...gotta admit, it's a pretty damn good idea. Getting one's independently produced stuff out there, for all to see, by wrapping around it, classic stuff that's much more familiar to the masses...perhaps even attempting to correlate a connection between the two, in some way, shape or form. But it seems that's exactly what we have here, with the under-the-radar and off-the-charts cult film collection, "Sean Weathers Presents: Vault of Terror". For those unfamiliar (...and as of recently, not so much, as far as this viewer), Sean Weathers is a micro-budget independent film producer & director, who since 1996, has specialized in underground feature films and shorts, with a flavored emphasis on gritty, urban-based exploitation, horror and erotica...while providing a reportedly underlining social commentary, where applicable. Regularly expounded upon, via a weekly podcast, are notable titles in his repertoire, such as "House of the Damned", "They All Must Die" and "The Trade-Off", amongst others; and amidst these broadcasts, he (...along with fellow filmmaking associate, Aswad Issa...both of whom spearhead film production, with their small, maverick company, Full Circle Filmworks) features classic independent and low-budget films of the past...for the most part, public domain properties...and provides insightful commentary & personal thoughts on these films, as well as how such films have inspired his own unique work...
...in this, Sean's first home video 'anthology', he has allegorically taken two of his own film productions...an inspired and episodic, albeit brutal homage, called "Maniac, Too!!", plus a quickie short of powerfully invasive and violent proportions, "A Good Samaritan in New York City"...and coupled them with two poignant and well-known classic visions of exploitation & horror...namely, 1968's "Night of the Living Dead", and 1979's "The Driller Killer"...
...kicking things off, with no less the impact of a warped shockwave to the senses, we have...with "Maniac, Too!!"...a sans-narrative compilation of episodes, involving various women...under random stages of duress, attack & ultimate fatality...at the unrelenting hands of a psychopathic killer, who viciously rapes each of his hapless victims, after which, he kills them. From a psychological approach...not to mention, noting the title of this short film, itself...it is clear that Sean Weathers was inspired by director William Lustig's brutal and psychopathic 1980 horror film, "Maniac", in the sense that both films feature demented killers, who quickly transcend into emotional rage and regret, immediately after their heinous and violent crime is perpetrated. The violent acts in Sean's film are made all the more skewed and twisted, in accenting the scenes with an almost reverberatively echoing background soundtrack of classical music...an unnerving approach in tension, which effectively and poignantly 'winks' down a similar road once trod upon by cult filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, in 1971's ultra-violent future-tense study, "A Clockwork Orange"...
...at this point in the compilation, considering the main inspiration for "Maniac, Too!!", one might wonder what the filmmaker truly wanted to singularly say, with this film; on the whole, there doesn't seem to be 'an end, justifying the means' aspect to the proceedings...just singular acts of relentless violence, and the psychological affect of these acts, on the clearly disturbed perpetrator. This viewer particularly couldn't help but feel that the film itself was unfinished...in a way, at the very least, almost expecting the film's vicious protagonist to receive a violently vengeful, albeit psychotically hallucinogenic comeuppance, perhaps similarly to that of the demented Frank Zito character, in the disturbingly over-the-top conclusion of Lustig's "Maniac". In addition, as much as this viewer very much appreciated the dark, grim and uncomfortable inner-city grittiness of the film's setting, it seems that this was overshadowed by the distracting preponderance of shocking violence...with the scaled balance, perhaps tipped just a bit too far, in favor of the latter...like having just a pinch too much salt in the broth, and being able to discern that minute excess...
