Disconnected

Pretty much loved this through and through - the blaring pop-punk soundtrack - Francis Raines' believable acting/characterization - the weird off-kilter blend of the banal and truly bizarre - the use of real apartments/clubs/videostore/Waterbury streets in which it all takes place - guaranteeing nothing feels like a "cheap set" despite (and/or because of it) being a low-budget production.. there's great choices being made all over the place here including a plethora of odd-ball, random little details - like shrimp newberg for dinner (!?!) - realizing she lives right across the street from the cemetery - or the ridiculous Groucho Marx statue in her apartment (that takes on a truly creepy demeanor at one point) - make it much richer a watch than expected and not just a by-the-books/let's-make-a-buck exploitationer.. and when it shifts from being (mostly) "I know where this is going" into something darker, more sinister and more somewhat incomprehensible - it manages to become truly frightening and nightmarish.. and that cacophonous noise coming out of her phone is pretty darn unsettling.. all of the reviews I read (positive or negative) pointed out a particular shot as a complaint towards being amateurish - a shot that actually had me almost leaping outta my seat thinking how bold and beautiful a choice it was - and it doesn't feel out of place in a movie that is doing a lot of things its own way.. Director Bechard's Psychos In Love is probably better known - possibly better regarded - than Disconnected - but I found this one to be more enthralling, more particular, more interesting - and less straining to be funny or quirky.. and in the words of the Disconnected nice-guy-but-a-serial-killer, Franklin's trade-mark sign-off that I got a kick out of once I realized he was going to keep saying it: "ok - see ya - bye"..

Not very good, but somewhat watchable. Someone is killing young women in a small town; we don't see the killings or bodies until the killer is identified. Meanwhile, an odd but polite young man tries to date Alicia, a young woman who is working at a video store. She has a slutty identical twin sister. Alicia is getting strange phone calls: nobody there, or horrible sounds, or overhearing other people's phone calls. The calls may or may not be related to the killer.

The movie gets a little odd after the killer is dealt with by the police. A restless night Alicia has is depicted through a series of black & white photographs. An old man in a black hat and black coat who was seen at the beginning of the movie shows up again at the end. I'm not sure if he is significant or not.

As in Gorman Bechard's other movies, Carmine Capobianco talks to the camera. Here, he's a cop talking to someone, a journalist? Oddly, he's shot against a white wall, and wears the same shirt in scenes supposed to be taking place on different days.

Lots of pop/rock songs on the soundtrack. Sometimes scenes play without dialogue or environmental sound, serving as little more than music video montage scenes. There's some good music by XTC and Hunters & Gatherers.

If this was Bechard's first film as a director, as it seems to be, it's not bad considering that.

Disconnected is the perfect word to describe the style of this very bizarre '80s obscurity, which is executed in such an off-kilter manner, with disparate scenes edited together in a seemingly random manner, that it actually proves quite mesmerising.

Frances Raines stars as pretty video store clerk Alicia, who begins dating a guy called Franklin (Mark Walker) unaware that he is the serial killer who has been butchering local women. Meanwhile, the poor girl is also having to contend with a series of bizarre, unsettling phone calls that are pushing her to the brink of insanity. While this sounds pretty straightforward, writer/producer/director/editor/tea-boy Gorman Bechard's unique creative approach makes for an unusual viewing experience to say the least.

From the get go, this is one weird movie, the first ten minutes or so making very little sense: Alicia helps an old man to her apartment, where he uses her phone and promptly disappears; Alicia and her friends dance to a really bad band; a man entertains a woman at a bar by doing the same magic trick twice; Alicia accuses her boyfriend of sleeping with her twin sister; Franklin visits the video shop despite not owning a player; a cop talks directly to camera about the murders: all of this is edited together in such a strange fashion that it beggars belief (throughout the film, Bechard chucks in random shots of everyday objects for good measure).

The film then trundles along in a relatively logical manner until midway, when Franklin is shot dead by the police, after which Alicia's scary phone calls become more and more frequent. No explanation is ever given for these occurrences, the film ending with Alicia smashing her phone (after the earpiece bleeds!?!), and with the reappearance of the old man from the beginning, whose relevance is also a complete mystery.

