This World, Then the Fireworks

How in the world can you guys not like this film. I consider this film one of my top 10, mostly because the characterization of Billy Zane's character may be the best in any movie ever. This movies has almost everything you want: Original Awesome Characterization (especially with Zane's Character) Sufficiently well written and acted

Maybe this movie isn't what the mainstream wants, but it is still an excellent flick.

Come on, Billy Zane is amazing in this film. If for anything, it's worth watching to see his performance. I watched this film after standing at a Bright Eyes concert for hours, I was tired but just let it go on because it kept my attention, STOOD WITH ME, much more than many modern day pop. films do. It really is a tribute to Film-Noir more than anything. The angles and shots at times remind me of Hitchcock, but mostly it stays within the bounds of Noir. It's like the director watched A & E and Nick at Night forever. If you watched Film-Noir you know the plot isn't always explained with your hand held like many films are for nowadays people. Film Noir was slick and cool. It's not a perfect film but it's a damn good one! Worth a watch, don't judge this film by its cover, actually don't even look at the cover at all. The cover sucks, its worthless, the film itself, is great.

I really can't understand why this film has such a poor rating. I rented it totally randomly years ago and was absolutely entranced. It's about good people who do bad things, and bad people who do good things, and about the moral values of society. It has a wonderful visual style, portrays an amazingly consistent world.

The whole film has an air of sadness pervading it that sticks with me five years on.

Difficult viewing, but wonderful.

If you see this for rent or cheap purchase anywhere, grab it and see one of the most individual and haunting films ever.

There are a lot of plot holes and implausibilities in this one, but overall I thought it was worth a look because Sheryl Lee gives a great performance that is full of emotion, conflict, and sensuality. Gina Gershon does a nice job too, and the small-town 1950's atmosphere is nicely done. The odd tension between the siblings is overplayed and some of the character's actions don't seem very credible to me, but still an interesting film as a one-off when better options aren't around.

Billy Zane is perfect as the sociopathic Marty, and his voice-over narration IS the Jim Thompson novella. This World is simultaniously an overblown parody and a loving homage to not only Thompson, but fifties hardboiled thrillers in general. Gritty touches of realism mix with a nostalgiac 50s pastiche and stylized performances and camera work. Sure to be over the heads of most modern viewers (see above review) but if you love film noir, and especially the pulp novels that helped spawn it, this film is beautiful, hillarious, and genuinely misanthropic. All the performances are very accurate to the way the characters acted in the novella. Shot like a combination of a moving Edward Hopper painting and an Italian Giallo thriller. HIGHLY recommended!