DVD Review: A Monster With A Thousand Heads

A Monster With A Thousand Heads is a captivating and compelling look at what one woman does in her efforts to get the medication to help her ailing husband. The film opens in a dark room. We hear groans. When the light is turned on, we see Sonia Bonet (Jana Raluy) asking her husband what is wrong. She calls out for her son and her sister-in-law, who enter while she is on the phone with the emergency personnel. What is interesting is that this is done in a wide static shot, and that in the shot we never actually see Memo, Sonia’s husband. And in fact, we don’t see much of him at all in this movie, though he is at the center of the action and is the reason for the action.

The film goes to a close-up of Sonia as a man off screen asks her questions about Memo. He tells her his condition will get worse, but Sonia is optimistic, saying he’ll improve when they get approval for the new medication. She calls the doctor and leaves a message for him. When he doesn’t return the call, she goes to his office and waits to speak with him. After waiting for a long time, she learns from a secretary that her doctor has left. Then, interestingly, we hear that secretary in voice over testifying about Sonia, while on screen we see that Sonia’s doctor has returned. So early on we’re given a clear indication that things are going to get out of hand.

Nearly all of the shots in this film are static, which has an unsettling effect, while also drawing you in because you end up paying more attention. The camera isn’t going to let you know which specific details are important, but rather presents the world for you, almost like letting you spy into Sonia’s life. There is a great shot from the backseat of Dr. Villalba’s colleague’s car, as he backs out of his spot in the parking garage. Through the windshield we see Sonia approach Dr. Villalba, but over the music playing on the car stereo we can’t hear anything she’s saying. And the camera doesn’t get closer to her; it doesn’t move in for coverage. It’s not until the colleague turns off his stereo and rolls down his window that we’re able to hear any of the dialogue; at that point, Sonia is asking the doctor to please read her husband’s file, to look over the results of some tests.

Another interesting and somewhat similarly effective shot is when Sonia and her son have followed Dr. Villalba home (by the way, the shot in the taxi is one of the only shots with some camera movement), and Sonia rings the doorbell. The doctor’s wife picks up a phone to answer the door, and on the video monitor we see Sonia and her son talking, but we don’t hear any of what they say because Villalba’s wife has the receiver to her ear. But whatever Sonia says must be convincing, for she buzzes her in.

At this point, Sonia believes that the doctor will do the right thing, that he just needs the information. But when the doctor threatens to call the police, Sonia pulls out a gun. You can understand and feel her desperation, and while her action might seem rash, she still comes across as a completely sane and good person who has been put into a situation by the health care system. This is due in large part to Jana Raluy’s excellent performance as Sonia. As things start to go more wrong for Sonia, we hear more from the trial, which works as both a way to provide information and also to maintain a strangely balanced view of the action. For what she is doing is criminal, no matter how right she might be in wanting to do it.

Special Features

The DVD includes several deleted scenes, all of which would have come toward the end of the film (so I’m not going to mention any of the specifics). The trailer is also included.

A Monster With A Thousand Heads was directed by Rodrigo Plá, and is presented in its original Spanish, with optional English subtitles. The DVD is scheduled to be released on August 9, 2016 through Music Box Films.

DVD Review: Accidental Incest

Accidental Incest is a surprisingly delightful and enjoyable film about two people who find true love and then find out they’re related. It stars Elyssa Baldassarri as Kendra and Johnny Sederquist as Milton, two troubled people whose opinions of themselves might even be lower than the opinions others have of them. That is, at least until the two meet.

When we meet Milton, he is desperately trying to keep his neighbor, Kevin, from breaking through his door. He addresses us directly, telling us Kevin is upset because he caught him having anal sex with his wife. The movie establishes an odd, quirky tone right from its opening scene, as the wife calmly tells Kevin she had to sleep with Milton because Milton had told her her hair looked nice. And during the opening credit sequence she gets kinky with Milton again as Kevin watches, and as Milton lip-synchs to the song playing. Also, all of this is in black and white. “I can’t feel anything unless I’m doing something fucked up,” Milton tells Kevin just before Kevin shoots him. (That’s a terrible special effect, by the way, but it’s okay, as that’s not at all what this movie is about.) Milton ends up in some version of the afterworld, which is presented in color, but is told by his guardian angel that he’s being given a second chance. Things aren’t going well for Kendra either, as she wakes up nearly naked in a cell in Mexico, and soon she too is shot and killed. Her guardian angel sends her back to Earth for a second chance as well.

