Red Victoria

R1 DVD

Well Go

Web: http://wellgousa.com

Red Victoria is a horror comedy based on a simple yet unusual premise. Jim (Anthony Brownrigg, who directed and wrote the film) is searching for his muse. He has written many film scripts but most tend to be highbrow titles with pretensions towards art-house. His agent is not impressed and has not been able to sell a script in quite a while and tells Jim in not too subtle terms that he must write something more commercial if he wants to make his house payments or indeed, cover his agent’s fees. His advice - since “Horror” is the in-thing, Jim should try his hand at a new genre and should make sure it is filled with blood and sex.

Things do not go well; he asks a horror fiend friend for advice and just finds himself more confused as he gets bogs down in potential weapons and means of death but cannot come up with characters or even a simple plot.

As he falls into a drunken stupor he expresses his frustration in a poetic invocation and calls upon his muse to break his writer’s block. He has no idea that his muse will not only respond but will take a form to teach him the nature of horror.

His muse Victoria returns from the dead and begins to show Jim the ways of terror. As he is a slow learner she kills off his friends and associates in all manner of ways to show him the essence of fear. Jim must quickly learn how to deal with Victoria or follow his muse wherever she leads.

Red Victoria is a comedy horror which is quirky but entertaining. It is has its share of violence and horror, but focuses on the comedy through a witty and entertaining dialogue. At times I found the humour a little “too clever” bordering on pretentious and it took away from the story but not enough to ruin the tale. It could be argued that since Jim is meant to be a literary romance novelist with dreams of grandeur the focus on wit and black humour fits the character and so is justified.

The character development and acting is solid and the makeup and presentation of the undead muse is certainly impressive.

Red Victoria is unusual, intriguing and certainly is a different sort of Indie horror comedy.

This review will appear in Volume 2 No.2 (2009) of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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