More Movie Talk: pt. 1
I have just finished watching one of my favorite movies,
which is weird to say because I have never seen this film before now. Sometimes
I just watch a movie I know nothing about, in hopes that it is a hidden gem
which would have otherwise been swept under the rug with the generic pile of
metaphorical movie dirt that lies with it. I adopted this strategy because I
have come to the realization that generally I don’t like popular films. If I
have heard of a movie from advertising then chances are it is cookie-cutter
enough to have won the heart of some movie exec who just so happens to control
all of the ad money
I don’t want to sound like every indie jerk who doesn’t like something because it has hit the mainstream, but for some reason big Hollywood films barely ever move me in the way a film should. They typically don’t advertise the types of films I really enjoy, because they don’t bring in money. It’s sort of like that local band which you think should be at the top of the charts, and you can’t figure out why they don’t have record labels beating each other to the death with hammers just to get a piece of them.
Only I know why people aren’t clambering over these movies. Dark comedy doesn’t sell. Gore doesn’t sell. Anything that makes the viewer think rather than spelling out the plot doesn’t sell. There are exceptions of course, and I absolutely love that on occasion a movie with some of those attributes will break through and prove the world wrong. Quentin Tarantino is one of those exceptions. Rob Zombie seems to be another example, although I’m not particularly fond of anything but his Halloween remake.
But, back to tonights film of choice. The film is called The Signal. The plot seems kind of generic, so you’re going to have to give me some time to explain. Basically, all of the TV’s, radios and cell phones stop working and start sending out this static signal. This static signal gets in peoples heads and they almost immediately go crazy, turning the entire town into homicidal maniacs. I know what you’re thinking, this is another generic “technology is going to kill us” movies that have been all over the place lately. Luckily for us, at this point the film makes a sharp turn from generic into unexpected territory.
The film is one of the darkest films I have ever seen, yet they contrast it well by using some gorgeous camerawork. In that regard it reminded me of 28 Days Later, only without the artsy windmills, trailing country roads and beautiful open fields filled with running horses. The great camera work probably stems from the fact that the film has three directors. Yes, three. That aspect reminded me of From Dusk Till Dawn, which turned from what seemed like a serious crime film into an outlandish vampire film on a dime because it was a joint effort of both Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. In The Signal the three directors add a distinctive feeling of chaos to the film, which acts as a great way of emphasizing the chaos of the stark-raving-mad characters.
The film is both hectic and downright crazy. That theme just doesn’t let up, although there are periods in the film where the characters clear their minds and you are given a little break before diving right back into the madness. That madness reminded me a lot of the drugged out psychosis you saw in Requiem for a Dream. I don’t know if it was just me, but during Requium I was so barraged by crazy visuals and thoughts from the characters perspective that it took some time after the film ended before I felt like I was back to normal.
TO BE CONTINUED --
I've gotta go, I will continue this film review later tonight. or tomorrow if I dont find time.
IMBC: 664