Go into this one expecting to not understand what is happening, and you might just find yourself entertained by its sheer craziness; if not, then there's always the lovely Miss Raines to hold your attention, the actress spending much of the film wandering around in her underwear and taking off her top to provide the obligatory nudity (she also plays Alicia's twin sister Barbara Ann, giving us twice the opportunity to appreciate her charms).

4.5 out of 10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.

You have to give Disconnected a hand for daring to go against the grain and do something different. It's not your typical "teens in the woods/at a grad night/at prom/at camp/etc." being hacked up kind of horror movie, but that doesn't mean it works. In fact, it doesn't work.

Besides some flashes of potential here and there, Disconnected fails to make much of an impact due to a lack of suspense and underdeveloped characters. The entire thing is as baffling as a David Lynch movie but without the finesse. It's hinted that there might be something supernatural at play which gives it a slightly dreamlike feel, but I can't tell if that was intentional or because the filmmakers weren't sure what they were doing. However, it's probably the most interesting aspect of the film.

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Disconnected; here's the breakdown of my ratings:

Story: 1.50 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.25 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 1.50

TOTAL: 7.00 out of 10.00

This little-known picture came as a pleasant, if slightly disturbing, surprise. It possesses some intriguing concepts and is one of the better modern telephone horror films.

The screenplay, written by Director Gorman Bechard and Virginia Gilroy - based on her short story - tells the tale of Alicia and Franklin's doomed romance and throws in a generous spattering of mystery, mayhem, and murder. One day when Alicia leaves for work at the video store, she spots an elderly gentleman who appears distressed. Being a kindly person, she offers him a cup of tea. However, no sooner has the tea been brewed and she's walked back into the room does Alicia find him gone. Quickly she moves to her front door and looks out but can't see the gent anywhere. He was slow-moving and unsteady; there was no way he could have walked out, descended her stairs, and ambled down the street before Alicia scouted the neighbourhood for him. The incident troubles her, but she soon forgets him when the phone calls start coming. Franklin is a cinephile. One day he pops into Alicia's store and shyly asks her out. She happily accepts his advances as she's unsure of Mark, her ex, and her twin sister Barbara. Her sister has issues, and one's to seduce her sister's men. Alicia believes Mark has already fallen under her temptations. And this theory is borne out when she receives a call from Barbara. However, it appears to be a crossed line as Bab's not conversing with her but with Mark, and she's saying that her sis is clueless about them. But this isn't the only curious call she's received, and it won't be the last. Because, now, when the phone rings and she picks up, an undulating shriek screech from the earpiece before the strange and obscure chatter starts. Is she suffering a mental breakdown? Are these aural delusions? While out in the streets of her town, a stalker is killing and mutilating women. The police are having little luck in apprehending the slasher. Will they find him out in time, or will Alicia and Bab's end up on the wrong end of his blade? A lot is going on in Disconnected, but it never feels overly stuffed or heavy. Bechard and Gilroy magnificently weave together all the strands into one strong rope of a tale. They keep the narrative flowing smoothly and fill it with appealing and credible characters. I particularly like the two detectives; they have a je ne sais quoi about them.

Another positive is Bechard's direction. This guy attempts to make every scene interesting at every opportunity. He uses light and shade, varying camera angles, different styles of panning, quick cuts, and composition to entertain the audience. I especially liked the phone call segment when Alicia rings Franklin to accept his dinner offer. We see her in the video store dialling his number. We then have a semi-close-up of Franklin appearing to wake up in his bed and answer the phone. After they hang up, we stay in Franklin's bedroom, but this time we're standing looking down at the foot of the bed. We slowly pan up the bed to reveal the bloody chaos. It's a simple shot, but it works well. There's also a superb rolling pan in the nightclub to witness the patrons sitting at the bar. It doesn't bring anything to the story, just interest in a filler scene, but it's good.

As for the performances, these are all above par. However, I would've liked more tension and darkness from Mark Walker (Franklin), especially in the murder scenes. He's a tad soft for my liking. But apart from that, everyone does well and are on an even keel.

I would gladly recommend this macabre piece of cinematography to every Horror and Dark Thriller fan. It's original and mysteriously entertaining, and a wonderful way to spend a dark autumnal night. But beware, I have found this story has a way of crawling into your cerebrum and nestling there.

Don't listen to the voices on the phone. Focus on my voice; now, please read over my IMDb lists - Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chillers, to see where I ranked Disconnected before I have my fun with you.

Take Care & Stay Well.