Milton’s wife then leaves him, taking their daughter, and Milton doesn’t seem the least bit upset about it. Kendra leaves her husband, telling him she’s doing him a favor. “When you leave here, I’m going to kill myself,” Bob tells her. Kendra responds: “Oh, it won’t matter. I’ll be long gone from here.” It’s interesting, because you don’t think very highly of either Milton or Kendra at this point, but the movie will soon have you rooting for them. Milton and Kendra end up in the same shitty hotel, run by a kinky old lady, and it is there that they meet and are instantly attracted to each other. They both reveal that their fathers were sperm donors, and they make a blood pact that they won’t get married until they learn who their fathers are.

By the way, they each describe their first date directly to the camera, and are such delightfully twisted and kinky messes that the scene becomes hilarious. Their guardian angels watch with approval, making us wonder how aware they are of the film’s title. Are the guardian angels actually kinkier creatures than Milton and Kendra? Maybe so. There are lots of silly little touches, like during sex, Milton says, “Who’s your daddy?” Well, they soon learn (from a meth addict) that they have the same father. And that’s when the real love story begins! And yes, this is a love story.

Perhaps all romances should begin with beating up a meth freak. “Who’s your big brother?” Milton asks the next time they go at it, dressed as barnyard animals. And as far as darling pet names go, at one point Kendra calls Milton her chupacabra. But things get complicated when Kendra is kidnaped by her grandparents. Hey, that’s Michael Thurber as her grandfather! (I just enjoyed his work in Model Hunger.) Kendra’s grandmother has one of my favorite lines from any movie in the last several years. She says, “You see, everybody in our church needs to know everybody’s business all the time.” I love this movie, even before it rips on Scientology.

Sure, some of the jokes fall a bit flat, like the environmental discussion with one of Kendra’s old boyfriends and his current girlfriend, occurring while the boyfriend gives Milton a handjob under the table. It’s kind of lame. But most of the movie is really funny, and it does take chances, which I appreciate. Elyssa Baldassarri and Johnny Sederquist really go for it, and as a result, their characters’ world is fun to sink into. And at some point you realize you actually like these two characters. I should also mention the music. There is a great song titled “Kill Yourself,” and later there is another delightful tune that you seriously have to hear, no matter what your particular feelings about Nicholas Cage might be. And there is another humorous song during the closing credits.

Special Features

This DVD includes a commentary track by director Richard Griffin, writer Lenny Schwartz and cast members Johnny Sederquist and Elyssa Baldassarri. Lenny talks about the play, which was a one-act done off Broadway in 2012, and how the movie is very different. Interestingly, those asides to the camera are taken from the play. They talk about the characters, and the challenges of playing them, and also about the look of the film. There is a great description of the scene where Milton and Kendra meet: “It was like two rare or unique animals that were pretty much heading toward extinction that actually, like, found each other. And they knew that they were the same animal, and they kind of were like sniffing each other out in this scene.” That’s how all couples should feel when they meet, don’t you think? Then, I believe, all relationships would last.

The DVD special features have one deleted scene, which is actually another song, this one sung by Milton’s white supremacist lover. The movie’s trailer is also included.

Accidental Incest was directed by Richard Griffin. The screenplay was written by Lenny Schwartz, based on his original play Accidental Incest: Someone For Everyone. It was released on DVD on May 10, 2016 through MVD Visual.

DVD Review: Confessions

Confessions is an anthology of ten short films, but unlike many anthologies, all of the shorts were written and directed by the same person, Mark Bessenger. And so the film has a stronger sense of structure and theme than most anthologies. And while the tone varies from piece to piece, there is always that idea of a confession at the center. This film plays a lot with perspectives. Many of the films feature a character directly addressing the camera, as if making their confessions to us.

