It’s a bit of whiplash to go from covering Psycho (listen), Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal 1960 classic, to Rob Zombie’s Southern-fried feature debut, House of 1000 Corpses, but that’s what Jenn and I are doing as we continue our month-long exploration of Ed Gein. If you haven’t listened to the primer (here), that’s the best place to begin.
In Zombie’s first film, four College kids – Jerry (Chris Hardwick), Bill (Rainn Wilson), Mary (Jennifer Jostyn), and Denise (Erin Daniels) – run afoul of the Firefly clan and fight to survive the night. Of course, the demented family is more fun to watch, especially sexually aggressive Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) and knife-happy Otis (Bill Moseley).
What’s fascinating about Zombie’s film, apart from how overwhelming his visuals are, is how many horror and true crime homages he packs in. This includes the trio of historical killers in...
In Zombie’s first film, four College kids – Jerry (Chris Hardwick), Bill (Rainn Wilson), Mary (Jennifer Jostyn), and Denise (Erin Daniels) – run afoul of the Firefly clan and fight to survive the night. Of course, the demented family is more fun to watch, especially sexually aggressive Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) and knife-happy Otis (Bill Moseley).
What’s fascinating about Zombie’s film, apart from how overwhelming his visuals are, is how many horror and true crime homages he packs in. This includes the trio of historical killers in...
- 10/17/2024
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
The 20th anniversary of writer/director Rob Zombie’s feature directorial debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) came and went last year – but today, Zombie took to social media to announce that he’s celebrating the 21st anniversary of the film by working on a book about the making of it! Zombie also shared multiple behind-the-scenes images, and you can check those out at the bottom of this article.
Zombie wrote, “To celebrate the 21st anniversary of House of 1000 Corpses being released I thought I would give you a sneak peek at the House of 1000 Corpses book that I have been working on. This thing is packed with rare photos, blueprints, storyboards, makeup tests and my original script with all my handwritten notes and sketches. So much stuff for all you Corpse-Heads! Coming your way soon.”
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young...
Zombie wrote, “To celebrate the 21st anniversary of House of 1000 Corpses being released I thought I would give you a sneak peek at the House of 1000 Corpses book that I have been working on. This thing is packed with rare photos, blueprints, storyboards, makeup tests and my original script with all my handwritten notes and sketches. So much stuff for all you Corpse-Heads! Coming your way soon.”
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young...
- 4/12/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of writer/director Rob Zombie’s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here), and to celebrate the occasion the folks at Neca have announced that they’ll be releasing new action figures based on the Captain Spaulding and Otis characters! These figures won’t be shipping out until March of 2024 – so actually, in time for the film’s 21st anniversary – but you can already check them out on the Neca website. Captain Spaulding can be found Here and Otis is over Here.
Here’s the info on the new Captain Spaulding action figure: Stop by Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen — it’s fun for the whole family! (If you’re the Manson family!) Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Rob Zombie’s movie House of 1000 Corpses, which featured gas, food, murder, and the most shocking tale of carnage ever seen.
Here’s the info on the new Captain Spaulding action figure: Stop by Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen — it’s fun for the whole family! (If you’re the Manson family!) Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Rob Zombie’s movie House of 1000 Corpses, which featured gas, food, murder, and the most shocking tale of carnage ever seen.
- 12/11/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of writer/director Rob Zombie’s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here), and today we’re celebrating the film’s anniversary with a video that digs into The Best Scene in the movie! You can check it out in the embed above.
The scene we’ve chosen to feature in this video is the opening sequence that involves Captain Spaulding, brought to life through an iconic performance from Sid Haig, dealing with a pair of dimwitted armed robbers who have come busting into his gas station / murder museum.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a...
The scene we’ve chosen to feature in this video is the opening sequence that involves Captain Spaulding, brought to life through an iconic performance from Sid Haig, dealing with a pair of dimwitted armed robbers who have come busting into his gas station / murder museum.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a...
- 10/18/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of writer/director Rob Zombie’s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here), and to celebrate the occasion Lionsgate gave the film a new Blu-ray release and Trick or Treat Studios is selling a House of 1000 Corpses coloring book. Now Fathom Events has announced that they will be giving the film a theatrical re-release for two nights this Halloween season, on October 8th and October 11th.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a few of the 1000+ horrors that await.
