2007 Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Report By: Nelson Cabral
The highly anticipated and already successful 2nd Toronto After Dark Film Festival had its opening on the 19th and it really could not have been better. Riding the tail end of the Toronto International Film Festival, T.A.D showcases 14 feature film premieres in the Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy genre as well as two collections of international short films from Spain, USA, Australia, Denmark and countless others as well as 15 shorts of some homegrown Canadian content. Unlike TIFF (not that I'm comparing), After Dark has a much more intimate atmosphere. After each night, Festival Director Adam Lopez and crew organized a 'Pub After Dark' event in which filmmakers and fans can collectively gather and simply hang out. Whether it be to pound a few back and slur your praise/disapproval or to swap ideas and make connections, it certainly makes for a much more organic festival. Even better is that its right across the street from the Bloor Cinema where all the feature films are being screened. For a full list of films go to
www.torontoafterdark.com
Special guest appearances this year included Director Jim Mickle and Writer/Actor Nick Damici of MULBERRY STREET. The rat zombie feature which opened the fest. Uwe Boll with the Toronto Premiere of his Dungeon Siege adaptation, In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Boll introduced himself with local critic Chris Alexander whom he boxed last year in Vancouver. We also got to see legendary Troma President Lloyd Kaufman at the screening of POULTRYGEIST: Night Of The Chicken Dead, the zombie musical with undead chickens set for cult greatness! Before you begin to wonder, the "Thriller" comparisons are already made though this has far 'more' boob shots and over the top gore. The closing gala had Chris Sharp of MURDER PARTYwhich has already landed some awards.
There was also the second Toronto Zombie Walk! The streets were filled with hordes of zombies, in fact there were anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 'people' to take part this year. Z-Day started at around 3:30pm. Now, this did conflict with some films but the walk ends at the where some caught Automation Transfusion followed by POULTRYGEIST: Night Of The Chicken Dead.
Below you'll find reviews for films I saw:
MULBERRY STREET
There are few horror movies, let alone a low budget indie horror movies that can effectively merge terror with some real characters. People that you can sincerely cheer for and hope that they don't bite the wrong end of the shovel. And if you're reading this, chances are you're a fan of the genre and know that horror has the largest straight-to-DVD market and there are literally hundreds that come out every year and they tend' to mostly be shit. MULBERRY STREET is not one of them. Yes, it is getting on the festival circuit and yes its even winning awards but it is still, at its roots, a low budget indie horror film.
"Rat people. They're Fucking rat people". Bar owner Big Vic (John Hoyt) pretty much nails it on the head when describing what the hell is going on in New York City during the virus outbreak spreading throughout Manhattan delivered by everyone's favorite pest, the rat. Most of the film takes place in an apartment building in NYC that is slated for demolition to make new for a ‘changing neighborhood.' Oddly, it literally takes place in Actor/Writer Nick Damici's apartment which was painted over several times to make it look like other tenants rooms. Damici, who plays Clutch, is an ex-boxer living his life like an average guy, working out, smokin' after a long run but you get the impression that you can count on him when it matters. He relates to the people in his complex, always lending a hand to the single mom, the World War 2 Veteran and his pal or his best friend. Picture Bronson except he dispenses justice with his bare hands.
On the day his daughter is expected to come home from serving a stint overseas in the military, strange reports of animal, specifically rat attacks are spreading like the plague. Clutch and the other tenants in the apartment band together to make a last stand as these attacks are quite literally turning people into vicious zombie-like rat people complete excess hair and snouts with an incessant need to sloppily feed on intestines while flailing body parts around.
Now, there have been a slew of zombie films in the last few years, this one being shot about 3 years ago, and you can certainly ‘feel' the similarity. With the use of the shaky-frantic cam and all but the ‘realness' of the characters and genuine tight nit atmosphere is what sets this one apart from your Dawn Of The Dead or 28 Days Later.
What really makes the film stand out is the fact that it was shot in New York. This is a huge accomplishment on its own as filming in NY is a nightmare, especially for a low budget film, so how did they accomplish it? Originally set in the winter time in Pennsylvania , the Mickle decided it would be best to just use what connections they had in the City and film it there. That bar in the film? Nick's girlfriends. The apartment, Nicks. The huge crowds, standard NYC hoopla. Now the cast did get busted a few times for their guerilla shooting but as Mickle said, ‘Just tell the cops your filming and episode of Law & Order' and you're off the hook.
There is some urban commentary on tenement housing but the average moviegoer simply wants to be entertained and you will be. Hell, it's a dignified zombie-rat film.
Murder Party
MURDER PARTY was the closing film for the festival and it was obvious by those in attendance that it was the most anticipated film of the lot screened this week. Hell, with a tagline of "Everybody Dies!" how could it not be? Lead actor and all around sweetheart Chris Sharp, was in attendance to introduce the film and stay for a brief Q&A post screening.
