4 reviews
Along with CRASH, the most overrated dreck of the past decade. Agonizingly long and pretentious "cinema" that attempts (and apparently succeeds, based on the number of positive reviews) to flatter viewers into thinking they're watching something profound. I suppose we'll now have to endure dozens of other 150 minute spectacles of impossible coincidence and pseudo-profound revelation aimed at movie-going "sophisticates." Sure, everybody wants Hollywood to make better movies but if this kind of pandering self-indulgence is one of the options, I'll take CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON. At least the unintentional laughs in that one are genuinely amusing.
How they got Lawrence Tierney (well-known 1950s film noir thug and later Quentin Tarentino's main man in RESERVOIR DOGS) to play a central role in this little sickie is a wonder. Fans of 70s/80s horror cheese (and students of Ed Gein cinema) are advised that this is one of the good ones: The claustrophobic atmosphere, shockingly cruel and sudden amounts of shock and not-quite-gore, and low budget yet creative mise en scene put this one up there with the LAST HOUSE and Texas CHAINSAW. While I'm plugging indie shockers of this type, I ought to mention DERANGED. MIDNIGHT and DERANGED would make a great double bill. You'd really need a shower afterwards.
Is there a movie category lower than Straight-to-video? If so, perhaps it's Straight-to-Showtime-at-3 a.m., which is where I caught this little oddity. I won't waste any time on how idiotic the picture is since others have already explained it well--but I did want to comment on a "technique" so badly executed that I had to pinch myself to confirm what I was seeing and hearing. Midway though the film, for what seems like 20-30 minutes, there are passages of dialogue and voice-over narration that are accompanied by the actors talking, or mouthing words since you can't actually hear them--you can only hear the voiceovers. It seems like you've stumbled onto the worst dubbing job of all time. The actors appear to converse, and separate dialogue is heard on the soundtrack. I think the director was trying for artiness, a way of conveying events in a way parallel to the action on screen. Or something. We'd have to dig out THE CREEPING TERROR to find another botch job of this calibre.
Allison Anders' best movie is a terrific ensemble piece, and what an ensemble! Seemingly playing themselves are ex-Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet members John Taylor and Martin Kemp, X frontman John Doe, Michael Des Barres (whose self-parody here deserves some kind of award), plus great turns from Rosanna Arquette, Beverly D'Angelo, Ally Sheedy, someone named Lucinda Jenney (I love her whoever she is) and a number of other actors who barely seem to be acting, they are so natural and the dialogue so true to life. This is one of those rare movies of perfectly observed little details, with not a false note struck; plus it gives a droll and utterly believable glimpse inside the LA music and production worlds. You care about each character, even the detestable ones (like central figure Gwen) and there are about 20 characters to follow. Reminds a bit of an early Alan Rudolph piece but breezier and less self-conscious. I give SUGAR TOWN 8 stars, or 3 1/2 on Len Maltin's scale. I live for movies this good.