Redefining Genre Film...

Adam Rehmeier and Rodleen GetsicTHE BUNNY GAME

This piece, to say the very least, is difficult for me to write.  It seems every time I revisit "BUNNY," some mysterious technological "tragedy" befalls me.  Whether my website crashes, files are corrupted, recorded interviews go to shit, or so on and so forth.  It just feels like I can't quite shake the negative energies contained within Rehmeier's and Getsic's magnum opus of sufferage.  So, as I sit here to discuss how this dynamically deranged duo have redefined genre film, I start to wonder:  Is it possible that what has been committed to celluloid may also possess some level (any at all) of positive energy?  It's hard to imagine that a film overflowing with pain, suffering, back handed brutality, and REAL physical and emotional destruction could; but here I go.

Once again I turned out the lights, made sure my son and wife were fast asleep, and prepared to not stop, pause, rewind, or fast forward at any point.  The difference this time around was that I went in looking for love, kindness, and passion.  I focused my love and passion for life and genre film into this viewing.  I went in clearly defining the lines of reality and fantasy: reminding myself that Rodleen is alive and well and that Adam is actually not a masocist; but a really intelligent, kind, and funny man.   I sat and endured once again.  I felt the absence of peace and kindness washing over me.  As "Hog" grows more daring and sinister and "Bunny's" spiritual shell begins to crack and then crumble:  I began to genuinely believe there was nothing good or kind about this art.

However, a strange thing suddenly occured.  I heard Rodleen's voice.  Not through Bunny's mouth, but the voice that I've conversed with on several occassions.  I listened to her explain her NEED to expell this real life demon.  I sat attentively as she reminded me that her peace came from purging her suffering through expression.  As I watched Bunny transformed by pure evil into a pulp of her former self, I heard Adam.  I heard his voice reminding me why he was committed to this story.  I was reminded of the incredible bond of love and trust that he shares with his dear friend Getsic.  That in many ways (no matter how devestating the subject matter) this project was and still is built on a foundation of trust and spiritual connection between two incredibly kind and gifted artists.  And as Rehmeier and Getsic's gentle voices guided me through this second viewing, a startling thing happened:  Not only did these two beauts redefine a genre, they cleared away the cloud of negative energy I had allowed THE BUNNY GAME to cast over my life and awakened me to the possibilty that even in the darkest art: light exists.

Nicolas RefnVALHALLA RISING

Certain filmmakers have a bit of a swagger about them. Some carry it in the way they walk and talk. Others speak through their art. Silently growing and expanding their mastery of their craft before our very eyes. Individuals who merely exist to do their "work." It never feels pretentious or as if they are flaunting their gifts; rubbing it in lesser artists' sour pusses. Nicolas Refn is that type of artist. Seemingly working outside a traditional structure or proverbial box. Succumbing to none of the preconceived notions that can so frequently take on disfigured lives of their own within the medium.

A baby faced 40 year old with nearly 15 years of film under his belt, Refn registered heavily on the genre radar from his humble beginnings in Denmark with 2008's BRONSON. Chronicling a man who's 7 year sentence turned into 30 years in the hole, he caught all of our eyes and imaginations. The honesty and brutality with which he told this story blinded us to his already respectable cannon. His debut feature PUSHER and it's follow up: BLEEDER were, in their own ways, a very serious sign of things to come. With 2009's VALHALLA RISING, Mr Refn truly harnessed what I believe to be his perfect storm.  

Set in the bleak Norse world of 1000 AD, we are taken on a silent journey of the aptly named "One Eye."  A warrior who oozes power and casts a fearful shadow.  Held prisoner for countless years, once he gains his freedom, "One Eye" boards a Viking ship headed straight into the eye of Hell's needle.  Any lesser artist would have failed miserably with such stark and anemic pathos.  What Refn does is capture with his camera, and no doubt, his hold on the material; an almost ghost like consciousness within the viewer.  Moving meticulously in and out of one disoriented nightmare and into another, the film hammers vigorously at the audiences nervous system.  The pot does indeed boil, but under Refn's watchful eye: never froths over.  Another fine example of not just redefining genre film; but more importantly, the way WE experience it.

