of Summerisle.  Police sergeant Edward Woodward goes, alone, to investigate.  Going solo and unarmed probably wasn't the wisest decision ever, because the citizens of Summerisle are all nuttier than squirrel shit.  How the police didn't already know that everybody on Summerisle is insane, is a total mystery.

Steady pace, creepy citizens, illogical story that would have been better set 50 years (or more) earlier, solid acting, random nudity, Woodward's troublesome lack of a Plan B, nice photography, a jar full of foreskins, Christopher Lee's awesome 70's hair blowing in the wind.

I like THE WICKER MAN.  My only real complaints would be the ending is predictable and nothing totally insane happens.  Yes, the ending is wack, but I was hoping for some creepier shenanigans along the way.  Still, THE WICKER MAN is quite influential in the "folk horror" sub-genre and very much worth watching.  Recommended for sure.  Now...if you need me, I'll be in my room watching MIDSOMMAR.

Remake - The Wicker Man (2006)
Sequel - The Wicker Tree (2011)