Shot film review: CALL GIRL (2014 short film) Laurence R Harvey, Jill Sixx Gevargizian, Tristan Risk

Another short film arrived this week, once again only 6 minutes long, but eagerly awaited, and well worth a watch!
Funded via Kickstarter last year, Call Girl sees Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede 2) hiring a hooker Mitzy (Tristan Risk, American Mary) for a night of fun. Only he has hooked up some friends to watch the action via a webcam link. It's fair to say, it's not the night that the professional lady had in mind.

The debut film from director Jill Sixx Gevargizian, the whole film is shot from the webcam's POV, the image given a wide-angle fisheye look which exaggerates Harvey's unique appearance to grotesque proportions. Here he plays Ed, an excitable but genial host for the lovely (and paid for) Mitzy; the pair's awkward first meeting feeling embarrassingly accurate. With such a short time to get the message across, this was vital, and certainly does the job. Both actors are great, and more directors should send work Harvey's way, but not just the psychopath roles; he seems to have a lot to give.

Despite the simple mise-en-scène, it works because you are a fixed observer. A willing one, who is eager to enjoy a show being put on by Ed. It also makes us complicit to his actions, cheering him on, while all the time feeling like someone who has sneaked into a peep show and is hoping not to be seen.
The premise of seeing all the action through an internet stream is one which no doubt will be used again in films to come, as things like Skype and FaceTime have taken over from the old MSN/Yahoo webcam chats. And while there is an attempt at re-creating that "internet lag" you often get on the streams, it's not too annoying nor overdone, and Jill Sixx avoids going overboard on any effects to make it look too glitchy (like they did in V/H/S).

Jill raised over $5,000 on Kickstarter for the film, and being one of the 60 donators, I must say I was happy with the result and think she has made a great little film, which will hopefully serve as a foot in the door for future work. At such a short running time, however, you may end up wanting more.
Keep an eye open for festival screenings over the coming year.
8 out of 10

Review: 9 Days (2013) very low budget sadistic indie horror

With money raised on a Kickstarter campaign, Samuel M. Johnson promised "a scary-as-hell, "Dante's Inferno"-inspired "7" meets "Hostel." - well, that's some tall order and while the results are not terrible, it does fall short on several aspects.

18 year old Danielle (Maura Murphy) has run away from her abusive, adopted parents and is picked up hitchhiking by Virgil (Chris Schleicher). Despite coming across instantly as a wise-ass jerk, she accepts his lift and offer of some food at his house. Big mistake, as she wakes chained up in his basement. He tells her she will endure nine days of suffering and pain in order to cleanse her soul, and she will survive ("not like those others") if she's strong.

The premise is one that has been done to death; abduct, torture, humiliate, rinse, repeat. The added interest of elements (very loosely) taken from the first part of Dante's Divine Comedy don't actually add much more than the religious zealot. The sadistic torture isn't as graphic as one would imagine (not surprising giving the film's low budget) but is still fairly grueling.
Murphy does well in the lead, throwing herself into the part (and several nude moments - including a shower scene in black and white; whether this was as a homage to Psycho is anyone's guess) but the non-acting skills of Schleicher is where the film really falters. He is more annoying than terrifying, although his condescending tone suits the character.

The not-so-snappy DVD title of the film (not onscreen) is 9 Days: Whipped, Chained and Tortured by a Psychopath which makes it sound even more salacious and nasty. Although it's certainly not pleasant, the level of violence on display isn't too over the top, and certainly doesn't stray in August Underground territory so don't be expecting a gore-fest. Be warned, however there IS a jaunty song repeated several times which is very annoying and off-putting!

As a first feature, it's not badly put together; although the limitations of the skill/budget/experience show within the sound design and general direction (we didn't really need to see the close-up of the severed head in the fridge, it would have been far more effective and chilling just glimpsed - but, hey, they built a great prop so, why not?) , but there's many worse films out there and hopefully it will be a stepping stone for the director and crew.

5 out of 10

Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story launches on Kickstarter!

Regular readers to this blog will know one of my biggest heroes was Chris Sievey, better known as Frank Sidebottom. I was lucky enough to get to know Chris little, and he is sorely missed by many.
Steve Sullivan, who made the short film of Frank's Magical Timperley Tour is putting together, with the approval of the Sievey family, a documentary about Chris, his "almost famous" band, The Freshies (who I still remember hearing on Manchester's Piccadilly Radio long before Frank came on the scene) and of course, Mr Sidebottom himself. Steve has been talking to Chris' friends and family, and fans over the past few months (I was interviewed in December, and have provided my archive of live footage for use), but in order to make the film the best it can be (and fund the costs of setting up more interviews with people instrumental in Chris' life) the project has launched on crowd funding site Kickstarter. That's where you come in. From as little as £1, you can help make this film a marvelous reality. Basically, you are pre-ordering the DVD or Blu-ray. But there are many more incentives for the more generous and affluent out there. You can have a chance to own something that Chris cherished. It may well be something as small as a Subbuteo player, or as random as a Mr Blobby with one leg who dances like a horse. Who knows? If you're a fan, you won't want to miss out. Higher pledges get a chance to own some of the complete gigs that I filmed, and DVD versions of early Freshies videos.
Head over to the Kickstarter page now and join the lovely people who have already pledged their support. Don't worry if you don't have the cash until payday, the money will not go out of your bank until the funding ends on May 31st.
You know you should, you really should. Thank you.