Chris Power and Nathan HynesLONG PIGS

One of the true genre gems of the past year for me was LONG PIGS. A film, that in my opinion, did everything it set out to do just right. Yet, despite the fact that everyone involved so perfectly embraced their roles, never had the feeling of, “hey, look what we can do. We're fucking cool.” Whether or not the cast and filmmakers truly know how talented they are and how astutely they captured their “lightning in a bottle” moment is unknown to me. However, the genuine reverence for what they were creating and the spirit with which they filled their “little” serial killer film with did not go unnoticed by this genre fan.

As the creative and constructive forces behind said film, Chris Power and Nathan Hynes appeared to have a clearly defined vision throughout their “process.” A huge admirer of the some-what similarly devised and themed,” Man Bites Dog,” I was anticipating a more derivative experience after doing some research on LONG PIG'S overall narrative. The thing is, that we all live in a post-modern world. A world that for the most part welcomes and features very few truly unique and original ideas no matter what medium you observe. However, from the moment our killer (possessed with such grim, yet disturbing likability by the remarkably gifted Anthony Alviano) enters the frame, I was swept away. It was no doubt a bloody and gruesome ride, but the creative prowess of the three principals at work made it tremendously worth while.

Sliding in and out of the demented and the darkly satirical with such apparent ease, Power, Hynes, and Alviano pull the viewer viciously (whether they're ready or not) into the downward spiral of a madman. It's a moment in time (and film) that , I believe, should be recognized as a tent-pole in the genre. A virtual love letter to all of the fans who hunger for a fresh, honest, and distastefully enjoyable viewing experience. In a time when there are so many voices screaming about the death and decline of the “horror” film, Mr. Power and Mr. Hynes administered an emergency adrenaline shot straight to the heart of a genre that many saw was flat-lining. I, for one, never bought into the doom and gloom predicted for our beloved cinema macabre. However, on a run of watching some real stinkers at the time, LONG PIGS revitalized my excitement and anticipation of things to come: thank you Chris Power, thank you Nathan Hynes. What you did with LONG PIGS not only brought us hope, but began your inevitable journey toward redefining genre film.

Gaspar NoeENTER THE VOID

For those of us who already exist outside the borders of the "mainstream," Gaspar Noe announced his presence in genre film with 2002's IRREVERSIBLE.  A movie that was, and still is, noteworthy for it's incredibly brutal acts of onscreen violence as well as the depth and intricacy of the story it told.  However, despite many identifying this as Noe's "calling" card it's also essential to take a long hard look at his morbid opus from 1998, I STAND ALONE.  Again, another example of a man truly working within his own "box" to breath life into art created for the sake of art.  It wasn't until ENTER THE VOID, that Gaspar Noe took his renegade honesty a step further, by creating a film that is not just about what the viewer feels.  It is much more about how what you are seeing makes you feel.

A story that submerges our subconscious in the drug and "club" cultures of modern day Japan.  A film that begins it's visual onslaught as the opening credits roll.  A film that takes a brass knuckle approach to it's audience.  NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER.  How else do you explain a story so basic and bare bones that there is nary a narrative surprise or revelation to be found?  I can answer that quite simply. Because Noe deals in the realities of life: sometimes tragic, sometimes epic in tone, but most of the time sparse and uneventful.  As with ENTER THE VOID, many of the most disturbing and harrowing moments of our lives take place "off the radar," in the mind's processing of information, and within the very fabric of our souls.

Slamming us in and out of drug induced hallucinations, the seedy existence of characters both primary and secondary to the "story," exploring familial ties and loyalties, with a good bit of Freudian sprinkled about; Noe stirred a pot in a way that very few have the balls to.  A hypnotizingly lucid blend of the auditory and visual with performances so stripped down they almost feel (God forbid) real; this latest endeavor is truly something to behold.  It leaves no uncertainty regarding Mr. Noe's place in film, nor any way to argue the substantial part he plays in redefining the genre.

David BlythWOUND

An active filmmaker for over 30 years, David Blyth makes a viscous re-entry into genre cinema with his psyche shattering film WOUND.  Many will point to 1984's "Death Warmed Over" as this New Zealand writer/director's crowning achievement.  And although that film shows Blyth's considerable talents both with script and camera, WOUND marks a triumphant return in which he shoehorns his way into the viewer's gray matter.

