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Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Monthly Archives: June 2019

Retrospective: The Driller Killer – 40 years on

15 Saturday Jun 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in retrospective

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abel ferrara, the driller killer

My first entry into the world of Abel Ferrara came in the early 90s with his two features dedicated to the criminal underworld of his hometown; King of New York, and Bad Lieutenant. The latter resonated strongly long in my mind with Harvey Keitel’s powerful performance as a drug-addicted, corrupt police officer intent on changing his ways. Ferrara is clearly inspired by the unhinged minds of mankind and this subject is often the driving force of the lead protagonists in his movies, as we watch them spiral deeper into insanity and out of control.

The Driller Killer, (Ferrara’s debut feature in the director’s chair), is no exception, and follows struggling painter, Reno Miller (played by Ferrara), living in New York, as he slowly descends into madness and despair. His crazed mind, unable to contend with the reality of his dire situation, resorts to taking his frustrations and anger out on the streets and onto the homeless and impoverished, wielding his weapon of choice; a power drill.

Growing up in the UK, The Driller Killer had been thrown into the video nasties heap and wouldn’t see the light of day through legal means until 1999, when a cutdown version would make its way into the video rental market. It was shortly after this that I would finally get to watch the movie, which by now was so heightened in my mind as a dark and distressing feature, that I went in, fully wanting to be shook to the core and have my mind inflicted with some gross-out gore to the extreme.

So I huddled up in my horror haven at the time, a labyrinth of blood curdling wonder that hosted the classics and the downright disturbing delights, and let The Driller Killer wash over me. I have to admit my initial reaction was underwhelming, as I was confronted with a mish mash of a storyline, jumbled up with sparse and confusing dialogue, combined with really long jam sessions from the band living in the neighbouring apartment. True, when Reno lost control, it was suitably unhinged and the SFX were effective enough with its crimson palette oozing from his victims. The trouble was, I found the fractured nature of the narrative too jarring and the abrupt conclusion a little too complex. And yet somehow, something hung in my mind and stuck there to this day.

Abel Ferrara playing Reno Miller drenched in blood from the movie The Driller Killer

So, with its 40th Anniversary upon us, I thought that now would be a good time to dust down the dvd that was immersed in my horror film collection and take a look at The Driller Killer once again.

True, the same old flaws are apparent, but rather than seem like blemishes within the celluloid frame, they become moments of wonder, as we journey with Reno into his state of madness and social decay. I’d like to think that my older, wiser mind appreciates the disconnected and fractured storyline as a symbol of the human psyche, but it may also be that I too have cracked in the realms of reality and find that I am able to connect with the artists plight a little more, (although thankfully I haven’t picked up the nearest power tool to reek my vengenace on the world…yet).

The moments of rage are deliberately awkward and messy, which adds to the raw energy that Ferrara brings to his work, and by the time we reach the climax, the audience is suddenly snapped out of the macabre fantasy. This is something of an unpopular choice these days, as often audiences like to have their narrative sewn up and explained, but I prefer the ambiguity of the films’ closure, leaving us to wallow in the wake of Reno’s rampage. This feeling of desolation that hangs in the air is a stark reminder, that society may have come a long way, but we still have no direct answer to aid anyone with mental deficiencies. We’re quite content to let their actions go by and merely act as spectators, as long as it affects the impoverished members of society, but the moment it has an impact on someone deemed of class, then we feel appalled and react, which is why it seems fitting that Ferrara denies the audience the chance to witness Carol’s outcome. It’s for this reason that I feel The Driller Killer still resonates today and is a must-watch on any fan of the horror genre. It maybe a little rough and raw compared with some of the polished movies of today, but this only makes the impact of the film a much greater one.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Why Don’t You Just Die (Sydney Film Festival)

13 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in sydney film festival

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russian crime thriller, sydney film festival

I have to admit that when I first read the short synopsis about Why Don’t You Just Die, I loved the title, and I was intrigued by the idea of a crime thriller with the promise of gallons of blood, but I instinctively put it on the maybe pile. My reasoning was purely down to the film not quite fitting into the horror genre, rather than the context of the story, but as I watched, I instantly regretted my instincts as boy does this movie deliver.

The action and tension on screen is relentless with top marks to the choreography of each set piece as it unfolds. What tips this above your average pot-boiler though is that writer/director, Kirill Sokolov doesn’t provide any easy solutions or fixes for the characters to weave their way out of, but rather offers obstacle after obstacle, providing a gruelling and effective journey that keeps you guessing the outcome.

