harperken80
Joined Nov 2009
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Reviews8
harperken80's rating
Hillside Strangler stands out as hands down one of the all time great true crime films. Chuck Parello plunges the viewer headfirst into the acid guts of sexual sadism, familial dysfunction, and spree killings.
The basic plot follows the rampage of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, two cousins who committed some of the most perverted acts of torture and homicide recorded in the annals of American crime. What makes this film stand out so well is how mundane the circumstances provoking their spree happen to be. The murders are presented as a simple, reflexive response to a single act of humiliation.
Parello perfectly captures the tacky, sexually saturated milieu of the mid-1970's. The world in which these crimes occur is one of female objectification, sexual dysfunction, and brazen immorality. By spending some time charting the vapid nature of the cousin's lives - petty existences comprised of orgies, drugs, and non- stop cruising - the eventual segue into murder feels almost natural.
There are some extremely disturbing scenes of rape, humiliation, and murder. However, the story emphasizes psychological and environmental factors just enough that Hillside Strangler approaches the precipice of exploitation without teetering over. It's a delicate balancing act that pushes the film to a level of repulsion it would not have reached if treated as a garden-variety serial killer flick (see Mike Feifer's EXORABLE shot on HD garbage cheapies for an example of the worst case scenario of the latter).
For those who feel that this type of movie trivializes the real pain experienced by real victims, I'll point out that this film only scrapes the surface of Bianchi and Buono's evil. Parello re-stages the crimes to avoid some horrifying details (like, for example, the fact that close to half of their victims were teens - some as young as 12), and allow the audience to empathize with the killers enough to maintain interest.
Hillside is a gem of indie true crime.
The basic plot follows the rampage of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, two cousins who committed some of the most perverted acts of torture and homicide recorded in the annals of American crime. What makes this film stand out so well is how mundane the circumstances provoking their spree happen to be. The murders are presented as a simple, reflexive response to a single act of humiliation.
Parello perfectly captures the tacky, sexually saturated milieu of the mid-1970's. The world in which these crimes occur is one of female objectification, sexual dysfunction, and brazen immorality. By spending some time charting the vapid nature of the cousin's lives - petty existences comprised of orgies, drugs, and non- stop cruising - the eventual segue into murder feels almost natural.
There are some extremely disturbing scenes of rape, humiliation, and murder. However, the story emphasizes psychological and environmental factors just enough that Hillside Strangler approaches the precipice of exploitation without teetering over. It's a delicate balancing act that pushes the film to a level of repulsion it would not have reached if treated as a garden-variety serial killer flick (see Mike Feifer's EXORABLE shot on HD garbage cheapies for an example of the worst case scenario of the latter).
For those who feel that this type of movie trivializes the real pain experienced by real victims, I'll point out that this film only scrapes the surface of Bianchi and Buono's evil. Parello re-stages the crimes to avoid some horrifying details (like, for example, the fact that close to half of their victims were teens - some as young as 12), and allow the audience to empathize with the killers enough to maintain interest.
Hillside is a gem of indie true crime.
This movie's WAY too smart for its own good. The basic story involves a mentally disturbed young woman and her companion being terrorized by a brutal predator on Halloween Night. Plot-wise it's "been there, done that". Unlike the original – superior – Spiegel film from '89 (which this is not in any way a remake of), the director is clearly trying to put a good deal of depth into this film (next time, let's have a little less character development and more decapitations, ce va?)
To give credit where it's due, there's a solid amount of craft involved here. The director has a good visual style, and the performances are strong (unlike most low-budget slashers). There are some solid suspense scenes, and a decent amount of gore and nudity (more of the former than the latter). There's also a sex-murder scene that is one of the more stylish and effective I've seen in recent memory (and includes a shot you would only expect to see in a gore-porn film).
The film never really transcends its budget. The fx are mostly (reasonably effective) flash cuts, and a few of the shots don't match (particularly in the first act). The sound design stands out as quite strong, but some of the elements are tinny and distractingly under-recorded.
Still, Intruder will hold novelty if you're into atmospheric horror on a budget. The principals are talented people, and I get the impression that novice filmmaker Caiafa probably has a really good film in him (he comes across as intelligent in the informative DVD director's commentary). It moves at a gazelle's pace (the 85 min running time felt like a half hour), and has a few superb scenes. But as far as killer clown exploitation goes, I'll take my blood and guts without the side of drama, thank you very much!
To give credit where it's due, there's a solid amount of craft involved here. The director has a good visual style, and the performances are strong (unlike most low-budget slashers). There are some solid suspense scenes, and a decent amount of gore and nudity (more of the former than the latter). There's also a sex-murder scene that is one of the more stylish and effective I've seen in recent memory (and includes a shot you would only expect to see in a gore-porn film).
The film never really transcends its budget. The fx are mostly (reasonably effective) flash cuts, and a few of the shots don't match (particularly in the first act). The sound design stands out as quite strong, but some of the elements are tinny and distractingly under-recorded.
Still, Intruder will hold novelty if you're into atmospheric horror on a budget. The principals are talented people, and I get the impression that novice filmmaker Caiafa probably has a really good film in him (he comes across as intelligent in the informative DVD director's commentary). It moves at a gazelle's pace (the 85 min running time felt like a half hour), and has a few superb scenes. But as far as killer clown exploitation goes, I'll take my blood and guts without the side of drama, thank you very much!
- Saintthomas1985 (check out all my reviews!!!)
Paranormal Activity stands out as a motion picture virtually flawless in execution. Oren Peli's use of framing, spooky lighting, and intricate sound blend together so seamlessly that you never question that the events unfolding are in fact recorded history. Unlike Blair Witch, from which Paranormal lifts its approach, this film succeeds in creating the illusion of reality. The performances are 100% natural - there isn't a false note to be found in the film's running time, and Peli's use of basic horror conventions like the "haunted house", "demonic possession", as well as that really cool scene in thrillers where a character tells a story about the villain (in this case a demon) that absolutely chills you to the bone.
In short, if this film doesn't get under your skin then it's on too tight.
In short, if this film doesn't get under your skin then it's on too tight.