Saxon

I had the good fortune of watching this film at a preview screening in London last week. I hadn't heard a lot about the film and neither had most people at the half full cinema. Well more fool the half of the audience who didn't turn up as this was without doubt one of the freshest and funniest feature films to emerge in ages.

Right from the gripping opening sequence, Saxon grabs you by the scruff of the neck and pulls you along for an uproarious ninety minutes. It's difficult to classify the movie, part spaghetti western, part thriller, part dark comedy with a touch of redemption and dash of romance set in a run down estate called Saxon. To it's complete credit it never feels like a mish mash of ideas, in fact the complete opposite. It all works and combines seamlessly to introduce different characters and subtle story lines that all build to an explosive ending.

There are numerous little sight gags and one-liners that had the audience in stitches throughout the film, as well as touching moments that had you really rooting for Eddie, the anti-hero. Sean Harris does an excellent job in the lead role and is supported by a cast that most people will never have seen before but who are all superb, particularly the actor who plays the estate villain. I'd never seen or heard of him before but he certainly made the head bailiff extremely menacing.

It's hard to find fault with the film, even more so when you find out that this film was made on a shoestring budget by a first time feature writer/director. It never feels that way and looks superb. Sure you can see that a few corners have been cut here and there but it never detracts from what is a completely rewarding ninety minutes!

Saxon's press notes boast of its adherence to, and playfulness with, the rules and conventions of the great American westerns, but it is a very pleasant surprise to observe just how subtle and shrewd those genre nods are.

The plot is appropriately simple: Eddie (Sean Harris) returns home to the grim, ghostly Saxon housing estate after both a brief spell in prison, and a visit from a sadistic loan shark. With his one functioning eyeball on the line, Eddie tries to make a fast buck by interacting with a succession of the estate's most volatile misfits, in an attempt to track down a minor local celebrity who has inexplicably vanished.

It is an irrefutable oddity for sure, but the plot's fiendish momentum does exert a palpable grip, and for a film shot for almost nothing, it looks outstanding; composed entirely of wide- angled hand-held shots, it comes off (visually, at least) like a collaboration between Luc Besson and Andrew Bujalski. But the ominous, whacked-out aura is all its own.

This is simply perfect if you're in the mood for some impeccably crafted weird.

Greg loftin has written and directed and produced (Phew!!) his first feature Saxon and it got its first showing at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh at the International Film Festival...and what a successful & impressive (micro budget also) debut it is! (Aug 24th) The movie centres around Eddie (a brilliant Sean Harris) who is in search of a missing mate after leaving prison - he is hired by the mate's wife to find him and also he must pay off a bunch of nasty fishmongers before he loses his eye as payment. (the other has already been removed by the fishmongers) There are also nods to British cult classics like Clockwork Orange and the kitchen sink dramas of the 60s when the scenes are intimate between Harris and his female co-stars (This Sporting Life comes to mind)...I think this film has a certain cult potential but will not be to everyone's taste - some scenes are very strong and the story demands attention and respect.

The film starts at a fast pace but then changes pace - and at every turn there is a new twist - so we have a violent opening (but thank God this does not turn into another Gangster flick) followed by a nice scene between Linda (Sarah Matarves) and Eddie and then we are introduced with Tongue Firmly in cheek to "The Bailiffs". The pace changes work and the main performances are solid.

The colours of the film are beautifully shot and stand out - esp the grim housing estate (Saxon it's called - hence the name) and the music is a nice original accompaniment to the scenes.

Many of the characters are introduced at random at first - from the Lighterlady, Russell (an excellent Drew Edwards) and a mad fishmonger chasing Eddie (a scary Stephen Manwaring), an insane tramp and we are left slightly bemused as to what these various characters are up to (we find out) but as i engaged with the story, it all came together right at the end with a twisted yet funny sense of logic. The characters are brilliantly quirky and this film does not take itself too seriously and has a very British feeling about it...It's almost insane...

Saxon was a refreshing change to watch at the cinema and a breath of fresh air! Hope it makes it nationwide.

the Film Nut (Edinburgh 2007)

After the first few minutes I was very much looking forward to the rest of this film. Unfortunately it failed to deliver. A few bright moments in the script to begin with, but these gradually petered out.

A decent performance from Sarah Matravers, particularly in the early scenes, but she then became woefully under-utilised as the film plodded on.

I don't suppose it should be possible to meander at pace, but this film managed to do just that. We'll have to wait for the next offering to find out if this was due to the direction or the script - it wasn't the acting, which had some merit.

Hugely disappointed

I think after watching Saxon, you will either love this film or hate it...of course I loved it...why?? It's freshness and originality (and it's damn right madness at times!) will grab other parts that the norm cannot reach.

It is so good to see British talent making an effort to create a piece of 'art' (which i believe this film will become) and show the film biz and the UK TV biz that they should be backing artistic talent and not the dross that is Big Brother or cooking shows. I make this point because it is so sad that the Director and Producer had to re-mortgage their house to make this film - a sad reflection upon the 'men in suits' methinks! The film follows 'fast eddie' returning to Saxon (a grim housing estate) (Sean Harris on excellent form) - just out of prison and on a journey of redemption and trying to make some quick cash of which he owes to a local fishmonger. If he does not pay he will loose an eye (the other was cut out by the head fishmonger) to a psycho, almost perverted, fishmonger as payment - played very scary and with force by newbie Stephen Manwaring (Molly). Also, there are ruthless bailffs (head bailiff Russell exellently played by Drew Edwards) to contend with, mad Tramps, a vengeful father, an angry young Asian lad, a mad lighter lady, his Mother who is on the game and various ex's and an excellent soundtrack. Also, sarah Matravas is great with those (in the words of Tony Soprano) "Charles Manson Lamps" (crazy eyes) - great stuff!

There are twists and turns galore and to be frank - the characters are barking - and i loved them for the shear entertainment value. There is also nice pace changes...sometimes slow but then 'bang', we get an explosion of action...this kept me on the edge of my seat.

I hope for British Film's sake that this gets a good release in 2008 and thank god this is not another Gangster film!!! Most of the cast you will not of heard of but I hope you will by the end of 2008!!! If you like David Lynch and A clockwork Orange and you want to see a Film that has Cult potential, then go a see Saxon. Barking and Bonkers but brave!!! IronDuke