I don't think this movie has ever been certificated here and it's no big surprise. Having seen a grotty pirate copy some years ago, I just got my paws on a Region One disc of the remastered film and it remains a trashy treat. The movie focuses on the denizens of a junkyard -- runaways, degenerates, drunks, deviants, nutty 'Nam vets, etc. When the local hooch shop finds an old crate of "Viper" behind a wall, the owner decides to sell it off to the bums for a dollar a bottle. The only problem is that it makes the drinker melt into a technicolor mess of goo, apart from one very fat guy who explodes instead -- into dozens of colourful bits. Yes, it's that kind of movie and it gets a perfect 4/10 rating on Deep Red's gore score. We are also treated (if I can use that word) to castrations, decapitations, and some very graphic sex, but all depicted with great humour and style.
This movie is the sole directorial effort of one Jim Muro. However, he is better-known today as J. Michael Muro and he became one of the most sought-after Steadicam operators in the business, working on dozens of A-list films, before graduating to head cinematographer on movies like "Open Range" and "Crash". This movie is probably "trash" like it's title, but it's actually beautifully-shot trash. A production assistant on this flick was Bryan Singer -- better known today as the director of "Ordinary Suspects" and "X-Men", so it just goes to show you where some major talents begin.
I have seen writers claim that this movie was inspired by Japanese master Kurosawa's 1970 film Dodes Ka-den which also follows the stories of a bunch of shanty-town inhabitants, but I don't think anyone is likely to confuse the two films. Although each has its strengths, I think this one might actually be the more enjoyable for the strong-stomached viewer, since it has something to offend just about everyone.
1 comment:
I will keep a look out for this one. It actually appeals to me.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/acoward15/andy-the-bastard
Post a Comment