Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Michael Allen
Directors/writers: Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska.
Dead Hooker in a Trunk is a film from Twisted Twin Productions, which is the first feature film from the Vancouver based Soska sisters (Jen and Sylvia). The trouble with reviewing this film is one wants to encourage creativity, but there is a certain degree of respect which must be held for readers. So, in the middle this review will fall and the film is also very much in the middle of campy and ridiculous.
The film's plot could be reduced to one word - foreskin, but future viewers might want to know more about the subplots. There are many of these. There is a drug using woman with an amputated arm, who cannot find a notable surgeon, there is an awkward love story between a youth group facilitator and a one eyed woman, there is a random lassoing pimp cowboy, there is a serial killer...All of these elements and many more make up a meandering film, known as Dead Hooker in a Trunk.
The film simply feels like the Soska sisters bit off more than they can chew. The grindhouse feel and constant violence is meant to shock, or come across as over-the-top. However, the film and the filmmakers are over-extended by about an hour. A short film would have been a better choice for a first outing, but the film just keeps going.
Ben Bussey of the website Brutal Shell says of the film: "It [the plot] sounds straight away like the set-up to a joke." However, let us not be totally negative, as the film seems to bring a new genre to cinema, which would be titled violence-ploitation. If there is a problem, kill someone. If there is a problem with the script, amputate an arm with a passing semi and then beat up the driver. If an additional scene is needed to reach the 90 minute mark, add in a 10 minute hooker beating. So, if violence is your forte, then you will like this film. Others who are looking for something high-brow, sophisticated, or deep will laugh at the random character roping, but groan at the sheer craziness of all the gore.
A search of the film's website and fan page has not unearthed this film's release date, or whether the picture has received distribution. So, fans of the extremely violent will need to see this film on the film festival circuit. Also, read other reviews on this title, as 28DLA is not the authority on brutal grindhouse.
Overall: 6 out of 10 (-1 for the bouncing around of the film, -1 for complete unbelievability of events, -1 for being too long, -1 for the Soska sisters taking on too much e.g. producer, director, writer, lead etc.).
Another review of the film is at Brutal Shell:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk at Brutal Shell
The film's homepage:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk's Resting Place
The film's homepage:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk on Facebook
This is probably a better choice for most viewers in relatively the same genre:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
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Dead Hooker in a Trunk is a film from Twisted Twin Productions, which is the first feature film from the Vancouver based Soska sisters (Jen and Sylvia). The trouble with reviewing this film is one wants to encourage creativity, but there is a certain degree of respect which must be held for readers. So, in the middle this review will fall and the film is also very much in the middle of campy and ridiculous.
The film's plot could be reduced to one word - foreskin, but future viewers might want to know more about the subplots. There are many of these. There is a drug using woman with an amputated arm, who cannot find a notable surgeon, there is an awkward love story between a youth group facilitator and a one eyed woman, there is a random lassoing pimp cowboy, there is a serial killer...All of these elements and many more make up a meandering film, known as Dead Hooker in a Trunk.
The film simply feels like the Soska sisters bit off more than they can chew. The grindhouse feel and constant violence is meant to shock, or come across as over-the-top. However, the film and the filmmakers are over-extended by about an hour. A short film would have been a better choice for a first outing, but the film just keeps going.
Ben Bussey of the website Brutal Shell says of the film: "It [the plot] sounds straight away like the set-up to a joke." However, let us not be totally negative, as the film seems to bring a new genre to cinema, which would be titled violence-ploitation. If there is a problem, kill someone. If there is a problem with the script, amputate an arm with a passing semi and then beat up the driver. If an additional scene is needed to reach the 90 minute mark, add in a 10 minute hooker beating. So, if violence is your forte, then you will like this film. Others who are looking for something high-brow, sophisticated, or deep will laugh at the random character roping, but groan at the sheer craziness of all the gore.
A search of the film's website and fan page has not unearthed this film's release date, or whether the picture has received distribution. So, fans of the extremely violent will need to see this film on the film festival circuit. Also, read other reviews on this title, as 28DLA is not the authority on brutal grindhouse.
Overall: 6 out of 10 (-1 for the bouncing around of the film, -1 for complete unbelievability of events, -1 for being too long, -1 for the Soska sisters taking on too much e.g. producer, director, writer, lead etc.).
Another review of the film is at Brutal Shell:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk at Brutal Shell
The film's homepage:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk's Resting Place
The film's homepage:
Dead Hooker in a Trunk on Facebook
This is probably a better choice for most viewers in relatively the same genre:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
| | Stumble It! Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email
Posted in: 2010,campy horror movie review,dead hooker in a trunk,independent,jen soska,movie review,plot,sylvia soska,twisted twins productions,vancouver
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