Gearing up for it's worldwide DVD distribution, WOUND is the best mind fuck of a film few have yet to see.  With performances that defy any insecurities by the actors (namely:  Kate O'Rourke, Te Kaea Beri, and Campbell Cooley), a narrative that shouldn't spew forth from even the most twisted individual's nightmares, and Blyth's ability to seamlessly blend the unthinkable with the sublime; WOUND becomes a benchmark in the genre by the end of it's brisque 76 minute run time.  There's simply no way to prepare yourself (nor should you try) for the atrocities set free from this man's mind.  

Equal parts love story and sadomasochist wet dream, one thing is undeniable:  David Blyth has not only created a macabre masterpiece, he most definitely is redefining (if not shattering) an entire genre.

CM DownsFETCH

Working throughout the decade as a director, producer, writer, cinematographer, and visual/special effects guy: CM Downs was “paying his dues.” Film-making is an incredibly fascinating and thankless job for both those observing from a far and the people who are actually fighting the battle. For those of us in the know, it's no great revelation to find out how many incredibly gifted artists and films lie outside the Hollywood juggernaut. As an avid seeker of great genre cinema, I (on occasion) have the opportunity to bask in the glory of some truly revolutionary and imaginative viewing experiences. Not long ago, I found myself in a tremendously frustrating movie “rut” forcing my eyes upon one disappointing DVD after another. And then came FETCH.

What Downs has realized with this venture is nothing short of stupefying. FETCH may very well be the best European film not made by a European. It's sensibilities are right in line with those revered directors across the pond. Dark, emotional themes weave their way in and out of haunting landscapes and with the help of a beautifully visceral visual and auditory design, create a tapestry that is as much lush as it is sparse: as gorgeous as it is frightening. It's a film that Downs has clearly poured the very essence of his being into, but more than that: it's representative of a moment in time when an artist steps forward and redefines a genre, pulling at the very seams of it's constraints.

Assembling an incredibly gifted group of performers, Mr. Downs coaxed when he needed to, directed when the moment demanded, and let his actors roam free within his confines at all the right places. His eye for the minimal and heart for the grand are on display throughout FETCH's narrative in such a way that as the characters become more lost or unhinged, the viewer does so as well with empathetic fervor. Whether redirecting our focus, inviting us to fall in and out of love with the tragic, leaving our mouth agape with what we have just seen, or pulling us into situations we clearly don't want to be a part of: Downs executes his plan for the viewer with disturbing precision. As this director's project creeps toward distribution, one can only imagine what is on his professional horizon. A man who grew up on and is fully devoted to horror and genre cinema, yet brings the medium to levels that defy stereotyping; CM Downs is one of very few filmmakers who have begun the revolution to redefine genre film.

Jesse Holland and Andy MittonYELLOWBRICKROAD

Not long ago, I found myself in a regretful state of mind. I often complain about, and make it a point to bring to others' attention, films that talk down to their audiences. Filmmakers that force feed their viewers as if they were mentally challenged infants. Filmmakers who rely on the age old (and horribly ignorant) adage that people don't want to think when they watch a movie, they want to be entertained. They want their experience to be wrapped up in a neat little bow. They want this bow to preferably be full of sunshine and rainbows and pretty little unicorns prancing through fields of goldenrod. I bring this up initially to state (with a heart full of embarrassment) that upon first viewing YellowBrickRoad, I to was expecting and hoping to be spoon fed my narrative. I really didn't want to think about what I had watched after the fact. I didn't want to ponder a deeper meaning. I was frustrated, annoyed, I even felt betrayed by the writing/directing team of Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton. How dare they not know that I was in the mood for mindless, mouth breathing entertainment! I knew I had to go back to it. I just had no idea what emotions that next experience would evoke.

When I think of those people that are restructuring the framework and testing the boundaries of genre film, it's just irresponsible to leave these two artists out of the discussion. Conjuring a premise intriguing enough in and of itself, yet deciding to take it in directions wholly unexpected, is daring. It shows that the person or persons in charge of the creative property don't care about rolling around naked in piles of $100 bills. It shows that they are committed to seeing their vision through to the end. This commitment is rare; to that point, almost unheard of. However Mitton and Holland committed so fully to the soul of YellowBrickRoad's narrative, it demands attention. In a day and age when we spend a good part of our time being told what we should say and how we should feel; a film finally came along and dared us to decide for ourselves.

