DVD and FILM REVIEWS BY JEFF WATTS

WAMEGO : A DOCUMENTARY Making Movies Anywhere 2004
Be on the look out for a film called FIRECRACKER. This documentary mainly covers the making of FIRECRAKER in Wamego, Kansas. A town close to Manhattan. I’m kicking myself for not driving a few hours to be a extra on this one. I had heard about the film before on the internet as it has a fair amount of buzz attached to it. Also my brother has the directors first film “PEP SQUAD” on DVD. At the time I heard Dennis Hoper was the lead, but that switched to Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Ipecac records, etc., fame. I am a big fan of his music. Karen Black is the female lead is also a film legend you youngsters know her form HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES as Mother Fierfly. This film has a lot of big name actors attached to it at one point during the pre-production. From Debbi Harry to Edward Furlong, to Gus VanSant. Meet the Balderson family Steven the film maker, Clark The dad who works the money and some of the headaches. Making a movie is more work then most people in the movie theater take the time to even think about. A well made look at what it takes to follow through on a vision and a dream to make the film as true as you can. Kansas is a lot different when it comes to filmmaking then the Hollywood attitude of only one way to do things. This is a good example of things can be done cheaper and get the same effect. Karren Black compares Steve Balderson to Alfred Hitchcock. Most of the footage is of the Balderson family. They seem pretty close nit and down to earth, even though they under took the making of a feature length film with a budget of around two million dollars. Not a lot on the technical side of filmmaking. More on the creative side and some on the business of it. Well made, it would make a nice dvd extra (but holds up on it's own). Well worth your time.

http://www.dikenga.com/films/firecracker/documentary/index.htm official site order this

FIRECRACKER COMES OUT ON DVD MAY 23, 2006

      

 

        
   
 
UNDEAD 2002
UNDEAD is part horror part science fiction. Think if Sam Rami had watched a couple seasons of the X-FILES then he made THE EVIL DEAD. A cross between DEAD ALIVE, THE EVIL DEAD, and SIGNS. Oh yeah and it’s from Australia. A fair amount of computer generated effects, they look good. The over the top cop is my favorite character. “I’ll finish you faster than a birthday cake at a fat chicks fuckin’ birth day party”. The basic story--meteors hit people and turn them into zombies, then a group of people fight to stay alive. Blood spurting fun with zombies and aliens. Some parts have a cartoonish feel. It’s different and worthy of a look. “Bugger me”. JW http://www.undeadmovie.com/ official site
          
       
       
RATS : NIGHT OF TERROR 1983
I’ve all ways had a soft spot in my heart for post apocalypse movies. Well here we have a Italian post nuke, set in the future movie. The year is 225 A.B. (after the bomb). A group/gang of survivors find a science lab with food and water. The only problem is the place is overrun with you guessed it from the title rats. Fleshing eating rats that want human flesh. The rats are actually painted guinea pigs but it works all right. A few funny scenes of rats jumping up from the ground and biting a guys neck and of buckets full of rats being dumped on the actors. Corny dialogue, bad acting, and a small amount of gore. The only thing good about this one is the art for the title in the opening and it has a decent ending. I guess in the future you have to wear a head band or have a beard. A few scenes ripped of strait from Night of the Living dead. With rats in place of the zombies. Directed by Bruno Mattei who alos did HELL OF THE LIVIND DEAD a bad imitation of Dawn of the Dead set in the jungle. Recommended only for peole who have 93 minutes to waste on a movie that could’ve been a lot better. The chapter titles would make good song titles for a metal band: “Lucifer’s lust, sleeping bag slaughter, flames of mercy, attack of the war rodents”. I used the cover from the vhs. [ANCHOR BAY] JW
         

 
 
 
BLOODY MALLORY 2002
Mallory is the leader of a anti-paranormal unit. Her crew includes a mute little girl with ESP, and a tall black transvestite. They drive around in a pink hearse. “Fuck Evil”. The Pope is kidnapped and they have to rescue him. Bad fight scenes, a small amount of gore, and bad English dubs (it does have the original French language track with English subs.). The film is good quality with nice colors. This isn’t the worst thing they’ve put out. Just watch the trailers on the disc. Lions Gate get some fucking quality control. I bought this used for ten dollars and overpaid by $9.88. I say skip it. [LIONS GATE] JW
    
   

   
                 
                           
               
 
                                           

More reviews soon. Next time I might review - SLIME CITY, PRISON A-GO-GO, I EAT YOUR SKIN, ALONE IN THE DARK, and more. Untill next time, Jeff Fungus.