The first film, “The Actor,” is one of those. An actor tells his story to a video camera (and to us), about trying to get an agent, and about being taken advantage of by a so-called producer. The shot through the lens of the video camera is in color, while everything outside of the lens is shown in black and white. So it’s like what the man is confessing has more reality than the life around him. There are also thin lines running down the frame in the black and white footage, like it’s an old film print, again making everything around him less real. Interestingly, that makes the actor himself less real, except to the eye of the video camera.

“The True Love” is another in which a character turns to the camera and addresses it directly, as it were a friend: “I know what you’re thinking – giving up the goods on the first date.” The tattoo on the man’s arm is really distracting. What does it mean? I’ve said it before, but actors should refrain from getting tattoos, because I always wonder, is it the actor’s tattoo or the character’s tattoo? This short has a nice ending. “The Wyatt” also has the main character addressing the camera, but this time the camera is the perspective of another character. The camera even “blinks” to show us we’re looking through someone’s eyes. The main character tells us about himself as he slowly undresses. Our silence (that is, the silence of the other man) begins to weigh heavily, making us worry. Things get more twisted, and as we learn more, our sympathies shift. This one too has an excellent ending.

As with all anthologies, some of these short films are better than others. My personal favorite is the second film, “The Puppet.” It opens with a man and woman having dinner at home, while classical music plays. The camera pans over and we see that at the other end of the table are two puppets, Boris and Myron (Boris being a sock puppet). That shot made me burst out laughing. Myron’s delivery of “Uh, thanks, we’ll see” also had me laughing. I love the sort of relaxed absurdity of the scene. The woman begins to gossip about a man at the store who has a different lifestyle, and Myron makes a startling confession of his own. The idea behind this might seem simple, but it is executed so well, and it also comments on shows like Sesame Street and The Muppets in which puppets and people inhabit the same reality without anyone being weirded out.

Another favorite is “The Break-Up,” which is one of the shorts in which a character addresses the camera as another character. In this one too, the character who shares our perspective remains silent, though the tone is quite different from that of “The Wyatt.” This one is funny, as the main character tries to learn why they are breaking up. “Was it when I babysat your two nieces and I told them that the Easter Bunny takes it up the ass from Santa Claus? Because that wasn’t my fault. I was drunk.” Great delivery of these lines and a quick pace through editing help make this one a highlight. “The Beard” is another highlight, and is incredibly different – in tone, in pacing. The simple act of shaving becomes an exploration of self, as a man speaks to himself in the mirror. Or perhaps it’s all in his head, for he seems unsure about what his reflection is saying. This sequence is quite long, and it’s just a man and his reflection, but it manages to hold our attention, mainly because the performance is mesmerizing.

“The Song” is actually a singer/songwriter named Tom Goss performing a song titled “Enoch,” which comes as something of a surprise. The song is really good. But the line spoken at the end of the scene is unnecessary and takes away from the power of the song: “Speak up, before it’s too late.” Between shorts, there are little thoughts presented as titles and also as voice over. Most of these are humorous, like the one about gay marriage and especially the one about a man who buys a sex doll that then won’t put out.

Special Features

The DVD contains six additional shorts. “The Chair” is about a man who had a stroke during sex and is now in a wheelchair, going over his life, as a television game show plays in the background. The man is a comic book fan, and there is some interesting artwork. “The Fan” is another in which the character speaks directly to the camera (at least from certain angles), this time about a pop star that helped him through troubled times. In “The Massage” (though the DVD menu titles it “The Message”), the main character also addresses the camera as he receives a massage from a man we see only briefly. He is an unhappily married man who talks about a gay encounter on the train. In “The Porn Agent,” we get perhaps a more traditional confession, as the man is in a confession booth at a church. “The Star Collector” (the title reminding me of one of my favorite Monkees songs) has the main character, a doctor, addressing the camera, telling us how he wanted to be an astronomer while he sees to a patient who is also a celebrity, obviously playing on two meanings of the word “star.” And “The Wrestler” also finds the main character speaking directly to us (he certainly doesn’t have the ears of a wrestler). These six shorts total approximately forty minutes.