The film stars Sid Haig, Erin Daniels, Bill Moseley, Karen Black, Sheri Moon Zombie, Rainn Wilson,...
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a few of the 1000+ horrors that await.
The film stars Sid Haig, Erin Daniels, Bill Moseley, Karen Black, Sheri Moon Zombie, Rainn Wilson,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Yesterday, we shared the news that the Netflix streaming service is publishing coloring books inspired by their shows Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and Castlevania. Whether or not any of those interested you, maybe this one will: Trick or Treat Studios is now selling a coloring book inspired by writer/director Rob Zombie‘s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) – a movie that happens to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its theatrical release this year! Copies of Trick or Treat Studios’ House of 1000 Corpses coloring book go for the price of $11.99 and can be ordered at This Link.
A lot more House of 1000 Corpses items can be found on Trick or Treat Studios website, and they have a couple The Devil’s Rejects items as well.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads...
A lot more House of 1000 Corpses items can be found on Trick or Treat Studios website, and they have a couple The Devil’s Rejects items as well.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads...
- 8/3/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Before becoming one of the most divisive filmmakers in horror with the likes of Halloween and The Munsters, Rob Zombie was just a musician trying his hand at the film industry. House of 1000 Corpses came together fairly quickly following a failed attempt to reboot The Crow, but the rock star’s Hollywood career almost never was due to post-production controversy that left his directorial debut on the shelf for three years.
Production on Corpses was completed in 2000 before Universal Studios refused to release it due to its objectionable content. MGM later came on board to distribute it in 2002 until a tongue-in-cheek remark by Zombie caused them to cancel the deal. Finally, Lions Gate signed on and released it in April of 2003, launching Zombie’s film career as well as a franchise that would be followed by 2005’s The Devil’s Rejects and 2019’s 3 from Hell.
Unsure if he’d ever...
Production on Corpses was completed in 2000 before Universal Studios refused to release it due to its objectionable content. MGM later came on board to distribute it in 2002 until a tongue-in-cheek remark by Zombie caused them to cancel the deal. Finally, Lions Gate signed on and released it in April of 2003, launching Zombie’s film career as well as a franchise that would be followed by 2005’s The Devil’s Rejects and 2019’s 3 from Hell.
Unsure if he’d ever...
- 5/5/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Back in February, we learned that Lionsgate is giving writer/director Rob Zombie‘s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) a new Blu-ray release to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary on April 11th. There will be a standard edition of the House of 1000 Corpses 20th anniversary Blu-ray and a steelbook edition that will be exclusive to Best Buy. Both editions will include a disc that’s full of new bonus features, but a New Director’s Commentary will only be accessible on digital platforms. Zombie took to Instagram to reveal that he was recording that new commentary yesterday.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by RobZombieofficial (@robzombieofficial)
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are...
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by RobZombieofficial (@robzombieofficial)
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are...
- 3/23/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Rob Zombie‘s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses, and Lionsgate will be releasing a brand new Blu-ray next month.
The 20th anniversary Blu-ray set will be released on April 11, 2023, and you’ll be able to get a special SteelBook version of the release exclusively through Best Buy.
As we recently learned, the new release will also include a brand new Rob Zombie Director’s Commentary track that’ll be exclusive to Digital, and Zombie shares on Instagram that he’s recording the track today – 20 years after his original track for the film’s DVD release.
Check out Zombie’s Instagram update below.
When House of 1000 Corpses slashed its way into theaters 20 years ago, 1970s-style horror – and camp – returned with bone-snapping, scream-inducing vengeance. Zombie’s directorial debut, this first film of a trilogy introduces the Firefly family, backwoods sadists who plunge two young...
The 20th anniversary Blu-ray set will be released on April 11, 2023, and you’ll be able to get a special SteelBook version of the release exclusively through Best Buy.
As we recently learned, the new release will also include a brand new Rob Zombie Director’s Commentary track that’ll be exclusive to Digital, and Zombie shares on Instagram that he’s recording the track today – 20 years after his original track for the film’s DVD release.
Check out Zombie’s Instagram update below.
When House of 1000 Corpses slashed its way into theaters 20 years ago, 1970s-style horror – and camp – returned with bone-snapping, scream-inducing vengeance. Zombie’s directorial debut, this first film of a trilogy introduces the Firefly family, backwoods sadists who plunge two young...
