Sinema Saliba
All Region DVD
Web: http://www.frankensteinunlimited.tk/
Canadian
filmmaker Matthew Saliba is well known to Synergy readers, he was the director
of Vampyros Lesbos and his work is marked by an intense style which combines a dark
vision with an erotic quality. For the last two years he has been compiling an
anthology of Indie short films, all by Montreal filmmakers, inspired by the
themes of the story of Frankenstein.
There
are six short films in all offering a bizarre journey through aspects of the
Frankenstein tale as re-envisioned by such filmmakers as Matthew Saliba, King-Wei
Chu, Matthew Forbes, Martin Gauthier, Peter James and Maude Michaud. It is
certainly an unusual mix with comedy, eroticism, kung fu and horror, it is a
challenging selection and certainly proves just how much creativity exists
within the indie film scene.
The
film opens with Saliba’s Dark Lotus, in my mind one of the best of the series.
It is a dark tale, beautifully stylized with a stunning score combing electro
with rock/goth songs. The film is presented using Saliba’s still images which
create the illusion of motion while allowing each image to seep into your
unconscious. The way in which the images are shown at a slow pace then sped up
during the violent attack on Dr.Orloff is especially impressive. As usual
Saliba’s work displays a powerful use of symbols ranging from the baby planted
in the soil to the erotic dancer literally dancing a web to entrap her prey. The
appearance of the doctor “resurrected” later in the film by his “Frankenstein”
lover is a fascinating twist, the cycle of creator and created and who is
actually the “Frankenstein” is played out. It is also intriguing how Saliba
moves out sympathy to the monstrous Dr.Orloff and his created lover rather than
to the townsfolk.
After
the death of his wife, Dr. Orlof attempts to grow himself a new lover in the
womb of his deceased wife. Midway through the process, however, he is
confronted by a violent mob of outraged villagers, who along with their leader brutally
disfigure torture and murder the doctor. Believing him to be dead they leave satisfied,
not knowing that part of his experiment is still growing in the next room and
her anger matched with her skills will be put to very good use.
Victor
by Matthew Forbes is a quirky short exploring the consequences of Frankenstein’s
decisions. While he may have been able to create life from death it is not just
the local community who think he has gone too far. Soon a denizen from another
world (perhaps death himself) comes play a harmonica and looking for the
doctor.
Flesh
for Kung Fu by King-Wei Chu is fun, strange and amusing cult homage to both
Frankenstein and Kung Fu films. It seems that around the world, Martial arts masters
have been found murdered but that is not the worst of it, they have been
mutilated and choice body parts removed. Soon there are two masters left. The “Kung
Fu Frankenstein” believing himself to be now invincible, challenges his master to
a showdown. We soon learn that strength comes from within and the true Master
wins out leaving us with a Confucian analects to contemplate.
Reflection
by Maude Michaud is another real favourite of mine among this collection. It is
a modern morality tale showing the true nature of a monster. Anna is a young
disfigured woman; she had a difficult alienated life and finds her place with a
troupe of circus people, burlesque dancers and in their own words “freaks”.
She, however, is not at peace with herself and as soon as she has enough cash
gets plastic surgery to make her “normal”. When the surgery is complete it is
not just her face which has changed. She denounces her circus family as freaks
and treats them with disdain. Soon she is forced to face each one of them as
they perform a stylized dance of “pain” showing how much they have suffered at
her hands. She soon realizes that she only became a monster after her surgery and cuts her face in
an attempt to return to who she really was.
This
is a powerful story, filled with superb themes about outsiderness and
alienation. It begs the question of where does beauty lie and questions the
price of accepting the “Hollywood” version of what a person should look like.
It is a textured piece with some lovely burlesque, a great score and a mood
which is haunting and well, reflective.
Occam’s
Razor by Peter James is a quirky crime take on the tale, filled with crime, sex,
violence and mystery. Detectives Whale and Karloff have a strange but
compelling case. Frankie and Mary have just turned themselves in for multiple
murders. But this isn’t your average confession, Frankie seems unwilling to
give them the information they need and Mary seems nonplussed even though she
has confessed to multiple murders. As the puzzle unravels, an intense
cat-and-mouse game ensues leading to a truth the detectives might not be able
to handle. The film has a beauty Film Noir quality, superior use of
cinematography and some twists and turns which will certainly keep you
enthralled.
The
final short, Mr.Fluffenstein by Martin Gauthier is surreally funny and
marvellously silly. Alice, like any kid, is saddened at the passing of her cat
Mr. Fluffy. But after she freezes his body in the fridge and uses her advanced
medical and technical knowledge to bring him back to life, has she gone too far
? Soon the neighbours’ pets are all turning up dead, is Mr.Fluffenstein to
blame? They is lots of play in this short, the parents of the suitably genius
Alice are very amusing as they mix pride but also horror and dismay at their
child’s behaviour. The way in which the classic tale is adapted into a new
story about a kid and her cat is innovative and very amusing.
This
is a great collection of shorts; it illustrates to me the importance of Indie
cinema and just how creative it can be. Here a group of filmmakers have taken a
very well used tale which has been nearly “done to death” in traditional cinema
and given it a makeover in so many unusual ways, from cult and comedy, to
erotic and horror. I highly recommend this collection to anyone who wants to
see what a small budget but lots of innovation can achieve.
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This review will appear in Volume 2 No.6 (2009) of the digital and
print edition of Synergy Magazine.
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