Machines of Love and Hate

Joseph Parda

Cinema Image Productions

Web: http://www.cinemaimages.net

R1 DVD

An enigmatic hitchhiker, who can only remember fragments of his past is drawn to a small town. He takes a lift from a rather bizarre old man who drops hints about the hitchhikers life and past and points him in the direction he should go. He is then hit by a car driven by a beautiful, but rather disturbed, young woman with a very strange family. Taken to her isolated country home to recuperate, he is introduced to her sexually repressed mother and wheelchair-bound father and a constant baggage of domestic dialogue. Here the film takes a truly dream-like quality with visions, alternative scenarios and quasi religious themes.

There is a lot in Machines that is interesting and impressive, the dream sequences are well crafted if not a little over extended. The story line while somewhat surreal is challenging and the score by Function Zero is especially worth noting.

I must admit I found the domestic bickering and strange dialogues by Alexander, the wheel chair bound father a bit over the top, while the female characters were strong, Alexander’s acting was overblown and in the end annoying. Jean Charles, the hitchhiker, seems to walk through his lines and was rather deadpan, there just was not enough character in any of the actor’s performances to really engage me in the story.

This is an interesting low budget film with production values that actually outstrip its obvious limitations. It is nicely filmed, has a strong use of colour and lighting and creates a textured mood. The ending was a little unusual but did fit the ambiance of the piece.

A strange surreal experimental film, Machines of Love and Hate shows good direction, an intelligent plot and above average production values. It is an innovate films that shows potential and has enough intriguing elements to make it worth a viewing.

Extras includes a short film Szamota’s Mistress, trailers, Still Gallery and Talent Bios.