- 3/22/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
April 11, 2023 will mark the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of writer/director Rob Zombie‘s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) – and to celebrate the occasion, Lionsgate is giving the film a new Blu-ray release!
The standard edition of the House of 1000 Corpses 20th anniversary Blu-ray will come with All-new packaging from artists hand-picked by Rob Zombie, Illustrated outerbox by Graham Humphreys, Illustrated poster by David Hartman, 60-page photo book created by Rob Zombie himself with illustrations by Graham Humphreys, and 6 Illustrated Art Cards by David Hartman. You can see an image of the set below, courtesy of Target.
Best Buy will be carrying an exclusive steelbook edition of the House of 1000 Corpses 20th anniversary Blu-ray, and you can see the steelbook art at the bottom of this article.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour...
The standard edition of the House of 1000 Corpses 20th anniversary Blu-ray will come with All-new packaging from artists hand-picked by Rob Zombie, Illustrated outerbox by Graham Humphreys, Illustrated poster by David Hartman, 60-page photo book created by Rob Zombie himself with illustrations by Graham Humphreys, and 6 Illustrated Art Cards by David Hartman. You can see an image of the set below, courtesy of Target.
Best Buy will be carrying an exclusive steelbook edition of the House of 1000 Corpses 20th anniversary Blu-ray, and you can see the steelbook art at the bottom of this article.
House of 1000 Corpses has the following synopsis: Two young couples take a misguided tour...
- 2/14/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Rob Zombie‘s feature debut House of 1000 Corpses, and Lionsgate is celebrating with a brand new Blu-ray release for the fan favorite film.
The 20th anniversary Blu-ray set will be released on April 11, 2023, and you’ll be able to get a special SteelBook version of the release exclusively through Best Buy.
When House of 1000 Corpses slashed its way into theaters 20 years ago, 1970s-style horror – and camp – returned with bone-snapping, scream-inducing vengeance. Zombie’s directorial debut, this first film of a trilogy introduces the Firefly family, backwoods sadists who plunge two young couples into a nightmare world of torture, satanic ritual, and cannibalism.
With a killer cast including horror legends Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, and Karen Black, House of 1000 Corpses is both a homage to a golden era and a scary good time from an innovative, unrivaled shock-master.
Special...
The 20th anniversary Blu-ray set will be released on April 11, 2023, and you’ll be able to get a special SteelBook version of the release exclusively through Best Buy.
When House of 1000 Corpses slashed its way into theaters 20 years ago, 1970s-style horror – and camp – returned with bone-snapping, scream-inducing vengeance. Zombie’s directorial debut, this first film of a trilogy introduces the Firefly family, backwoods sadists who plunge two young couples into a nightmare world of torture, satanic ritual, and cannibalism.
With a killer cast including horror legends Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, and Karen Black, House of 1000 Corpses is both a homage to a golden era and a scary good time from an innovative, unrivaled shock-master.
Special...
- 2/14/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
A couple days ago, writer/director Rob Zombie shared an image from the alternate ending to his feature directorial debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here). An ending that would have shown Sid Haig’s character Captain Spaulding giving a ride to final girl Denise (Erin Daniels) in his Museum of Monsters and Madmen truck. In the film, Spaulding gave Denise a ride in a convertible – and Otis (Bill Moseley) was revealed to be in the backseat. In the deleted ending, Denise would’ve been dragged into the back of the truck by Spaulding’s pal Ravelli (Irwin Keyes). Zombie has now shared another image from the alternate ending that shows Haig and Daniels in the truck, before Ravelli emerges from the back.
Unfortunately, it’s not likely we’ll ever see footage of this alternate ending, because all of the cut scenes were lost while the movie was passed from studio to studio.
Unfortunately, it’s not likely we’ll ever see footage of this alternate ending, because all of the cut scenes were lost while the movie was passed from studio to studio.
- 12/2/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The screenplay for Rob Zombie’s feature directorial debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) can be found online, and is quite different from the film that made it to theatres in 2003. Not only was Grampa Hugo revealed to be Dr. Satan, but there are scenes in the script that were filmed and cut – and Zombie has no access to the footage, as it was lost while the movie was passed from studio to studio. Among the differences is an alternate ending… and Zombie took to Instagram to share a rare still from the film’s original ending! In this image, we see Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen truck:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by RobZombieofficial (@robzombieofficial)
The movie ends with Captain Spaulding giving final girl Denise a ride in a convertible. Otis rises from the backseat with a knife – and then Denise...