The DVD also includes the film’s trailer.

Confessions is scheduled to be released on DVD on August 2, 2016 through TLA Releasing.

DVD Review: Model Hunger

Lynn Lowry has been associated with the horror genre since appearing in George A. Romero’s The Crazies in 1973. She followed that with David Cronenberg’s Shivers in 1975 and Paul Schrader’s 1982 re-make of Cat People. She did other films, of course, but she always seems to return to horror, in recent years starring in 2008’s Beyond The Dunwich Horror, 2012’s The Haunting Of Whaley House, and 2015’s Whispers. And now with Model Hunger, Lynn Lowry turns in one of her most delicious and memorable performances.

Model Hunger opens with a group of high school cheerleaders being told they have to raise money for their squad. Two of the girls then go door-to-door, trying to sell sweatshirts and other items. An older man (played by Michael Thurber) seems confused about what they want, but after they leave he smiles. What a great way to deal with door-to-door solicitors! I must remember that. This film has several nice touches like that. At the next house the girls visit, they are invited inside by an older woman named Ginny (Lynn Lowry), who seems sweet and kind, and tells them her favorite television program is about to come on.

Interestingly, the movie shifts to Ginny’s perspective. Up until this point, we’ve been with the cheerleaders, specifically with the one named Missy (Lisa Dee), who had been chastised by the head of the cheerleader squad. But now, as the girls are blabbing on about the items they’re trying to sell, we are treated to Ginny’s thoughts and observations in voice over: “Look at those legs… the thighs have some meat to them. Probably tasty with a little bit of garlic and onion seasoning.” And it’s not long before things turn serious for these silly teenagers. There is a close-up of one of them tied up and gagged (with a ball gag, no less – Ginny is kinky!), and we hear the nearby sounds of eating. Very nice. What’s great is that when it’s this girl’s turn, the movie doesn’t show exactly what Ginny is doing to her. The film doesn’t need to. We see the girl screaming, and Ginny teases her, “Oh, darling, I bet you can’t even feel this.” She takes such delight in it. It’s so beautifully twisted. As I mentioned, Lynn Lowry is delightful. What I love is that we get close-ups of both Missy and Ginny, and it’s left largely to our imaginations precisely what Ginny is doing, which is so much creepier.

Meanwhile, Sal (Carmine Capobianco) and Debbie (Tiffany Shepis), a married couple, arrive in the neighborhood fresh from New York City. Debbie is not at all happy about the move. It’s hinted that she has psychological problems, which seem to be the reason for the couple’s move to the suburbs. Debbie becomes obsessed with that television program, Suzi’s Secret. And in fact, that show begins to feel pervasive, to the point where you might wonder if the program is somehow in the characters’ heads, for it always seems to be on. Debbie also becomes suspicious of her neighbor, and has trouble convincing Sal that anything is wrong because of her own issues. Both Carmine and Tiffany do great jobs at making this believable, and picking the right moments to show affection and concern for each other.

Through some flashbacks and voice over, the movie provides information on Ginny’s past, including a magazine that she used to pose for. The magazine, by the way, it called Model Hunger. Ginny has some great lines. After picking up a hitchhiker, she says (in voice over), “I bet if I sliced you open right now, nothing would ooze out of your head but naïve notions of beauty and innocence.” Some of the lines had me laughing out loud (“great southern twat”). But perhaps my favorite line is: “So, you see, you weren’t fat, darling, and you weren’t ugly. You were just stupid.” Lynn’s delivery is wonderful. And, holy moly, she looks totally hot in a later scene with a mechanic named Colin (played by Brian Fortune).

Model Hunger was directed by Debbie Rochon, who is herself known for acting in horror films. Model Hunger is her directorial debut. I should also point out that the film’s score was composed by Harry Manfredini. Yes, the man responsible for the music for the Friday The 13th film series.

