Doctor Sleep: Director’s Cut
Given the massive societal, cultural and philosophical upheaval we’ve been pinballing around in over the past few weeks, it stands to reason that the dynamics of what we do for fun have shifted — a lot. First and foremost is staying alive. Once that is addressed, then comes the question of keeping the mind engaged and stimulated. Understand that I am completely aware of the horrifying inequality that has deepened the lines of stratification in our society — some people don’t have homes at all (which is staggering considering the amount of housing sitting empty throughout the city), and countless people are put in an economic position of having to struggle to stay alive. It’s a giant fucked-up casserole of inequality and privilege, and I address this because it’s irresponsible of me not to.
But if you are (hopefully, ideally) in a space where you are isolated (by yourself, with your spouse/significant other/polycule, or with your family), and you need to just grab a little joy for a few hours here and there, you’ve got film options. I’m going to focus on video-on-demand titles at the moment, though we’ll be getting into all the streaming services over the time we spend hunkered down.
The big news out of the scared-shitless movie industry is that Universal Pictures decided to put several of its current theatrical titles onto VOD services March 20. So if you missed The Invisible Man, The Hunt or Emma, you can shell out $20 and view them in the comfort of your own home. You’ve also got Little Women, VHYes and the singular experience of Cats (which has already gone from first-run fiasco to midnight movie resurrection before it even hit home video) as options as well, as far as recent big-ticket titles go. Two of the biggest titles from last year’s Nashville Film festival — Swallow and Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street — are also out there as well, waiting in your cable box or preferred VOD service. So you can always make your Jellicle choice and catch up with any of those.
But there are several titles that never got any sort of theatrical play (some not locally, some not at all), so let’s just start with this quartet. If you’re willing to drop a few dollars (and every dollar matters, given that the industry of cinema itself is just completely screwed across the board right now), you can experience these:
Doctor Sleep: Director’s Cut
Tragically slept-on during its post-Halloween 2019 theatrical run, Mike Flanagan’s sequel to The Shining surfaced on home-video platforms with a three-hour director’s cut, one that is essential for anyone who dug the first version or who digs epic horror. The longer running time allows for a more measured pace, and several narrative elisions from the theatrical version are restored, making the end result a more satisfying take on a film that was already pretty good. It also does that thing like Dreamcatcher, where it commits full-tilt to the Stephen Kingisms that define his work but don’t always fly cinematically. You will want to try on your witchiest hat after this.
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion
A South Korean sci-fi/action/horror/gore epic that delivers all the cathartic mayhem you could want. If you’ve burned through Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This, then this is a good follow-up for you. It’s got spectacular gore, a totally charming best-friend character (Go Min-si’s Myung-hee is just precious) and a major set piece at a nationwide talent show. Director Park Hoon-jung and lead actress Kim Da-mi lay the groundwork for something imaginative, violent, and stuffed to the gills with palpable crunch.
Blood and Flesh: The Reel Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson
One of the true mavericks of ’60s and ’70s American indie cinema, Al Adamson was a cheapskate visionary who made 32 films across all genres, always chasing what the crowds wanted. And sadly, he got his most mainstream fame due to the horrifying circumstances of his death. If you wanted a true crime-aesthetic take on that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood vibe, this is the one for you. The lovable freaks at Severin Films are distributing this, along with restorations of 31 of Adamson’s films. (I am psyched for Horror of the Blood Monsters like you wouldn’t believe.)
Verotika
Glenn Danzig’s now-infamous directorial debut is every bit as jaw-dropping as you might imagine. Verotika is a trio of “edgy” horror tales packed with as many breasts and plot points of sexual concern as it is nonconsensual face surgery, sacrificial virgins (Elizabeth Báthory archetype? Check!) and endless shots of plastic bodies dripping with blood. Is it good? Oh God no. Does it have more confusing nudity than any other English-language movie you’ll see this year? Sure does. Did you ever wonder if a man-spider has more human or arachnid sexual imperatives? Maybe you did; Verotika sure does. But is it the kind of bonding experience that a shared viewing with friends across the internet could transform into something magical? Maybe. If Cats can emerge as a tool for bringing folks together, then it’s worth a try. Warning: Do not play drinking games with the porny French accents, because it will kill you.
Bacurau
Bacurau
And then there’s Bacurau. A surprise hit at October’s Nashville Film Festival and one of my favorites at the New York Film Festival, Bacurau is now available to the public via the new Kino Marquee program from distributors Kino Lorber and several domestic independent theaters (including the Belcourt). It’s a way to stream the film while supporting the filmmakers and your local indie theaters (Knoxville folk, Central Cinema is taking part as well), and there is no movie more relevant right now.
When it first hit festivals, Bacurau was a lightning bolt right into the middle of the anxiety over Brazil’s Bolsonaro regime, and with the burning of the Amazon rainforest and ensuing COVID-19 horrors, it hasn’t lost a bit of its visceral immediacy. Equal parts Sergio Leone, Alyce Wittenstein and John Carpenter, Bacurau is the story of a matriarchal village versus consumptive globalism, and it is a sexy, violent, righteously furious shout from the heart. If you need some catharsis, you will get heaps of it.