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by RobZombieofficial (@robzombieofficial)
The movie ends with Captain Spaulding giving final girl Denise a ride in a convertible. Otis rises from the backseat with a knife – and then Denise...
- 11/30/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Last year, Trick or Treat Studios released a 5″ tall action figure of the character Captain Spaulding from Rob Zombie‘s feature directorial debut House of 1000 Corpses (watch it Here) – and you can purchase the Captain Spaulding figure, which is called the “Finger Lickin’ Pistol Whippin’ Captain Spaulding action figure”, at This Link. Now Trick or Treat Studios is accepting pre-orders for four more House of 1000 Corpses action figures: Showtime Baby Firefly (who is accompanied by Fishboy), Rabbit Roastin’ Otis Driftwood, Rippin’ Axe Professor, and Driller Killer Doctor Satan. These figures can be pre-ordered at This Link.
The House of 1000 Corpses figures are each sold separately, and there’s also a collector’s case available for purchase. If you order all of the new figures and the collector’s case, you’ll have all the pieces you need to assemble another figure: the Build-a-Figure Tiny Firefly! Tiny’s...
The House of 1000 Corpses figures are each sold separately, and there’s also a collector’s case available for purchase. If you order all of the new figures and the collector’s case, you’ll have all the pieces you need to assemble another figure: the Build-a-Figure Tiny Firefly! Tiny’s...
- 9/20/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
[To get you into the spooky spirit, the Daily Dead team is spotlighting double features that we think would be fun to watch this Halloween season. Check here for more double feature recommendations and other Halloween 2017 coverage.]
In horror movies, things usually go so very wrong on October 31st when it comes to the Halloween-themed offerings of the genre. But what about the night before? October 30th, or “Devil’s Night”, can also bring about its own horrific consequences, which is the theme I went with when it came time to put together my double feature of Alex Proyas’ The Crow and Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses. Both are coincidentally feature film debuts for each director, they feature killer soundtracks, and this pair of films is also centered around a storyline where the characters will never be the same after their experiences on the night before Halloween.
Based on the comic by James O'Barr, The Crow finds aspiring rock star Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) rising from the grave a year after his death to take revenge on the four thugs (David Patrick Kelly, Angel David,...
In horror movies, things usually go so very wrong on October 31st when it comes to the Halloween-themed offerings of the genre. But what about the night before? October 30th, or “Devil’s Night”, can also bring about its own horrific consequences, which is the theme I went with when it came time to put together my double feature of Alex Proyas’ The Crow and Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses. Both are coincidentally feature film debuts for each director, they feature killer soundtracks, and this pair of films is also centered around a storyline where the characters will never be the same after their experiences on the night before Halloween.
Based on the comic by James O'Barr, The Crow finds aspiring rock star Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) rising from the grave a year after his death to take revenge on the four thugs (David Patrick Kelly, Angel David,...
- 10/30/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Director: Josh Stolberg Writer: Josh Stolberg Starring: David Arquette, Connie Britton, Jennifer Finnigan, Sarah Hyland, Jennifer Jostyn, Jason Mantzoukas, Matt Prokop, Jonathan Silverman, Alan Tudyk "The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things but their inward significance." Aristotle once said that and now Paul (David Arquette), an elementary school teacher, recites Aristotle's philosophy on art to his young class; but we sense that Paul is also providing the audience with writer-director Josh Stolberg's (Kids in America) cinematic philosophy as well. Conception is not about what we see on the outside, it is what is going on the inside of the characters (figuratively and literally). We might understand that later -- but, like Paul's class, the time has not come for us to be able to comprehend such things. Paul's class is so perplexed by the Aristotle quote, that it somehow incites in them the...
- 4/25/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Focus
An awkward combination of stories and characters that doesn't always result in a clear picture of its real-world subject matter, Roger Roth's debut feature, "Focus", met with mixed reactions at its world premiere screening Saturday at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Is "Focus" a cliched shoot-'em-up in the 'hood, with guns, cameras and inspirational white characters, or a from-the-heart tale of creativity giving lost and young artists a reason to believe in themselves?