...as much lacking in narrative, as "Maniac, Too!!" proves to be, it might be understandable that the next...classically exploitative and almost equally non-narrative...'chapter', in furthering this dark anthology, is director Abel Ferarra's raw and gritty study in a disturbed artist's mind, driven over the bend, and beyond the limits...taking actions...as twisted and misguided as they might be...into his own hands, in the unnerving 1979 horror entry, "The Driller Killer". Riding the cusp of being alternately, a shockingly graphic psychological horror film...a punkish, grunge-crusted, albeit dramatic, inner-city character play...and an eclectically styled, though quite low-browed art-house film, Abel Ferarra's "The Driller Killer", as most cult film aficionados well know, tells the story of a mentally frenzied young artist...with Abel Ferarra, cast in the role...who is driven to the brink of madness by an unstable environment...with substance-addicted roommates...art critics, who choose to ridicule, rather than offer constructive criticism...demanding landlords and bill collectors...the punk rock band, in the adjacent room, playing their riffs at odd hours of the day and night...the rigors and instability of the dingy, soot-choked city streets, themselves...impulsive & rude people all about, and the inescapable sight of an ever-increasing homeless population, blotching and homesteading the streets. It's enough to drive anyone to...well, let's just say, it's enough to push our crazed and enraged artist to take matters into his own hands...targeting the homeless population, in the manner graphically suggested by the film's title. A threadbare storyline, tying the seemingly episodic events together...proving much more of a character play, than an outright narrative, with the dirges of the city itself, playing a tense, engaging and atmospheric part. An unflinching film, though understandably not fully developed, nor realized, being director Ferarra's first...a seedy, inner-city-based, urban-flavored social commentary, disguised as a splatter film...
...given the feel, atmosphere, attitude and overall thematics of "Maniac, Too!!", it is easy to see why Sean Weathers might have chosen to insert "The Driller Killer" as the follow-up film in this compilation. In his commentary prologue and epilogue of the film, accompanied by his co-hort, Aswad Issa, there's a gush of appreciative praise for the 'gritty and qurky' attitude and stylings for the film...the music, the attempt to emulate the feel of the New York streets, and it's cold, dark, unnerving back alley drudgery...the film's once revered notoriety as a 'video nasty'...even for the barely touched-upon film repertoire of Abel Ferarra, himself (...siting "King of New York" and "Fear City" as particular favorites). Although they do touch similarly upon points mentioned in the above views on "Driller Killer", one keen observation, which this viewer wholly agrees with...and in retrospect, might suggestively and poignantly mirror the actions of the rapist/killer protagonist, in "Maniac, Too!!"...is the level of motivation for the demented main character; in watching the film, one can't help but feel that the killer wasn't so much trying to kill, per say...but more like wanting very much for his victims to 'feel his pain'. Hey, misery does love company, right??
...moving right along, down the damp, dark and creepy hallowed halls of exploitation films, both classic and aspiring, Sean's inclusion of the next spotlighted film in this collection...thus far, considering the previous film showcased...seems to suggest and emphasize greater focus on comparison, by virtue of Sean's humble, albeit ambitious & respectable body of work, and the equally humble & respectable beginnings of classic exploitation filmmakers, like Abel Ferarra...and like the director of the next film on the docker, George A. Romero, & his initial effort, the genre-influential 1968 horror classic, "Night of the Living Dead". Of course, those within readshot, know this film, oh-so well...the classic, countlessly emulated and tweaked scenario of a group of desperate people, trapped within the confines of an isolated mid-western farmhouse, battling not only an increasing onslaught of mindless, flesh-eating ghouls...in various stages of reanimation and decay...but also, inner-conflict and debate amongst themselves, as far as what means of defense and survival, with which to pursue. As conflicting egos run rampant, amongst the group...as the media speculates on what has caused these horrific events, and how to possibly handle the unstable situation...as desperation takes it's toll...as the living dead lay siege on the farmhouse, in overwhelmingly progressive numbers...and as reckless & over-eager gun blasts are approachingly heard, over the horizon...the question remains: Who will survive..and what will be left of them??..
...as much as the cliched last line in the previous paragraph (...sorry, couldn't help it), "Night of the Living Dead", considering the film's classic & influential status, as well as the passing of...Good Grief!! 45 years since the film's inception...one would think that, after all this time, some things...even that of respectability...would progress beyond criticism. However, in the case of "Night...", with it's flaws and misgivings...the abrupt changes in day-and-night setting, from moment to moment...the campy, sometimes over-the-top performances...even some of the sound effects (...funny, how those socks-to-the-jaw fight scenes sound like ping pong paddles, slapping a Naugahyde-covered couch), such criticism is often and typically mentioned with great affection, or at least a measure of resigning forgiveability. In their 'before & after' commentary of "Night...", Sean Weathers and Aswad Issa readily admit that "Night..." isn't a particularly great film, quality-wise...siting some of the film's forgivable flaws, themselves (...as they associatedly state, "...it comes with the territory, with regards to low-budget filmmaking")...but still readily embrace the film, for not only it's historical and cult status, as well as it's undeniable influence on exploitation films, over the years, but also, the often-cited, filmmaker's 'brave and groundbreaking' choice to cast an African-American in the film's lead role...an observation long since made somewhat mute, in some venues, considering that the original script doesn't denote the race of the character, leading one to believe that talent was taken more into consideration, rather than race, in casting the role. This viewer did very much appreciate the commentators' observation, rarely cited, that the film is made quite timeless, by virtue of the film's black and white photography (...a budgetary consideration), and that making the film in color might have resulted in something more laughable, and ultimately negligible...so very true, guys.....