Special Features

The DVD contains several special features, including a commentary track by director Debbie Rochon, with actor David Marancik piping in occasionally. Debbie talks about wanting each character to have a secret side. Interestingly, she talks about a gore gag not working at the beginning, and so not being able to show it. Those are the shots I loved because the camera remained largely on the character’s faces. So I am glad the gag didn’t work.

Lair Of Voltaire features cast member Aurelio Voltaire answering several questions. He talks about becoming part of the cast, about his character’s name and costume, and about improvising. He also plugs his website. This feature is approximately twenty-two minutes. Nasty Nibblin is a short scene with Babette Bombshell eating hot dogs in a sexual manner. It is approximately two and a half minutes.

There are a couple of deleted scenes, both involving door-to-door salespeople. The first features director Debbie Rochon peddling a book. We see four takes of this scene. The second features Lloyd Kaufman, and we get three takes of this scene. The special features also include a music video and the movie’s trailer.

Model Hunger was released on DVD on July 12, 2016 through Wild Eye Releasing.

DVD Review: Stressed To Kill

Don’t let the somewhat goofy title keep you from seeing Stressed To Kill. This is actually a good movie. It’s about a man who suffers a heart attack and is instructed by his doctor to remove causes of stress from his life. He then follows his doctor’s order.

When the movie opens, Bill Johnson (Bill Oberst Jr.) is in his car, unable to move forward because he’s blocked by people in the road. The guy behind him honks at him to go. Then he’s in line to purchase a movie ticket, but has to wait for two older women to decide whether the movie is the sort of thing they’d like to see. Bill is trying to remain restrained, but is clearly annoyed. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can immediately relate to this character. I’ve never been the most patient person and somehow it seems now more than ever the planet is populated by idiots with no awareness of or regard for others. Once inside the movie theater, he is bothered by two guys in front of him who are talking and looking at a cell phone. (It’s that very behavior that keeps me from frequenting movie theaters.) When Bill asks them politely to turn the phone off, they react belligerently. As we see Bill going about his day, he looks more and more like he’s going to snap, and when he begins to feel a heart attack coming on, the woman speaking loudly on the phone next to him in the elevator ignores his distress.

Bill’s doctor tells him he needs to cut down on his stress. Bill says there are “a lot of assholes out there, Doc.” The doctor tells him he needs to get the more persistent ones out of his life completely. Bill promises to do his best. And things begin to turn around when he witnesses the accidental death of one of those assholes (a man who’d spilled his drink on him without so much as an apology). This gives Bill an idea on how to relieve his stress. And he finds that eliminating these people actually does lower his blood pressure.

The problem is that his wife, Vera (Sonia Curtis), is one of the major causes of stress in his life. When he tells her he’s going back to work, she reminds him, “The doctor told you he wants you to avoid a stressful environment.” Bill responds, “That’s why I’m going back to work, sweetheart.” I love Bill Oberst’s honest, low-key delivery, which makes certain lines much funnier. One example is when his wife barges in on him without knocking and says, “Oh, sorry, did I interrupt you jerking off or something?” Bill responds: “No, I did that earlier. Now I’m planning our future.” His calm, matter-of-fact delivery is perfect. This movie does have some dark comedic elements without ever getting silly. The doctor tells Bill: “Whatever it is you’re doing seems to be working. Care to share your secret?” Bill replies: “Not yet. It’s still in the testing stage.”

The movie also follows the police investigation into the murders, an investigation led by Detective Paul Jordan (Armand Assante). Paul is an interesting character too, and when the two meet, things get weirder. Bill’s best friend Stan (Marshal Hilton) is also suffering from problems with a woman, and this leads them both deeper into trouble. Some of the acting in the film is a bit uneven, but Bill Oberst Jr. gives a great performance as Bill Johnson, and Armand Assante is at times captivating as Paul Jordan. This isn’t a great movie, but I was totally into it, and I have to admit I ended up kind of loving it.

Stressed To Kill was directed by Mark Savage, who also co-wrote the screenplay and was one of the producers. It was released on DVD on July 12, 2016 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains no special features.