Commercial prospects for the U.S. indie are similarly blurry. The tale of a frustrated white photographer who befriends a black family, "Focus" boasts several convincing performances, but its crowd-pleasing predictability -- even as it takes on such challenges as portraying gang violence and the moral dilemma of crime witnesses who feel threatened into silence -- tends to undercut Roth's sincere intentions.
Depressed and unfulfilled as an artist since his photography partner died years earlier, Robert (Brandon Karrer) lives with girlfriend Sidney (Jennifer Jostyn). While she gives him tough-love pep talks over his need to move on in art and life, the movie shifts a few times to the Walker family in South Central Los Angeles, where fatherless teen Keith (Trent Cameron) and younger brother Marcus (Gary Gray) are destined to bond with Robert in fateful ways.
When Robert isn't even assertive enough to tell his boss (Bruce Weitz) he's quitting, the gloomy shutterbug heads for the visually inspiring concrete banks and bridges of the Los Angeles River, eventually finding his way to the gangsta-plagued neighborhood where the Walkers live. Robert befriends Marcus when the latter shows an interest in taking pictures, but Mrs. Walker (Davenia MacFadden) is naturally suspicious of the soft-spoken, exceedingly courteous stranger.
FOCUS
Waterline Pictures
Screenwriter-director: Roger Roth
Producer: Echo Gaffney
Executive producer: Roger Roth
Director of photography: Mark Woods
Production designer: Brian Daniel Livesay
Editor: Roger Roth
Costume designer: Hollandia O'Hara
Music: Norman Arnold
Casting: Mark Sikes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert: Brandon Karrer
Keith: Trent Cameron
Marcus: Gary Gray
Sidney: Jennifer Jostyn
Mrs. Walker: Davenia MacFadden
Earl: Bruce Weitz
G-Ride: Lloyd Avery
Boo: Arvie Lowe Jr.
June Bug: Garikayi Mutambirwa
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Is "Focus" a cliched shoot-'em-up in the 'hood, with guns, cameras and inspirational white characters, or a from-the-heart tale of creativity giving lost and young artists a reason to believe in themselves?
Commercial prospects for the U.S. indie are similarly blurry. The tale of a frustrated white photographer who befriends a black family, "Focus" boasts several convincing performances, but its crowd-pleasing predictability -- even as it takes on such challenges as portraying gang violence and the moral dilemma of crime witnesses who feel threatened into silence -- tends to undercut Roth's sincere intentions.
Depressed and unfulfilled as an artist since his photography partner died years earlier, Robert (Brandon Karrer) lives with girlfriend Sidney (Jennifer Jostyn). While she gives him tough-love pep talks over his need to move on in art and life, the movie shifts a few times to the Walker family in South Central Los Angeles, where fatherless teen Keith (Trent Cameron) and younger brother Marcus (Gary Gray) are destined to bond with Robert in fateful ways.
When Robert isn't even assertive enough to tell his boss (Bruce Weitz) he's quitting, the gloomy shutterbug heads for the visually inspiring concrete banks and bridges of the Los Angeles River, eventually finding his way to the gangsta-plagued neighborhood where the Walkers live. Robert befriends Marcus when the latter shows an interest in taking pictures, but Mrs. Walker (Davenia MacFadden) is naturally suspicious of the soft-spoken, exceedingly courteous stranger.
FOCUS
Waterline Pictures
Screenwriter-director: Roger Roth
Producer: Echo Gaffney
Executive producer: Roger Roth
Director of photography: Mark Woods
Production designer: Brian Daniel Livesay
Editor: Roger Roth
Costume designer: Hollandia O'Hara
Music: Norman Arnold
Casting: Mark Sikes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert: Brandon Karrer
Keith: Trent Cameron
Marcus: Gary Gray
Sidney: Jennifer Jostyn
Mrs. Walker: Davenia MacFadden
Earl: Bruce Weitz
G-Ride: Lloyd Avery
Boo: Arvie Lowe Jr.
