THE SEVERED HEAD NETWORK - Compilation
DVD (2003)
-The best of Volumes 1 + 2
By WICKED
PIXEL CINEMA (www.wickedpixel.com)
Wicked
Pixel Cinema and Sub
Rosa Studios present this 'mixed bag' collection of Unrated and
uncensored short experimental films and music videos on acid, ranging from
the edgy and bizarre to the erotic and sensual, including the award winning
music video CURVEBALL: PILE OF JUNK by Jason Christ.
The DVD is a 'mixed bag' because most of
the films are by Eric Stanze or have his involvement in them somewhere
(mainly as Editor), as he is effectively Wicked
Pixel. Unlike your normal short film compilation choosing from a rich
and copious variety of unique product, some of these films would not be
chosen to appear on their merits alone, especially by a person outside the Wicked
Pixel posse. After watching the likes of SCRAPBOOK
and ICE FROM THE SUN, I had high hopes for these films
living up to the 'edgy and uncensored' label, but found some of them sadly
lacking. Having said that I did find the DVD entertaining and well worth the
money with the good assortment of behind the scenes footage, stills and
preview trailers, although it is a bit worrying when the brilliant opening
title sequences also included as extras on the DVD are more entertaining
than some of the films!
VOMIRE (1999)
Directed by Chad Eivins.
This excellent opening film is a dark and
twisted 6 minute assault on your brain, with heights of inspired madness
mixed with childish low budget visual gimmickry, very akin to a Psychic TV
concert, leaving you happily confused and expecting great things from the
following films. It opens with a poetry quote about Unicorns and a flapping
stop motion Angel, proceeds to offer up an alternative title " Or…How
my cunt discharged your morals and started believing in unicorns" and
then juxtaposes religious imagery with a couple having bloody sex, while a
cow is dispatched and carved up in an abattoir and a pumpkin boy rapes a
crucifix! It's not subtle or intelligent art, but it is damn effective and
definitely stays with you, whether you like it or not.
FAITH IN NOTHING
Directed and Edited by Eric Stanze.
This is a 7 minute music video dubbed as
'haunting and erotic' to the tune 'FAITH IN NOTHING' by Analogue Satellite.
The tune is excellent, evoking such great bands as ENIGMA and DELIRIUM.
Sadly the video, about a girl who misses the love who walked out on her (DJ
Vivona - ICE FROM THE SUN) - which is to compliment
the tune and capture the emotions expressed, - sadly bored me to tears and
didn't quite capture the 'erotic' or the loss aspect, intended. This was
mainly due to the fact that we see the girl (who is not exactly a looker)
trying to writhe seductively, boobs out, in an ethereal Goth/hippy kind of
way, but looking merely confused and in need of more medication. This goes
on for far too long, with nothing new to take us through other emotions,
reducing the song to second string, rather than selling it. You can tell
that Eric tried hard with this video when looking at the extras, decorating
an impressive set, using smoke, soft focus, backward and forward motion and
a very effective rain effect, but unfortunately it plays like an amateur
Eighties pop promo.
SATISFACTION
Written and Directed by Tommy Biondo (SCRAPBOOK
- sadly deceased).
This 21-minute film opens with some naïve
but heartfelt poetry (Written by Biondo, Read by Eli Russell) over footage
of a brunette (Russell) and Biondo fooling around and taking Polaroid's on a
bed. It becomes apparent that the girl is uncomfortable with normal foreplay
and quickly seeks to dominate him. We see flashbacks to a black and white
memory of DJ Vivona raping the girl, frustrated by her obsession with Art.
These events gradually unfold as the girl explores candleplay and light
bondage, before she takes out her revenge on this unsuspecting one night
stand. The film features full frontal male and female nudity, and has a
certain naive honesty that excuses the pacing and lacklustre 'erotic' sex.
It isn't as hard hitting as it could be, but it is a great first effort from
a sadly deceased and missed raw talent.
UNWANTED
Directed by Todd Tevlin.
A 4-minute music video to the titular tune
by Purple Screwdriver. The video opens as a killer (Chris Grega) brutally
strangles a woman. His apparent transportation from his urban surroundings
to a field, strangling thin air, would suggest he is either mad or something
else is going on. However we don't get time to ponder these things as he
finds a gun and goes on a lustful hunt for fresh victims in an Orwellian
nightmare to a mind-crushing tune that sounds like a Darlek invasion on
acid. Entertaining if imperfect.