DVD Review: Amateur Night At City Hall: The Story Of Frank L. Rizzo

Amateur Night At City Hall: The Story Of Frank L. Rizzo is a documentary about the career and personality of Frank L. Rizzo, who was police commissioner and then mayor of Philadelphia. He was actually still mayor at the time this film was made in 1977, which makes it an even more interesting document, for the people interviewed are largely speaking of the present.

At the beginning of the film there is a shot of the “Welcome To Philadelphia” sign, and below the welcome, it reads “Frank L. Rizzo, Mayor.” I’ve driven all over the country, and I don’t recall any city signs listing the mayor. It’s a wonderful indication of his ego right from the start of the documentary. Also near the beginning we get some interesting and humorous thoughts and observations about Rizzo and his work from various citizens. One woman says, “I think for an uneducated man, he’s really achieved quite a lot.” One man says, “I think he’s an ignorant, brutal man who has clubbed his way to the top.”

The documentary has plenty of footage of Rizzo, who often talks about himself in the third person, like he’s some kind of exciting character even to himself. Also interviewed are Spencer Coxe (of the American Civil Liberties Union), who talks about how the police would routinely arrest any interracial couples seen in the area, and his opponent in the 1971 race for mayor, W. Thacher Longstreth, who interestingly has a very balanced view of Rizzo. There is footage of a televised debate between Rizzo and Longstreth.

The documentary includes material on Rizzo’s failing of a lie detector test, his spying on his political opponents, and about his hiring practices as mayor. There is also some fascinating stuff on the finances of the city, and about the attempt to recall him. Several journalists are interviewed. But Frank Rizzo himself is really at the center of this, and for a person who comes across as something of an idiot and thug, he is quite fascinating. The ego of the man is extraordinary. At one point he says, “Even the criminals that I arrested will vote for me.”

This film was directed by Robert Mugge, who is known for his music documentaries, such as Black Wax and Pride And Joy: The Story Of Alligator Records. But if you think that because this is a political documentary there will be no live music footage, think again. There is some footage of Dusty Gale And His Trio performing at a small venue, plus street musician Charles Sayles performing a song titled “The Man” (featuring some good work on harmonica). There is also some rather humorous footage of people at an odd little club singing famous songs rather poorly (ah, the glorious days before bloody karaoke). This, as well as shots of the Italian market, help to give us a good feel for the people and place at that time.

Amateur Night At City Hall: The Story Of Frank L. Rizzo was directed by Robert Mugge, and is scheduled to be released on DVD on July 26, 2016 through MVD Visual. There are no special features on the DVD.

One other thing worth mentioning: People in the film say that Frank Rizzo wants to be mayor for life, and at one point someone says he believes Frank L. Rizzo wants to remain mayor of the city until he’s seventy. When Frank L. Rizzo died in 1991, he was seventy years old. Just found that interesting.

Movie Review: Forbidden: Undocumented And Queer In Rural America

Forbidden: Undocumented And Queer In Rural America is a documentary following a young Latino man named Moises Serrano who entered this country illegally at the age of eighteen months and is now fighting for immigration law reform. It opens with audio from a recent speech by presidential candidate Donald Trump, who says: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.” He then claims that Mexico will pay for a wall to be built between the two countries. What’s more depressing is hearing people chanting, “Build the wall, build the wall.” One idiot like Trump is bad enough; a large group of idiots chanting is frightening. But the film then takes us to a pro-immigration rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. And we are introduced to the subject of the film, Moises Serrano.

The film allows Moises to largely tell his own story, and does so in an interesting way. Rather than relying strictly on interviews conducted by the filmmaker, this documentary shows Moises talking to different groups of people, telling his story to them as a way to encourage support for immigration law reform, and of course in the process telling us his story as well. He provides many interesting and moving anecdotes concerning his undocumented status, such as the trouble in getting and maintaining a driver’s license, and about trying to get into college. He also speaks of depression and suicide among undocumented immigrants.

His mother is also interviewed, and she talks about her experience crossing the border and getting caught. It took her three attempts before she was successful. And she talks a bit about her life and troubles here. The film also gets the viewpoints of an immigration attorney and an immigration rights activist, and they provide a lot of the background on the problems and results of current immigration laws, and this is some of the film’s most interesting stuff.