The plot is a fairly simple one as Matvei is steered to avenge his girlfriend Olga’s mistreatment by her father. Armed with only a hammer, Matvei enters the apartment, only to find his plan is far from straight forward, much to the delight of the audience.

Peppered with flashbacks and character reveals that lend weight to deception and mistrust, the players are forced to outwit, out-muscle and out-hustle each other in order to survive the bloodbath. It’s not just about guts and gore though, (although this does have some awesome effects to satiate the hardened viewer) as its trump card is the macabre humour that ticks along and has you laughing at the ridiculously glorious events as they unfold.

The Diagnosis:

This is a Machiavellian tale that beats along at fun and crazed pace. The characters hold their secrets close to their chest, but are forced to spill their guts (literally in some cases) with bloody carnage and mayhem. Every twist and turn is delivered with powerful impact that resonates off the screen and into the cerebellum. Prepare for an enjoyable ride from Russian director, Kirill Sokolov. I predict big things to come from this sharp young mind.

TICKETS

Thu 13 June 8.45pm: Event Cinemas George St 

Head here for tickets

  • Saul Muerte
Guy stands opposite woman who sits on the kitchen counter with her legs stretched out.

Movie review: School’s Out (Sydney Film Festival 2019)

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in sydney film festival

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environmental horror, freak me out, sebastian marnier

Leading the charge for the Freak Me Out Program Strand at Sydney Film Festival this year is French, Environmental, Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Horror film, School’s Out. Before I delve into the guts of the film, I have to remark on the strength of genre movies coming out of France at the moment that are both insightful and leveraged with deep integrity. This writer has been remarkably affected by the likes of Raw, Revenge, and The Night Eats The World in the last couple of years, that I’m becoming a huge fan of this new-wave of francophile horror. Despite not being an all-out horror, School’s Out is firmly can firmly sit side-by-side with these movies.

In its opening scene, director Sébastien Marnier sets out to deliberately disturb the viewer, by confronting the audience with a seemingly tranquil school classroom setting, only to witness the teacher attempt suicide by throwing himself out of the window. What is most unsettling about this scene is the manner in which some of the students seem unaffected by this traumatic moment, simply staring out of the window at the body of their teacher on the ground below. In this one moment, Marnier sets the tone for the remainder of the film. The audience has a feeling of distrust towards the six unempathetic, yet highly-gifted students, and when we are introduced to the lead protagonist, relief teacher, Pierre Hoffman, he carries our fears and animosity with him throughout the films narrative.

The theme is also spelt out fairly early on in the piece too using the sub-genre, environmental horror at its core, which could very well be a growing trend in this class, much like the underrated, The Marshes, which came out last year. After all, horror is supposed to tap into our greatest fears, and what is more horrifying to humanity at the moment than ourselves and our impact on this world?

The message isn’t rammed down our throats though, more rather, it looms large in the background, ever-present, and a reminder that the danger is all around us if we dare to open our eyes and see. The symbolism isn’t lost whenever Pierre is swimming in a nearby lake with a huge power plant filling the landscape behind him.

What makes this film stand out though, is that it cleverly weaves Kafka’s theory of existentialism into the fold with the notion that each one of us is responsible and free for the actions we take. Should we be bystanders in our own destruction, or hopelessly try to prevent our own undoing? Pierre sows this seed fairly on when he mentions that he is working on a thesis around Kafka, and yet can’t seem to find the momentum to complete what he has started. Kafka was known to explore themes of alienation and isolation in his work, fuelled by anxiety in a world that fuses fantasy with reality; all of which is on display in School’s Out and provides the film with the necessary structure in which to tell Marnier and his screenwriting partner Elise Griffon’s narrative.

The beauty of this movie is that in the way Marnier steers his audience into a particular focus, and like Pierre we become blinded by the this narrow approach that we neglect to look at the bigger picture, and in doing so poses some big questions about our responsibilities.

The Diagnosis:

Whilst not strictly a horror in the fullest sense of the word, Marnier’s movie reflects the horrors that humanity is capable of in this slow-burning movie, that lifts the lid and exposes our damning actions. The performances are particularly strong and effective in School’s Out, and in some cases are quite confronting, which only adds to the strength of the overall storyline. Like Kafka’s most known novel, Die Verwandlung” (“The Metamorphosis“), we must learn to adapt or transform our ways if we are to survive, or ultimately face the consequences.

TICKETS

Wed 5 June 6:30pm: Dendy Newtown
Tue 11 June 9pm: Event Cinemas George St
Head here for Tickets

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