YellowBrickRoad involves an incredibly isolated location, a cast being pushed to the very brink of sanity, and a story that requires everyone involved have their “all or nothing” attitudes firmly in place. That should have been a recipe for disaster. Yet somehow, these two men found a chemistry between each other, trusted in their abilities and passion for the project, and never abandoned their desire to create a wholly unique (and challenging) viewing experience. I can only imagine how scary that journey was at times. Maybe there were moments where their confidence was shaken; maybe not. Perhaps there were times they felt like the whole thing just wouldn't work. It might not be beyond the realm of possibility to think that they spent more than one cold, dark night cursing themselves for even attempting to take so much on. Whether or not any of that even happened is irrelevant. What does matter is that Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton followed through on their promise to themselves: to create something full of beauty, cloaked in mystery, and truly frightening at it's core. YellowBrickRoad is a film that changes in the way it effects, bewilders, and inspires with each viewing. It not only puts on display the darkest side of the human spirit; it also is a powerful example of how two men are redefining genre film. 

Gregg HoltgreweDAWNING

As someone who began my love affair with the horror genre at a young age:  I can say with all honesty, one of my life's greatest pleasures is sitting down to a truly frightening film and being unsettled. I remember going to my "mom and pop" video store and renting titles like: I Spit On Your Grave, The Changeling, and The Exorcist at ages that were probably FAR too young. Although I would also watch The Elm Street, Friday The 13th, and Puppet Master films at sleep-overs; my interest always lied in storytelling and horror that (even if of the supernatural variety) lived somewhere in reality.

As I grew and matured I went through my gore-hound phase. Even today I continue to be fascinated by the magic of practical gore effects in film. However, what has never changed, even after I married and had a child, was my preference for well thought out and executed narratives that revolve around man's inhumanity to man.

In 2010, one man seemed to capture the ever illusive "lightening in a bottle." His film DAWNING became, for me, a perfect storm of storytelling, man's inhumanity to man, and a creep factor that methodically works it's way far too deeply inside the viewer. It was a brave path for Gregg Holtgrewe to take indeed. In a genre that is presently (and sadly) fueled by remakes, reboots, mock-busters, and the like: Holtgrewe threw caution to the wind and built his intelligent, suspenseful, and character driven horror film on a foundation far outside the mainstream's property lines.

Delving into the dynamics at play within a possibly dysfunctional family, isolation at what should be a safe vacation home, and the arrival of a stranger afraid of something, as yet, unseen:  Holtgrewe flourishes.  In a year where we continued to hear about the de-evolution of our beloved genre, I begged to differ.  Mr. Holtgrewe, in standing firm and committed to his vision, proved three things: real artists don't succumb to Hollywood's ass fucking of my beloved genre, the darkest and most horrifying tales come from the concise execution of a brilliant story, and Gregg Holtgrewe (with DAWNING) followed his creative instincts and redefined genre film.

Steven KastrissiosTHE HORSEMAN

In 2010, the Australian Revenge film THE HORSEMAN stampeded it's way into my life and absolutely captivated me. The feeling I had when viewing it for the first time was akin to a lustful yet chaotic relationship with the most beautiful woman you've ever seen.  I loved the look of this film: it's cinematography is brilliant, plain and simple.  I was emotionally devastated by Peter Marshall's performance: he is fearless. And I was equal parts drawn to and repulsed by it's narrative:  Daughter dies under tragic circumstances, father seeks revenge, chaos and heartache ensue.

Like many films that succeed or fail, their fate lies in the execution.  THE HORSEMAN, thankfully, had at it's reigns a 23 year old wise beyond his years. Steven Kastrissios is not so much an example, but the very embodiment of, fearless commitment.  By the time THE HORSEMAN reached DVD in 2010, Kastrissios had been loving and suffering with this masterpiece for over 5 years. ASTOUNDING.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Steven at length before his movie's release.  Three things struck me immediately:  his honesty, his love of film, and his genuine human kindness.  But being a great person does not make a great filmmaker. What makes this man so incredible is his commitment to his vision, his natural ability to create, execute, and technically structure his work, and the way his film permeates the very fabric of humanity.  Talk about redefining a genre, Kastrissios may just redefine the craft before it's all said and done.  Maybe this is how people felt watching Bergman or Scorsese rise to God-like status in their field.