The film also shows us footage of Moises with his boyfriend, about how they met and so on. This material seems like a separate subject, and thus feels like a separate film. Obviously, his boyfriend plays an important part in his life, and their relationship is related to the subject of undocumented immigrants (in as much as they discuss marriage as a way for Moises to become a citizen), but this really does feel largely like a separate subject. And that is probably the film’s main weakness. Their relationship (we see them moving in together, eating and so on) just isn’t as interesting or compelling as the material on immigration. However, one thing that is remarkable regarding Moises’ sexuality is that at no point does it seem to be an issue with anyone in his family. And that is wonderful and encouraging, and left me feeling optimistic.

Forbidden: Undocumented And Queer In Rural America was directed by Tiffany Rhynard. It is scheduled to screen at Outfest in Los Angeles on July 12, 2016 at the DGA Theater Complex.

Movie Review: Tab Hunter Confidential

I first became aware of Tab Hunter through his performance in John Waters’ Polyester, but of course he had kind of an incredible career before that. Beginning in the late 1950s he starred in such films as Battle Cry, The Sea Chase, The Girl He Left Behind and Damn Yankees, and had a singing career as well, scoring a #1 hit with “Young Love” in 1957. Not bad, eh? During that time he had that all-American boy image, which was partly natural (he’s an incredibly good-looking man), partly conceived and constructed by the studios. A decade ago, he co-wrote a book in which he confirmed the rumors that he’s gay. Partly because in my mind he was connected with John Waters, this news seemed no big deal. But it was quite different from the image that had been carefully created for him in the past. The documentary film Tab Hunter Confidential is based on that book, and through a series of interviews with Tab and with others in his life, his career and personal life are explored.

The film opens with Tab speaking, in voice over, about cocktail parties in the 1950s where gay men and women would meet and dance. “Parties like this were illegal,” he says, and he recounts a time when the cops busted in and arrested him. I like that this documentary gets right to that subject, rather than easing in. The film then shows us a series of images of Tab Hunter as the all-American boy. Interviews with Tab Hunter are at the center of this film, and he is allowed to tell his own story, rather than having any outside narration. He talks about his youth, about being raised by his mother, and tells a heartbreaking anecdote about going to see his father in New York during his teen years while working for the coast guard. Tab Hunter is incredibly likeable, charming and honest, as he speaks candidly about his life and career.

There are so many great anecdotes in this documentary, some quite humorous. For example, when speaking about getting his start in the film business, he says: “The first interview I had was for Island Of Desire. So they sent me to meet the director. He looked up and said, ‘That’s the boy I want.’” Rex Reed says, regarding his performance, “He doesn’t demonstrate any shred of acting ability in that film.” Tab himself agrees, and mentions how his mother, at the end of the screening, told him he was lousy. Ouch! But rather than let that get him down, he decided to really learn the craft, and a part in Our Town led to his getting a contract with Warner Bros.

The material regarding his image with Warner Bros. is particularly fascinating, such as the women the studio coupled him with (Debbie Reynolds, Natalie Wood, etc.). There are interviews with fellow actors Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner, George Takei, Connie Stevens, Marilyn Erskine and others. There are also interviews with female fans, including the woman who won a date with him through a contest. (She is so sweet.)

But as interesting as all of that is, it is the material on his relationships with men that is perhaps the most interesting. Tab talks about his first relationship, that with figure skater Ronnie Robertson, and about his relationship with Tony Perkins. I am a big fan of the film Fear Strikes Out, and I had no idea that Tab Hunter played the role of Jimmy Piersall before Anthony Perkins did, Tab’s being a television performance. The documentary treats us to a bit of footage of it, and now I need to see that entire program (so please, someone, release it on DVD). By the way, the story of Tony Perkins getting the film is pretty wild and is what led to the end of their relationship. There is also an interview with Allan Glaser, Tab’s partner of many years.

