Drawing Flies

I finally tracked down a copy of Drawing Flies on DVD - O.K., I had to go on holiday to Canada, but I got it, and that's the main thing! To be honest, I wasn't expecting much, as pretty much all I knew about the film apart from the View Askew connection was that it was very low budget, and in black & white. However, it's got a very `Clerks` style of script (no bad thing), and some sharp and witty lines. Unfortunately, to me, the script seems just a little underdeveloped. Not bad, just, not quite fully rounded. But hey it's low budget, and fun ... perhaps I'm being overcritical. The cameos are fun to spot - mostly under assumed names, too - and the cast seem to be having a whale of a time. One thought - wonder if the makers of The Blair Witch Project ever saw this film? Black and white / Lost in the woods / mysterious monster lurking / injuries / fallings out ....... Hmmmmmmm

I would like to set a few things straight.

Those of you who said you were expecting a great Kevin Smith Comedy,but instead were disappointed: You got what you deserved. It wasn't a Kevin Smith Film, it was a View Askew film. Made by film makers who do not share the exact same flow or style, if you will, with Kevin Smith. I thought the movie was great. If you didn't view this movie with an open mind, or the only reason you saw it was to compare it to the rest of the View Askew films, too bad for you. The movie didn't let you down, you let yourself down. The movie delivered just what it advertised, a film, a film submitted for your entertainment. I understand that every movie isn't for everyone, but a movie can't entertain you if you don't give it a chance.

I'm a big fan of Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes and the View Askewniverse but this movie was hard to sit through. I finally got to see this movie that I've wanted to see for a long time and no I can't get that time back. It's just a bit over an hour but seems longer. Not funny and boring. NOT a Kev Smith type of comedy. Watch when you have some time to burn if you want to see this.

When DRAWING FLIES came out on DVD, I hadn't seen it yet and figured since I am a huge Askewniverse fan, I would enjoy this film as much as the others. Damn, was I wrong. This film was very disappointing, even for what it was: a low-budget, black and white indie film with a decent cast, a bad script, and no point. So know I own a movie which I think sucked, but then again I can watch it for LEE, MEWES, and SMITH.

One of the things I enjoyed most when I began to seriously study films was finding (at art houses, for the most part, or at screenings on college campuses) the early efforts of neophyte filmmakers. DRAWING FLIES reminds me of the feeling of satisfaction one gets after a long, arduous search when one comes away from a new discovery feeling that the running time was time well spent. At no point in the proceedings was I bored. There may be some unevenness (mostly of a technical nature, which is the bane of all no-budget productions), but this is excellent low budget filmmaking; take it from someone who's been there and done that. Would make a good double-bill with Onur Tukel's black and white first film, HOUSE OF PANCAKES.