...starting things off with a bang, and then, finishing off with a similarly powerful crescendo, Sean's final installment in this anthology is quite abbreviated, though no less a shuddering jolt to the senses. Porting the directorial ability over to his filmmaking partner, Aswad Issa, Sean Weathers takes a starring role in an exploitative, albeit realistic slice of criminal invasion, called "A Good Samaritan in New York City". It's a poignant, shocking and graphic vision, often & similarly cited in media reports, and seen in covert, hidden camera footage...photographed here, in much the same 'timeless' black-and-white style, as previously noted. A crime taking place...a victim, being victimized...onlookers, often looking the other way...only, in rare instances, such as that depicted here, an anonymous someone steps up to intervene, defend and fight back...with the 'audience', in a way, left to morally judge the actions of the third party. Is he a 'hero', in stepping up...or in acting in self-preservation, should he have turned away, and 'minded his own business', like everyone else?? One supposes that such 'judgement' is dependent upon the inner make-up and morality of the person 'watching'...a good bet, as to what the filmmaker's intent here, might have been...
...in the end, we have here...some enlightening observations about exploitation and low-budget filmmaking...poignant comparisons between fledgling, albeit ambitious & resourceful filmmakers, past and present...the underlining desire to 'say something about people and society', and 'disguising' it with exploitative style, attitude, and even genre...and in retrospect of this collective and associated fold of films, an applicable sense of invasion...whether it be an act of rape, the use of power tools, the 'hunger' of the living dead, or the criminal invasion of one's personal space. And of course, the spotlight on two very talented and ambitious, though reflectively flawed, maverick filmmakers, whose work definitely warrants further examination; given time, opportunity, resources, attitude and ambitious drive, these two might just be forces to reckon with. But then, isn't that how the best of 'em' got started??
...time will tell, guys...
...starting things off with a bang, and then, finishing off with a similarly powerful crescendo, Sean's final installment in this anthology is quite abbreviated, though no less a shuddering jolt to the senses. Porting the directorial ability over to his filmmaking partner, Aswad Issa, Sean Weathers takes a starring role in an exploitative, albeit realistic slice of criminal invasion, called "A Good Samaritan in New York City". It's a poignant, shocking and graphic vision, often & similarly cited in media reports, and seen in covert, hidden camera footage...photographed here, in much the same 'timeless' black-and-white style, as previously noted. A crime taking place...a victim, being victimized...onlookers, often looking the other way...only, in rare instances, such as that depicted here, an anonymous someone steps up to intervene, defend and fight back...with the 'audience', in a way, left to morally judge the actions of the third party. Is he a 'hero', in stepping up...or in acting in self-preservation, should he have turned away, and 'minded his own business', like everyone else?? One supposes that such 'judgement' is dependent upon the inner make-up and morality of the person 'watching'...a good bet, as to what the filmmaker's intent here, might have been...
...in the end, we have here...some enlightening observations about exploitation and low-budget filmmaking...poignant comparisons between fledgling, albeit ambitious & resourceful filmmakers, past and present...the underlining desire to 'say something about people and society', and 'disguising' it with exploitative style, attitude, and even genre...and in retrospect of this collective and associated fold of films, an applicable sense of invasion...whether it be an act of rape, the use of power tools, the 'hunger' of the living dead, or the criminal invasion of one's personal space. And of course, the spotlight on two very talented and ambitious, though reflectively flawed, maverick filmmakers, whose work definitely warrants further examination; given time, opportunity, resources, attitude and ambitious drive, these two might just be forces to reckon with. But then, isn't that how the best of 'em' got started??
...time will tell, guys...
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