And yes, there is material on Polyester. John Waters is interviewed and says that after offering the role of Todd Tomorrow to Tab, “I prayed that he would never go watch Pink Flamingos.”

This documentary has a very positive vibe, which I appreciate. It’s ultimately a happy story, and an incredibly enjoyable film. Tab Hunter Confidential was directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, and is available now on digital HD. I’m told that a DVD release is planned for the near future.

DVD Review: Shark Exorcist

My friends know I love shark movies, and one of them alerted me to the existence of Shark Exorcist several months ago. The title is, of course, ridiculous. Deliciously so. Shark movie fans are used to wacky titles by now, after seeing movies like Sharknado and Raiders Of The Lost Shark and Sharktopus. So a title like Shark Exorcist doesn’t scare me off; quite the opposite, actually. However, if you are someone who is going to judge from the title alone that this is a terrible movie, well… you’re right. It’s about a possessed shark in a lake, and a possessed girl. Or does the girl actually become the shark? It’s unclear.

When the movie opens, a nun walks through a graveyard, while we hear a news report about a search for Miss Blair (a nod to The Exorcist, obviously) who is accused of the torture and deaths of several boys and girls. The nun walks to the water and says to it, “The world has betrayed me, so the world will taste my vengeance.” When a woman suddenly approaches her and threatens to reveal what the nun has done, the nun pulls a large blade from her robe and stabs her with it. She then pushes her body into the water and asks Satan to send her an avenger in return. Time to cue the goofy yellow-eyed CG shark. And Shark Exorcist is underway. (By the way, no more will ever be said about the murdered boys and girls, so don’t go thinking that’s part of the plot.)

One year later, three dippy girls are heading to a lake. Lauren, the dumbest of the three, says “BFF” and expects the lake to have waterslides. And Ali is having boyfriend troubles. Emily is the brunette and so is the smartest and most likeable of the three. A sign at the lake says “Swim at your own risk,” and Lauren can’t get eaten soon enough for me. But it’s Ali that goes swimming and is attacked. Apparently, there was no money in the budget for special effects makeup, and so there is no bite on Ali. Just some fake blood on her leg. Just rinse it off and you’ll be fine, Ali.

But Ali is far from fine. According to her friends, she is acting strangely, taking long baths and so on. Emily is concerned, and reminds her, “Three weeks ago there was this chunk bitten out of your leg.” (Not true, as we saw, but whatever.)  Emily points out that there isn’t even a scar on her leg. But we’re already well aware of that. After all, there was never a wound.  Meanwhile a redhead named Nancy Chase is doing a low-budget exposé on the lake. She hosts a reality-type show titled Ghost Whackers, which is shot by a guy with a cheap video camera. Though at certain points she turns away from the guy with the camera and speaks directly to us through the movie’s camera, oddly breaking the fourth wall, and giving her cameraman a dubious shot of the back of her head. She also talks to the water, asking if it’s true that sharks have been attacking people. She says, “If there is a shark here, I believe it’s possessed, possessed by a demon.”

As for the film’s title, well, there is a priest named Father Michael who gets a letter about the mysterious death of his brother, and shows up to investigate. Father Michael seems to have some information on Ali’s troubles. But for a movie titled Shark Exorcist, it doesn’t really have much footage of the shark or the exorcist. And the shark footage that is there is really awful. The shark and the actors are never in the same frame. The movie also suffers from some terrible music, as well as some poor ADR. Watch the priest’s mouth during the scene where he meets Emily. His mouth doesn’t match the sound. And what’s up with the weird limping extra in the carnival scene? Why is there a carnival scene anyway? Still, I did have fun watching this one. Hey, at one point the shark arrives from space. It really doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, but I’m not sure it was ever intended to.

By the way, two people are credited with special makeup effects. Hmm. One of them is Alaine Huntington, who is also an actor in the film. She’s also an associate producer. And the second unit director. And she’s in charge of transportation in Louisiana. Shark Exorcist was written and directed by Donald Farmer, and was released on DVD on June 28, 2016 through Wild Eye Releasing. The DVD includes the movie’s trailer, as well as the trailer for Raiders Of The Lost Shark.