Monthly Archives: August 2020

Movie review: Deerskin

06 Thursday Aug 2020

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I distinctly remember when Deerskin was doing the festival circuits and that I felt strangely intrigued by its subject but equally there wasn’t enough there to draw me in, which just goes to say that old phrase… 

Never judge a book by it’s cover. 

Or at least don’t judge a film by its synopsis… 

Yes, this film oozes independent movie making and the stereotypical associations that come with it when it comes to ‘quirkiness’, but there’s more going on beneath the surface of the weird and wonderful.

Part of my initial rebuke came down to a couple of things: My misunderstanding of the context, which on face value tells the story of a man going through a midlife crisis, blowing his entire fortune to fulfil his obsession for a deerskin jacket, resorting to criminal misgivings in order to attain his dream.

Whilst here at Surgeons of Horror, we dedicate our love to horror films, this isn’t your typical out and out horror. This is psychologically disturbing using its oddity and humour as a mask to the human psyche. We’re witnessing a descent into madness and delusion in pursuit of one man’s dream. A pursuit that leads him to shed his skin to regain an identity in order to feel, to emote and connect to something. It just so happens that this connection to the world comes in the form of a deerskin jacket.

The second misjudgement I casted was towards the films’ director, Quentin Dupiuex aka Mr Oizo! Remember that guy? Brought this hit to the late 90s…

Yeah that dude!
Plus he was responsible for creating a film about a homicidal tyre in pursuit of a woman, called Rubber. Yeah, you read that right.
So you can forgive me for casting assumptions on his craft, when in actuality, when you scrutinise his credits, there’s a strong theme that resonates through his work. The subject of obsession and the organic, physiology and biology of humanity. That desire or in some cases, killer instinct that compels us to pursue the impossible. 

Part of Deerskin’s appeal is through its unpredictable, spontaneous nature. In this instance, Georges, our obsessed man on the brink, (Jean Dujardin – The Artist, in another compelling performance) as he shifts and turns with a touch of improvisation, living in the moment and responding to whatever life throws his way. He is in the NOW, damn the consequences.
Some scenes are shocking, some macabre, but there’s always the hint of dark humour that comes out of the maniacal and when things are deliberately off kilter.

The deeper he goes on his quest for fulfilment, the murkier and thwarted his life becomes, and the more loose and carefree he gets with his actions.
One identity that he attached himself to is that of a director of a film, which one can instinctively connect to that of a voyeur, but instead of looking outward, he casts himself as the subject matter. Ably assisting him in creating his vision, is a bartender, Denise (Adèle Haenel- Portrait of a Lady on Fire) with an interest in becoming an editor, who leaps at the opportunity when presented to her to be a part of Georges’ movie.
For Georges, there is only one drive. One passion. Deerskin. 

The Prognosis:

Like any pursuit, our journey can lead to destruction and ruin.
Dupiuex manages to craft a curious descent into the lengths that one man will go to in order to pursue his dream.

It is truly an original, strengthened by solid, realistic performances.
Deeply compelling, with a subject that lures you in and keeps you captivated, through its idiosyncratic mindset.

  • Saul Muerte

DEERSKIN

In Cinemas Now

Movie review: Blood Vessel

02 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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The film opens with what feels like a notable nod to Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat as we are greeted with a group of survivors floating in a life raft, having escaped from their torpedoed hospital ship. They have no food, no water, and are close to giving up when a small thread of hope arrives in the shape of a German U-Boat, but what lies aboard is a descent into hell where the battle of survival has just begun.

Like Lifeboat, the group are at odds with one another and suspicious of some among them including Russian POW, Alexander (Alex Cooke), who happens to be a crack shot with a rifle and probably the most natural survivalist of the crew. Also casting a dubious past to his character is the token Brit, the weedy Gerard Faraday. Leading the charge is Nathan Sinclair (Nathan Philips) who captivates the viewer with his magnanimous presence and die hard attitude, but when they are faced with an unknown evil presence onboard the ship, they must learn to put aside their differences and look to unite if they are ever going to make it through “this bloody war”.

It is Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), that the audience really gets behind however as the heart of the crew and it helps that she is a ‘medic” who has a pained past with a desire to heal everyone. She really captures the attention which is a testament to her on screen appeal and her weight as an actor, pulling you into the storyline and connecting with her character.

This is also a huge accomplishment of Justin Dix’s cinematic gaze for his sophomore outing in the director’s chair. Dix manages to craft a highly engaging storyline, that is essentially vampires on a boat, using his incredible skill set with visual and creature effects to boost the appeal above and beyond the usual fanfare.
The screenplay which is also overseen by Dix and his co-writer, Jordan Prosser, weave together enough ups and downs and moments of turmoil for the crew, as they fight against the odds. A massive plus is that we’re presented with characters that are incredibly believable, and with whom you want to see survive, when you know in your heart simply ain’t gonna happen, and in doing so casts you at odds as you also secretly want their demise to come.

The Prognosis:

Hands down, Director Justin Dix has crafted a highly engaging, action-packed thrill ride with characters that you care for.

Combined with some decent effects and a creative storyline, Dix has in my humble opinion put himself and his production company Wicked of Oz firmly on the map.
A must see film that will definitely entertain.

  • Saul Muerte

Available on DVD at JB Hi Fi and Sanity
and Video on Demand through iTunes/Google /Fetch/Foxtel Store/Umbrella Entertainment from August 5th.

Retrospective: The Black Cat (1941)

01 Saturday Aug 2020

Posted by in retrospective, Universal Horror

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The film derives its title from a classic Edgar Allan Poe short story, but its usage should be held lightly as it’s a far cry from its inspiration, only vaguely connected via said black cat who mysteriously arrives when a dead body is found.

Having traversed through the early Universal horror films and into the 1940s, it becomes apparent the strikingly familiar storyline that is at its helm, primarily based on The Old Dark House, which had been a winning formula for the giant film production house. 

The trouble is, this feels all too stale and tired in comparison to its predecessors that I felt beyond caring for the characters plight and you just long for Tim Curry to prop up and “camp” his way through a whodunnit spiel, just to spice things up a bit.

Instead we’re faced with a couple of bungling sleuths in the guise of antique dealers, there to praise the value of some of the elderly Henrietta Winslow’s estate. Henrietta is aware that she is to bequeath her fortune to a greedy family, so she writes up a will against their knowledge with a caveat stating that they will not be able to lay their hands on her money, until her housekeeper Abigail and her many cats have died.

Cue the death of Henrietta, the reveal of her will, and then a pursuit of Abigail from a mysterious assailant, leaving the two antique dealers to try and solve the murder before the night is through and to prevent a higher body count. 

The Black Cat boasts an incredible cast in Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert (who admittedly is slightly annoying with his comic relief), Broderick Crawford, Anne Gwynne, the brilliantly melodramatic Gale Sondegaard, a young Alan Ladd (“Shane!”) and a criminally underused Bela Lugosi as the ‘red herring’ character. So it’s a shame then that this is a massive misfire and never utilises the talent on display with essentially an incredibly poor script that tries to rest on intrigue and a narrative template.

It lacks substance and therefore the likes of Rathbone simply have nothing to play with on screen and the comedy moments just doesn’t connect, leaving the whole debacle feeling flat.

  • Saul Muerte