Sharp plays Chris (not a typo) your average nice guy with not much to live for except for his stubborn cat Sir Lancelot who bogarts the only comfy chair in his tiny one bedroom apartment. His day job consists of him giving out parking tickets and generally making people pretty angry with him. But, with the aid of his anti-anxiety pills, he seems to get by just fine. During the course of the film he enthusiastically pops a few of these here and there and you actually don't see what he's taking, fortunately actor Sharp tells us what they were exactly during the Q&A. He also mentioned that it's not exactly integral to the films story.
One average day, on Halloween, Chris comes across an odd looking invitation on the sidewalk that reads, ‘MURDER PARTY Tonight, Come alone!' This is probably the only invitation that our hero has had in his entire life and so, like any soul searching for purpose, he decides to go but not before donning the most ghetto Knight, the Brown Knight as he is lovingly called, costume that we will be sure to see many times over at future Halloween parties.
When he finally arrives, he's quickly tied up and surrounded by a vampire with mutton chops played by Paul Goldblatt who was also the special effects guru, an undead cheerleader, a werewolf, a member of the Furies gang from The Warriors and Stacy Rock as Pris from Blade Runner. The basic idea here is that these ‘art students', which the film takes shots at throughout, are trying to create the ultimate art piece in order to get a grant. Each costumed art fundie comes up with their own idea to impress Alex aka Mr. Money Bags who will front the cash to whosever idea of releasing Chris from his life of mediocrity he likes the most. It literally is a murder party.
Obviously, chaos ensues and a lot of people die…rather horribly I shall add and our Paladin of the mundane makes his move. I won't spill what happens but I will say that he doesn't become a John Rambo or a John Matrix, although that would have been fun.
For an indie film that cost under $200, 000 (it was under the SAG Ultra-Low Budget) it looks really well shot. Effects wise, acting wise, it was a very surprisingly well shot piece. It's also quite fitting as most of the flick is taking stabs at the art community and the pretentious sods that fill its ranks. Furie gang member Bill played by William Lacey who himself is an art school grad got a little carried away during his rampage in the film that it had to apparently be cut as his rants on the art community were too visceral. Personally, they should have kept it in as I know many ‘art students/grads' who feel the same way.
This is was a very fitting film to close the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. A bloody campaign of sex, drugs and cardboard!
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
If someone recommended you a film about a fast food restaurant built on an Indian burial ground whose restless spirits possess chicken meat which when consumed turns you into a zombie chicken-musical, would you watch it? If so, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is the latest installment in the Troma industry from the Michael Bay of schlock Lloyd Kaufman.
High school grads appropriately named after fast food joint Arbie(s) played by the Oscar worthy Jason Yachanin and Wendy(s) Kate Graham are the typical sweethearts when time does its foul thing and they split. Arbie gets a job at the Para-military American Chicken Bunker and Wendy hooks up with a fierce feminist lesbian member of CLAM (Collegiate Lesbians Against Mega-Conglomerates) who is leading a protest against the meats and any other ‘limousine liberal' or conglomerate out there. At least, that's the impression you get.
Of course, opening day doesn't go quite as hoped and the literal shit hits the fan. Well, shit, piss, blood, jizz, green stuff of indeterminate origin, the typical staple of a Troma film but this is by far a typical Troma film. It is quite possibly the greatest Troma film to date and it was all funded by Kaufman and his New York Film Commissioner-wife. Hopefully, it won't be the last film directed by him, as we love the blooderific, scatorific and sploogerific fun.
At one point, Peter Jackson's Dead Alive was easily dubbed the goriest most outrageous film of all time. Everyone knows the infamous party crashin' lawnmower scene where the entire place is littered with body parts where an apparent five gallons per second were pumped out for that scene alone. Well, Kaufman's latest ‘foul movement' may top that. We don't have the exact numbers but it will certainly satiate any gorehound. You can look forward to morbidly obese man being ‘born again', decapitations, a woman having her face skinned by a deli meat slicer, a dude being deep fried and countless other gratuitous pleasantries of the like.
Lest we forget, this was billed as a musical. Now, Kaufman did take time to mention that this is NOT a musical, there just happens to be moments where our fine heroes will break into song and dance including one with the director himself. Titles like, ‘Revenge is a Dish Best Served Fried', ‘Fast Food Love', and ‘S-U-I-C-I-D-E' which is only available (as of now) on the Kara-Yolke-E DVD, sung by Humus, the Muslim line cook. No one is sparred insult. Jews, Blacks, Whites, Indians, it's all free range.
The film is soaked with political satire that, even if you tried, cannot be missed but it doesn't take away from the fan who just wants to be grossed out and let out a laugh.
With Lloyd's new position at the IFTA (Independent Film and Television Alliance) we can only hope that Troma will emerge from its recent setbacks and that we can see the Pooh Bah of Putrid helm another film.
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Oh Uwe Boll, whatever are we going to do with you? We can't just ignore you and we can't like you either. You are the Hollywood paradox and after sitting through the theatrical cut of In the Name of the King (they omitted 45minutes for theatres) you stand firm of that title.
