Reviews (Spoiler-free)

The recently completed film by
Anthony Brownrigg.
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Scott Gardener
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Reviews (Spoiler-free)

Post by Scott Gardener »

Yay! I get to post the very first review of the movie! It's probably being finished right about now, and the version I saw included a live shooting of one scene, plus the end credits being done in person. Naturally, there's a bias in favor of the show, since I regard the makers as good friends. But, I none-the-less genuinely think the movie is excellent, independent of my bias.

As Anthony Brownrigg explained after the showing, the premise of the movie is the same as the circumstances that lead to the movie; the lead character Jim, played by Brownrigg, is a screenplay writer needing to make a buck, being asked against his wishes to write a horror movie. Thankfully, this is where Jim's and his actor's lives diverge; Jim struggles with writer's block and his own utter hate of the genre, and consults with his geek friend Carl, played by Ed Landers, trying to get advice. Finally, exhausted and intoxicated, he stares at the clock on the wall and recites Shakespeare, unaware that he was invoking a muse of horror, the disturbingly charming Victoria, who soon taunts him with a series of murders of the people around him. Now he must either find a way to banish Victoria from his life or to appease her, by writing.

It does not look like a $5000 movie; it's much more polished. It has the look and feel of an independent movie--it breaks from Hollywood conventions and cliches, and even makes fun of some of them. But, without knowing better, I would have guessed the budget more on the order of several hundred thousand. I could believe that Carl's actor Brownrigg was also director, but I wouldn't have suspected without his actually telling me that the actors were also the lighting and sound crew, and that the stage was Brownrigg's home, generously donated by Silver's patience and willingness to step around the recording setup in their kitchen and living room for eight months, using wires and contraptions rigged from parts out of Home Depot. It really looks more expensive. That's because Brownrigg and his friends are great actors, great cinematographers, and just damned talented.

The dialogue is witty, and the sense of comedic timing makes perfect use of it. My experience at A-Kon, witnessing the re-shoot of the missing scene, included a great throw-away improv line that was quite witty. The rest of the movie has the same natural flow, suggesting that the same sense of creative liberty was enjoyed throughout the process.

Still, for all its humor, it had some very strong and serious emotional elements, exploring psychology and mythology with courage and intelligence. The elements of free will and the nature of spirits felt on the mark and well-researched or well-known. There were moments that drove me to tears; something very unusual for a horror comedy.

It's a brilliant piece, and I'm confident I'd have enjoyed it without ever knowing the director / lead actor / cinematographer personally, and without ever having known its association with a certain forthcoming werewolf movie.
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Post by Silverclaw »

*Me waiting to see Red Victoria*----> :splodey:
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Post by Kzinistzerg »

Gosh darn it, now i wanna see it!
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Post by PariahPoet »

Yes you do! And hopefully you will soon. :)
I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. It was funny watching it after spending the weekend with these guys- There were times when their characters weren't too far off their normal personalities. Especially during some of the comedic scenes you can tell their reactions were more than just straight-up acting. They were really having fun with what they were doing. :)
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Post by Figarou »

Thats a good review Scott. But you forgot to mention the bloopers at the end of the movie. :D That should end up as an extra on the DVD.

I bet your review would've been a whole lot different if the movie was 100% complete. Complications led to having part of the film being shot live during the premiere. I'm not sure, but I'll be suprised if this is the 1st time this has ever happened in filmmaking history.


Ok. Its hard for me to write a review. After I see it, I normally say things like... "its great," "its awesome," "I enjoyed it," "I didn't like it," "not worth it," ETC. I'll do my best at let you guys know what I think of it.


This was my 1st time to see a film at a premiere. Its a whole new experience seeing the film when one of the actors is sitting right next to you. And the rest of them sitting at other locations in the same room.

Its hard for me to pick a scene and let everyone know what I think of it. But there are some parts thats easy to predict. I knew where that pen was going when Red Victoria started to control this guys movements.

Also, to my suprise, I knew exactly what Jim was going to say BEFORE he said it in this one scene!! I yelled it out word for word at the premiere!! I didn't see that scene or read the script prior to the premiere. ABrownrigg heard someone yelling out the line at the premiere. He didn't know it was me until I told him about it later on. I bet ABrownrigg was suprised.

While I'm watching a film, I play a little game with it. I search for goofs and try to predict whats going to happen next. Rarely do I say a line before the actor says it. If I know what he is going to say, I'll say it out loud word for word. It'll make the person sitting next to me think that I already saw the film.


I really enjoyed this film. I Loved how the story was put together. Can't wait to get it on DVD. :D
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Re: Reviews (Spoiler-free)

Post by Scott Gardener »

Jump to April 2010; Cathey and I decided to show this to some friends who haven't seen it yet. It's been over a year since our last viewing, (Avatar has taken over as the movie we're seeing over and over for the moment) and this allowed us to watch it with fresh eyes. I still feel it's brilliant, both as a comedy and as an intellectual piece, and as horror--it makes fun of horror, intellectualism, and itself all at the same time. And, from what I know from Brownrigg--what he himself has told us, it's very heart-felt. Jim's struggles with writing, insane marketing pressures, and the struggle to break out and to have great ideas be taken seriously are direct references to Anthony and Meagans' real struggles to get their ideas made.
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