Indie Movie Masters' Festival of Horrors Double Feature (2008)

Review by Josh Felty



The Sirens
Rating: 9/10
Local Kentucky writer/director Stephen Zimmer and the collective Indie Movie Masters alongn with Cineline Productions are the brains and brawn behind The Sirens, a short horror feature that is an intriguing accompaniment to the short, Murderer. A well-written, tongue-in-cheek story (in more ways than one) that grips you to the very last frame, The Sirens introduces us to three evil corporate execs (what other type is there really?) who are planning some sort of offshoring/outsourcing scheme to drive up their company's stock. These slimeballs are collectively Patrick Bateman of American Psycho, sans the murderous tendencies. Enter one pissed off female cop and a quartet of stunningly gorgeous nymphets, otherwise known as The Sirens.

And just as the legend goes, their singing is just as beautiful as they are, a facet that cites one of the execs to invite them into their evening with some escort girls. What transpires is a mix of Gothic lore, BDS&M, and slaughterhouse gore. I really loved the pace and biting dialog at the heart of this short; decent writing at the indie level is hard to come by. Great writing, even more rare. Though a couple of the actors' performances felt a little stilted (not uncommon with low-budget indie productions by any means), you get the feeling that the production process itself was attended to with the utmost of care and passion.

The women were sexy, the blood and effects were just as jaw-dropping, and the editing and music sharp as any big-budget release you'll see on the shelves today. That's a guaranteed win of a recipe for a great film, in my opinion, especially one with a short runtime.

Murderer


Rating: 10/10
Death is a facet of our existence that is perplexing beyond compare, an ever-present factor throughout the universe, equally affecting we humans and supergiant stars. Perhaps nobody understands the entity of death better than a killer; or its consequences than a convicted murderer. This is only one of the ruminations at the core of Murderer, a psychological thriller of sorts with a beating heart at its center.

The heart of this film is expertly played by David Haney (The Sirens, Red River), an imprisoned vigilante who muses on the esoteric with a sharp wit and even sharper sense of accomplishment. Through captivating voice over (a touchy production addition that can make or break a movie, no matter the budget), we hear the murderer's account of an altercation with a rapist that started it all, leading to further 'vigilante killings' and his subsequent incarceration. The killer comes to a simple, yet startling, conclusion: he's not like these people.

And to that end, he elects to take his own life.

But time after time, he wakes up to an intimidatingly large prison guard ushering in a fresh fish. Each time (the self-harm growing in cleverness and gore, thanks to Cineline's excellent make-up effects), the guard grows closer and closer...and each morning, the murderer awakens to find the same fresh fish have been wheeled out on cold steel, thanks in part to his only real human connection in his block-neighbor, Cliff.

"I am not like these people," the murderer tells himself, and us, in the end. Likewise, this indie film is unlike any other, big-budget ones included. First off, the writing is amazing, filled with a volatile combination of the macabre and humor reminiscent of the best works of Stephen King. Second, the cinematography and effects are exquisite; and no, I'm not blowing smoke for the sake of it. Combined with the editing, everything works perfectly. I was quite impressed with the special effects, a fine mixture of both practical and digital, a factor that will please not only the fervent horror fanperson but any movie goer with a steady pulse.

Upon viewing any film, big or small, a reviewer worth their salt should ask "What does this work imbibe emotionally?" Even more important, "Does this story work?" Not so much plausibility, but more along the lines of an airplane (or any other item in life, for that matter). The pieces are here, but do they run with little more than a prayer? The answer for Murderer is, of course, a resounding 'yes'. Haney's performance is well-rounded and peppered with the subtle nuances befitting such an immersive piece. The supporting performances, while mostly free of dialogue, are just as effective and evoke the dark, supernatural vein running throughout. It's safe to say Murderer resonated with This Lowly Reviewer enough to rewrite said review a few times over.

Sometimes, like our friend in Murderer's protagonist, things are better accomplished (and sweeter) done in triplicate.