C'est Arrivé Près De Chez Vous (1992) aka Man Bites Dog

3.5 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: A Killer Comedy
Directed by: Rémy Belvaux
Written by: André Bonzel, Rémy Belvaux
Actors include: Benoît Poelvoorde, Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert, Nelly Pappaert
Genre: Black Comedy, Crime, Horror
Length: 95 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well this is an unusual French black comedy that was shot in black and white involving the humorous exploits and babblings of a killer. While I did find this occasionally hilarious, (especially his advice about weighing down bodies) I didn't think this was disturbing at all. Our killer offs just about anyone who crosses his path and it seems like without purpose or explanation most of the time. As his rampage goes on he begins to involve the camera crew (it's set up documentary style for some reason) and soon they learn they are in some dangerous territory. It is rather stylish and it's a different approach to serial killers than most I'll give it that. I guess I just expected a little more, and a bit more context though I found it cute they show him with his family. Also I think it goes a bit far with the babbling although occasionally interesting. Definitely a strange little film that most seem to enjoy, I liked it, I just didn't love it.

Availability:  On DVD

Body Puzzle (1992)

2.5 / 5 Jun '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Lamberto Bava
Written by: Lamberto Bava
Actors include: Joanna Pacula, Tomas Arana, François Montagut
Genre: Horror, Giallo, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 95 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well, I am typically a fan of Lamberto Bava but this wasn't nearly as good as I'd have expected. It did manage to have some nice scenes of gore and dismembered body parts if that be your thing. The story is rather dull (even though it's going to sound exciting). It's about a serial killer who removes parts from his victims (who is known to us right off the bat) sends them to a Woman. The Police scramble to solve the mystery, although it's no mystery to us making it feel pretty boring. It's very dry and wooden feeling, nothing special whatsoever. Although perhaps this would qualify as a giallo it probably wouldn't satisfy genre fans. I've definitely seen worse and cheaper, but I actually saw this when it first came out but totally forgot I ever watched it. That's not a good sign, and odds are within a year I'll forget again. Oh well, Lamberto's weakest still has a few decent qualities I guess.

Availability:  On DVD

Dust Devil (1992)

3.5 / 5 Mar '10
Tagline: He's not a serial killer. He's much worse
Directed by: Richard Stanley
Written by: Richard Stanley
Actors include: Robert John Burke, Chelsea Field, Zakes Mokae
Genre: Horror, Western
Length: 108 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is a rather unusual tale and for it's creativity I do offer it some kudos, now could it have been better...yes but the story still makes it worthwhile. The plot is about a shapeshifter in the desert who preys upon lonely and suicidal women. After a girl named Wendy breaks it off with her Husband and starts driving she picks up the dust devil as a hitchhiker (see he seems to appeal to lonely women and he's not half bad looking either). They strike some sort of bond up and before we know it the two are engaged in some sex and things seem pretty good. That is until Wendy starts noticing some things aren't quite right plus he's a little more cruel than one might expect... It's a rather ambitious film, the landscape is rather lovely and like that of a western film, and the violence is definitely neat and should appeal to horror fans. There is a bit of a romantic subplot and a few other things going on but it is definitely interesting and unusual. I think most will get something out of this though it is far from perfect, definitely one of the more interesting horror films I've seen and it's African setting makes it all the more fascinating. Still it is missing something, including scares and tension but yet I'd still recommend it to most.

Availability:  On DVD

The Resurrected (1992) aka Shatterbrain

4 / 5 Mar '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Dan O'Bannon
Written by: Brent V. Friedman, H.P. Lovecraft
Actors Include: John Terry, Jane Sibbett, Chris Sarandon
Genre: Horror
Length: 108 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Although this does have a fascinating story (well it's based upon a story by H.P. Lovecraft so of course it's great) it has a very slow start but be patient because it really does work out to be great. See it looks very straight-to-video (and likely was), Claire played by actress Jane Sibbett (Carol from Friends) isn't the greatest, and there is too much narration in the beginning too. The effects are gross and mostly impressive, and although it is a bit too long they do cram a lot of story in there. Claire is a Wife coming to a Private Detective about her Husband's strange doings, he isn't himself anymore and he keeps receiving shipments of long boxes. There is also a horrible smell coming from her Husband's lab and some gruesome eaten corpses keep turning up too. Can they solve the mystery of what's going on before they are all killed...or before something even worse happens? It's a shame this isn't very available really it did make it to DVD but it seemed like it went out of print nearly immediately. This pretty much proves that Dan O'Bannon hasn't made a bad picture (that I've seen) yet, one to hunt for, just don't give up on it at first because I was mighty tempted.

Availability:  On DVD