VICTIM (1999)
Written, Produced and Directed by Jason
Christ.
A group of friends goes camping, only to be
butchered by an axe wielding schizophrenic killer, in this well shot
5-minute slasher film with a twist (it's not much of a surprise twist, but
it does work). It seems out of place amongst this odd collection of films,
mainly as it is a straight dramatic tale but also because it is superior in
quality and style to most of the films in this collection. Molly Reid was
convincing as the axe-wielding killer, even if she does give the surprise
away with an obvious blank stare.
SEDGEWICK (1997)
Written and Directed by Stephen M Lashley
and Quinn M Botthof.
This experimental Super 8/16mm film looks
oddly out of place in this collection, looking dated and grainy in contrast
to the SOV looks of the other films, but has an extremely odd quirky charm
that makes up for its confusing narrative and poor punchline delivery. The
main character, an ageing retired gent named Sedgewick (Robert Daley), who
likes nothing more than watching his favourite TV programs, is sent to get
some groceries by his wife (Natascha Jacobsen). His senile mind manages to
misfire at the slightest suggestion into a powerful day dream fantasy world,
where he rescues a drug taking woman from her dealer/rapist, only to be
attacked and rejoices in a deer getting its revenge on man hunting a
miserable and rude butcher, waking to find him strapped to his bumper. The
film entertains and lightens the mood with its cheerful jazz score and warm
colours, but even though it has some classic moments of horror style like
the XTRO inspired 'child terrorised by a clown in the
closet' sequence, seems overlong, doesn't seem to pay off and could do with
a little tweak to strengthen the ending.
LIONTOWN
Directed by Aaron Crozier.
Oh God, run for your lives it's a
'musical'! At least that is what you'd normally hear me cry when confronted
by that word, but this film does entertain and fits in nicely with the rest
of these bizarre short films, with its cheerful gore, cheesy singing and
predictable but over the top punchline. It seems the rest of the animal
kingdom is bored or unhappy with their lot, wanting to seek out pastures new
and a better quality of living in LIONTOWN, where the inhabitants advertise
a 'life of luxury' and 'free food'. In this town, you better read the small
print and guess where that free food comes from, as the new inhabitants
quickly realise they are the main course at the welcome supper! The film
plays like a live action SOUTH PARK episode, with its amateurish dancing,
singing and over the top gore, ala CANNIBAL: THE MUSICAL. Crude but funny,
although the credits sequence is very very long and has a very annoying
song.
CURVEBALL: PILE OF JUNK (1999)
Directed by Jason Christ.
I had high hopes for this music video,
seeing as it has won an Emmy and the prestigious Cine Eagle Award! Sadly I
can't see how, unless the other nominees were really bad, or there was a
special dispensation for the film due to its low budget aspirations. This
video although mildly entertaining, did nothing for me. It features a shaven
headed man watching static on TV in a very DIE KRUPPS/FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY
Industrial style/inspired setting. When the titular music kicks in, he goes
barmy and trashes the room before going for a schizophrenic jog through an
Industrial wasteland, running off into the country before he hits a dead
end. This was intercut with the footage of the band playing and swishing
their locks about. It was okay, but all I could think about was how the hell
did it win an award? Maybe it is because I have seen so many better bands
make much more impressive low budget videos…who knows. I think in this
case the marketing was a mistake - because of the awards, I expected more.
I did enjoy the compilation over all, but I
did wonder what some of the other films were like, if they didn't make the
grade! Short film compilations are a great idea, as sadly it is a well known
fact that although great as a 'showreel' and calling card to the filmmaking
industry, they rarely ever make any money and sadly usually only find an
audience packaged on the extras on a feature presentation DVD, or at a
festival screening. This way more people will hopefully invest their money
in short films and Indie talent and broaden their horizons. I just don't
think this compilation was as great as it could be, especially if it strove
for higher standards and used more product from outside the Wicked Pixel
stable…
Special Features
Opening Title Sequences (Both by Eric
Stanze):
- Vol#1 Writhing naked beauty (Christine)
to the tune of 'kids are gonna fuck' by The Sons Of The Black Mass
- Vol#2 Scenes of Excellent prosthetic/SFX
by Patrick Voss to the tune 'No Buttons' by Ven Rivoli
Behind the scenes (4*) Videos and
Stills
Preview Trailers
Special Thanks to Ron at Sub
Rosa for this DVD screener.
Visit Sub
Rosa Studios website to find out more/Purchase this DVD at: http://www.b-movie.com
Lee |