June Bug: Garikayi Mutambirwa
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/8/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Focus
An awkward combination of stories and characters that doesn't always result in a clear picture of its real-world subject matter, Roger Roth's debut feature, "Focus", met with mixed reactions at its world premiere screening Saturday at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Is "Focus" a cliched shoot-'em-up in the 'hood, with guns, cameras and inspirational white characters, or a from-the-heart tale of creativity giving lost and young artists a reason to believe in themselves?
Commercial prospects for the U.S. indie are similarly blurry. The tale of a frustrated white photographer who befriends a black family, "Focus" boasts several convincing performances, but its crowd-pleasing predictability -- even as it takes on such challenges as portraying gang violence and the moral dilemma of crime witnesses who feel threatened into silence -- tends to undercut Roth's sincere intentions.
Depressed and unfulfilled as an artist since his photography partner died years earlier, Robert (Brandon Karrer) lives with girlfriend Sidney (Jennifer Jostyn). While she gives him tough-love pep talks over his need to move on in art and life, the movie shifts a few times to the Walker family in South Central Los Angeles, where fatherless teen Keith (Trent Cameron) and younger brother Marcus (Gary Gray) are destined to bond with Robert in fateful ways.
When Robert isn't even assertive enough to tell his boss (Bruce Weitz) he's quitting, the gloomy shutterbug heads for the visually inspiring concrete banks and bridges of the Los Angeles River, eventually finding his way to the gangsta-plagued neighborhood where the Walkers live. Robert befriends Marcus when the latter shows an interest in taking pictures, but Mrs. Walker (Davenia MacFadden) is naturally suspicious of the soft-spoken, exceedingly courteous stranger.
FOCUS
Waterline Pictures
Screenwriter-director: Roger Roth
Producer: Echo Gaffney
Executive producer: Roger Roth
Director of photography: Mark Woods
Production designer: Brian Daniel Livesay
Editor: Roger Roth
Costume designer: Hollandia O'Hara
Music: Norman Arnold
Casting: Mark Sikes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert: Brandon Karrer
Keith: Trent Cameron
Marcus: Gary Gray
Sidney: Jennifer Jostyn
Mrs. Walker: Davenia MacFadden
Earl: Bruce Weitz
G-Ride: Lloyd Avery
Boo: Arvie Lowe Jr.
June Bug: Garikayi Mutambirwa
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Is "Focus" a cliched shoot-'em-up in the 'hood, with guns, cameras and inspirational white characters, or a from-the-heart tale of creativity giving lost and young artists a reason to believe in themselves?
Commercial prospects for the U.S. indie are similarly blurry. The tale of a frustrated white photographer who befriends a black family, "Focus" boasts several convincing performances, but its crowd-pleasing predictability -- even as it takes on such challenges as portraying gang violence and the moral dilemma of crime witnesses who feel threatened into silence -- tends to undercut Roth's sincere intentions.
Depressed and unfulfilled as an artist since his photography partner died years earlier, Robert (Brandon Karrer) lives with girlfriend Sidney (Jennifer Jostyn). While she gives him tough-love pep talks over his need to move on in art and life, the movie shifts a few times to the Walker family in South Central Los Angeles, where fatherless teen Keith (Trent Cameron) and younger brother Marcus (Gary Gray) are destined to bond with Robert in fateful ways.
When Robert isn't even assertive enough to tell his boss (Bruce Weitz) he's quitting, the gloomy shutterbug heads for the visually inspiring concrete banks and bridges of the Los Angeles River, eventually finding his way to the gangsta-plagued neighborhood where the Walkers live. Robert befriends Marcus when the latter shows an interest in taking pictures, but Mrs. Walker (Davenia MacFadden) is naturally suspicious of the soft-spoken, exceedingly courteous stranger.
FOCUS
Waterline Pictures
Screenwriter-director: Roger Roth
Producer: Echo Gaffney
Executive producer: Roger Roth
Director of photography: Mark Woods
Production designer: Brian Daniel Livesay
Editor: Roger Roth
Costume designer: Hollandia O'Hara
Music: Norman Arnold
Casting: Mark Sikes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert: Brandon Karrer
Keith: Trent Cameron
Marcus: Gary Gray
Sidney: Jennifer Jostyn
Mrs. Walker: Davenia MacFadden
Earl: Bruce Weitz
G-Ride: Lloyd Avery
Boo: Arvie Lowe Jr.
June Bug: Garikayi Mutambirwa
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 3/8/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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