Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Michael Allen
Just how bad can The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra get before this film can even be considered good? If anyone is to try and watch this film without any foreknowledge that it is intended to be a complete parody of a genre, the B-movies from the 50’s, the point will quickly be missed.
Back in the days, this type of schlock could be found on a drive-in theatre’s big screen. Ed Wood’s films, like Plan 9 From Outer Space, tries to be serious, but where has that gone? For audiences who can’t swallow anymore of the sci-fi horror genre, making out in the back seat is a better option. The special edition DVD release is infinitely better. The supplemental material touches on what is appealing about these movies and explains why this movie was even made to begin with.
Director/writer Larry Blamire is interviewed and he does a great job in coaching his stars in this film to be at their worst. He also writes the product like some of the films back then. Mass market B-movies were, sometimes, intentionally lowbrow.
The only production element that was not done was in artifacting this 21st century production to become a product of its times. The DVD video is too crisp and clean. It looked like it was shot in colour before being converted to black and white, and that is the only thing that distracts when trying to emulate a product that can be sixty years old.
But short of purposefully making this film on a shoestring budget and on the pretense of not knowing how to act is part of this product’s charm.
While this video release has been out for some time now (2004), to look back at this film again and survive more than a few viewings says something about the art of lampooning. To see what Blamire can do in a proper production will be interesting, but he is stuck in the same place that many independents are. Directors these days have to get the attention of the Hollywood executives who are willing to put this director into a multi-million production.
Overall: 6.5 out of 10.
Available on DVD:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
| | | |
Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email
Posted in: 2011,b movie,horror,movie review
0 comments:
Post a Comment