Deadgirl

It used to be sufficient for a horror film to provide a few scares but those days appear to be over. Now the typical flick in that venerable genre has to include the grossest possible scenes exhibiting as much blood and gore the special effects coordinators can throw at it. Torture and gratuitous sex are current required aspects of horror. The Japanese and other Asian film makers have attempted to restore the psychological direction to these films but here in the States the moist important defining quality remains the quick visceral reaction. Sure, some more enlighten film makers attempt to infuse their movie with a touch of social relevance. Using a zombie infection as a metaphor for AIDS or even the infectious decline of social values but mostly zombie are a quick, easy and relatively inexpensive plot device for the new film maker on a tight budget. With modern movies breaking every taboo held by our culture the latest representative of the new millennium’s horror attempts to push the line beyond the few social stigmas left. ‘Deadgirl’ utilizes many of the standard devices added necrophilia to the mix. When I first found out I was going to have the opportunity to review a movie with the lamentable title of ‘Deadgirl’ and that this edition would be the unrated ‘director’s cut I admit my eyes began to roll back in my head just at the thought of having to sit through yet another slash and dash flick. As I started to watch I was filled with dread at the unfolding of the same old movie once again. the film started out with no indication of anything different but then, slowly I began to realize this film was presenting a psychological thriller dimension that has been all but absent from horror for quite awhile. To my pleasant surprise I discovered that before me was a film that while possessing a number of technical flaws provided an actual story with plot and character development. This is a break from the ‘fill in the blank ‘madlib’ approach far too many horror script writers employ. The film was distributed by MPI a rapidly growing source on unusual independent movies.

The story and screenplay was provided by a veteran of the neo-horror film world; Trent Haaga. His previous contributions have included such representative examples of this type of movie as ‘Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV’ and ‘Feeding the Masses’. I have not seen a lot of his prior movies but I do intend to check them out if only to get as better idea of his career growth. This movie is targeted towards the typical demographic; teen boys’. As such there is a sizable measure of what this group demands in such a film mainly a slew of foul language, objectification of women and unruly behavior. What does set this script apart from its peers is the obvious care and thought that went into its construction. It is rather easy to shock and offend an audience by simply push the limits of good taste. What is done here is not a matter of how far you can push an audience but more a question of keeping the viewer engaged for the duration of the journey. Once you get past the constant torrent of obscenities there is a worthwhile core to the story. Okay, necrophilia is not a topic that is taken on lightly by a screenwriter; I don’t think even Dick wolf has gone there in ‘Special Victims Unit’, at least not yet. What Haaga was able to accomplish is weaving an extremely disturbing look into one of the darkest aspects of the human mind. This is a lot like a far more advanced version of the old EC ‘ales from the Crypt’ comic our mothers warned us about but we read anyway.

The movie was co-directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel. Both already had a couple of other independent films but nothing anywhere near the sheer intensity of subject matter as the one considered here, the pair work extremely well wither cinematographer Harris Charalambous infusing each shot with an underlying sense of dread and foreboding that is palpable to the audience on the visceral level. When combined with the psychological orientation of the script results in a far better film than you might expect. The lighting is typically dark with beams of light filtering in to barely illuminate the characters. This creates morally ambiguous personae for the characters. Rickie (Shiloh Fernandez) and J.T (Noah Segan) have been best friends for years, typically J.T, would come up with an idea that was usually not wise and frequently outright illegal. As is frequently found in a dynamic like this Richie goes along against his better judgment. One afternoon starts out like so many before with J.T. bringing along a couple of beers. The afternoon sun was extremely hot so J.T. decides they should break into the nearby deserted mental hospital to cool off. Once there they down the brews and start to tear up the place, after being chased by a feral dog the stumble on a room with a girl bound naked in plastic. She is mute and still reasonably attractive so J.T. naturally wants to make her their personal sex toy. If the FBI’s Behavioral Science unit doesn’t have an active file on J.T. they better get started. Well it turns out that the girl, now dubbed ‘Deadgirl’ (Jenny Spain), is immortal, unable to die. This predicament is the result of a strange infection. While unending life may seem like a good thing ‘Deadgirl’ is condemned to the limbo between life and death. The guys even plot to infect a healthy girl as a replacement.

What got me is the execution came across much better than a synopsis would indicate. There would be no chance at all for s major studio to pick up this kind of story but that is exactly why independent films are vital to the growth of cinema as an art form. Although this movie is degrading at times and generally disturbing it does represent an honest attempt at bringing the genre into a new direction. For the guys considering watching this movie their needs to be a very special warning; when Deadgirl is forced to perform oral sex on one of the boys you might say she takes a bite out of crime. This film is not for the squeamish but is does come out better than average.