AmosL
08-27-2006, 02:03 PM
"STRANGE FRUIT" and VAPID SHALLOW MODELS MUST DIE"
AMOS LASSEN and Cinema Pride
Some of you may remember that classic by Billie Holliday, "Strange Fruit". The song was based upon lynchings that occurred in the South during a very dark period in our history. Written and directed by Regis Trigano, "Strange Fruit" (Ariztical, Culture Q) is a mocumentary that attempts to examine depression among those who are less fortunate.. I watched the film with shock and horror that something like this actually happened in the United States. I have to admit I wanted ore background, I felt that the movie was lacking something, But even with that I learned about a part of our history that we should be ashamed
A gay thriller in the John Grisham style, this movie follows a young attorney from New York who investigates the murder of a friend from his childhood. William Boyals (Kent Faulcon) who is both young and an accomplished lawyer returns to Louisiana when he becomes aware that a gay friend of his named Kevlin has been the victim of an obvious hate crime. The local law force is apathetic about finding the perpetrators of the crime and the lawyer does his own snooping, In doing so he suspects that it was a conspiracy which means that the whole business stinks of both homophobia and racism. Those he investigates make his search for justice a journey he may never finish. There are twists and turns all along the plot and the climax of the film will not be easily forgotten. Likewise the film puts to scrutiny the pressures that one faces when he is both gay and black. There is lots of food for thought here and a good deal to be learned of man's intolerance to man.
"Vapid Shallow Models Must Die" is also from Aritical. Culture Q) and is a movie for those who love camp. An obese, ugly construction worker is turned down for a modeling assignment so he decides to gain revenge by murdering his competiton as well as those that turned him down. Posng as a photographer he manages to tempt models, musicians and anyone that is not downright homely to have their head shots taken and then he shoots their heads to death.
The director Michael Haboush is either having a laugh at our expense or we are laughing at him. This low budget film just doesn't make it even though I had a few good laughs. Yet there is promise here and if you take the time to watch this film, you will spot it. It's a start and it's fun but it could have been so much better.
AMOS LASSEN and Cinema Pride
Some of you may remember that classic by Billie Holliday, "Strange Fruit". The song was based upon lynchings that occurred in the South during a very dark period in our history. Written and directed by Regis Trigano, "Strange Fruit" (Ariztical, Culture Q) is a mocumentary that attempts to examine depression among those who are less fortunate.. I watched the film with shock and horror that something like this actually happened in the United States. I have to admit I wanted ore background, I felt that the movie was lacking something, But even with that I learned about a part of our history that we should be ashamed
A gay thriller in the John Grisham style, this movie follows a young attorney from New York who investigates the murder of a friend from his childhood. William Boyals (Kent Faulcon) who is both young and an accomplished lawyer returns to Louisiana when he becomes aware that a gay friend of his named Kevlin has been the victim of an obvious hate crime. The local law force is apathetic about finding the perpetrators of the crime and the lawyer does his own snooping, In doing so he suspects that it was a conspiracy which means that the whole business stinks of both homophobia and racism. Those he investigates make his search for justice a journey he may never finish. There are twists and turns all along the plot and the climax of the film will not be easily forgotten. Likewise the film puts to scrutiny the pressures that one faces when he is both gay and black. There is lots of food for thought here and a good deal to be learned of man's intolerance to man.
"Vapid Shallow Models Must Die" is also from Aritical. Culture Q) and is a movie for those who love camp. An obese, ugly construction worker is turned down for a modeling assignment so he decides to gain revenge by murdering his competiton as well as those that turned him down. Posng as a photographer he manages to tempt models, musicians and anyone that is not downright homely to have their head shots taken and then he shoots their heads to death.
The director Michael Haboush is either having a laugh at our expense or we are laughing at him. This low budget film just doesn't make it even though I had a few good laughs. Yet there is promise here and if you take the time to watch this film, you will spot it. It's a start and it's fun but it could have been so much better.