Having rushed my way over to the theatre to make it on time to get myself a good seat I was greeted with a half empty audience. It was the worst turn out thus far, which was a shame really as they didn't get the chance to bare witness to the ensuing shit-storm. Like many of you, I can't help but look at what I've accomplished in the toilet. I know its gonna smell and I know its going to look like, well, a piece of hunkered down shit, but I still look anyway. Much like a Boll movie. You can't help but look. Crap aside, what made this particularly fun was the fact that Boll himself was sitting behind me. As the opening credits rolled the picture was not there, only sound and when the picture finally came, I could hear Boll complaining about the quality. "Why does this look like shit?" I heard him say. I couldn't help but giggle.
His latest abomination has quite the cast too. Jason Statham plays Farmer, a simple man with no ambition other than to toil away on his farm in order to feed his son and wife played by Claire Forlani. One shitty day, a group of Orcs…err…sorry, Krugs ransack a local village where Farmer's son is killed and his wife abducted. And so our hero must reluctantly fight his way to Ray Liotta, an evil mage who controls the Krugs. Yes, that's right. Liotta plays Gallian, a once noble mage whose got the hots for his old friend's daughter played by the appalling Leelee Sobieski which seemed to be the catalyst for his campaign on the King's land. Ah, the King, we'll get to him in a bit. There's also Norick played by Ron Perlman, the long time friend of Farmer who helps him along the way. You can tell that Ron knew what he was getting into as he was rather ‘playful' with his roll but nothing can compare to that of Matthew Lillard, aka Duke Fallow. He was so completely over the top it was almost like watching the Worst of American Idol every time he was on the screen. Than there was ‘The Stache' himself, Mr. Burt Reynolds as King Konreid. NO ONE took him seriously. Uwe himself said that he was unsure of casting Reynolds as the King but took him anyway as he was represented by the same people as some of the other cast. He should have listened to his own instincts although he was pleased in the fact that Reynolds did his own stunts.
The problem isn't inherently with cast choice or the material; it's with the AWFUL screenplay by Doug Taylor. See, I don't think that Boll is necessarily terrible, he just has all the wrong people working for him. This was his highest budget to date and it even went $5million over in post production while not a good thing, it does beg the question, ‘how can something so expensive be so bad?' And so, you can't just blame the Boll, the Boll had help in making it bad.
There is one saving grace for Uwe Boll, his public speaking. The guy is a pure joy to listen to it almost makes you forgive him for berating you for two hours of torment during his films. The Q&A that followed the premiere was undoubtedly the most entertaining bit of the night which was hosted by local critic Chris Alexander. He did ask the Boll the question everyone had going through their heads, ‘I got four words, Lord of The Rings.' Hell, it even had John Rhys-Davies who played Gimli in LOTR. His defense was that he simply wanted to do a, ‘period piece' and that the idea was playing around for several years. I would call it a poor mans LOTR but the damn thing had an estimated budget of $60,000,000.
At least Postal looks good. Right?
THE TRIPPER
One of the most talked about films at this years Toronto After Dark Film Festival was the directorial debut of David Arquette's (Scream, Eight Legged Freaks, Courtney Cox's cock) THE TRIPPER. A horror/comedy political satire where an angry disturbed Republican wearing a Ronald Reagan mask paints things red for a slew of modern hippies who are in town for a music festival. Sure it sounds good but the end result wasn't very fluid and aside from a good cast, it didn't hold my attention at all. By the time the credits rolled, I simply said, "that's it?" Maybe this is a case of the hype machine doing more bad than good.
It's not so much that THE TRIPPER is a bad movie; it just seems like a confused one. The horror/comedy thing is all the rage these past two years and although this has a feel of a campy slasher, it really needed to find a place to belong because if it's not done right, it's a muddled mess. With that said, there are a lot of good things about the movie too. The camera work is great and the film itself looks fantastic. We also get a solid cast with Jason Mewes, Jamie King and Lukas Haas as the core festival going hippies, Paul Reubens as the festival organizer and Thomas Jane as the local Sheriff who tries to piece things together. The cynical script by Arquette and Joe Harris undeniably makes this a fun watch but only if you're as jaded as both of them hope their general audience is.
What really hurt the film was that it was showcased as a blood fest with creative kills and that's what I expected. It's not like I was pleasantly surprised with what little gore there was either. Two explicit death scenes do not make up for it either despite a rather high body count, one of which had the fakest looking spine or intestine that I've ever seen. Hell, it was so fake that I couldn't even tell what body part it was supposed to be. A movie like this must rely on fun and inventive kills; otherwise it ends up as 97 minutes of witty dialogue. Whether or not you see this as good or bad, I certainly expected more from how it was advertised.
Arquette has a lot of potential and as I said this does have its redeeming qualities but tapping into and not exceeding tried and true filmmaking simply makes this mediocre. Hopefully his next project can truly tap into his talent as a director and deliver the goods.
