Director:
Glen Grefe
Genre:
Horror
Length:
Feature
Website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgUVg-HM36k
Score:
1.5/5
There is no way around it, this film was clearly made just before the digital revolution, just before the influx of relatively inexpensive but high quality DV camcorders and accessible non-linear post-production software so the expectations for a low budget movie shot on video might be understandably low. There are plenty of films that are able to overcome the aesthetic constraints of low production values because they have a half decent story.
While it might be debated in some circles where mood, atmosphere and style are valued more than narrative cohesion and entertainment value, Glen Grefe’s “Nutcracker” is not one of those films that can get by on looks alone. The artsy-fartsy lo-tech videography and inventive editing quickly lose their charm as it becomes more and more evident that there is not even close to enough narrative content to legitimize the film’s 80 minute running time.
The scant story involves a psychologist inadvertently encountering a bizarre man who is desperately in need of some mental assistance. Indie horror icon David Hess (from Wes Craven’s “Last House On The Left”) is the film’s notable positive, sinking his teeth as well as every other inch of his body into his role as the disturbed stranger, delivering a charismatic, loopy and wildly energetic performance. Unfortunately, it is not enough to save the film. Grefe is really aiming high here but he is painfully low on ammo. However, that said, the sense of style, pacing and general understanding of cinema really suggests that, given a half decent budget and a strong story, Grefe could really hit the bulls-eye with another film.
Glen Grefe
Genre:
Horror
Length:
Feature
Website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgUVg-HM36k
Score:
1.5/5
There is no way around it, this film was clearly made just before the digital revolution, just before the influx of relatively inexpensive but high quality DV camcorders and accessible non-linear post-production software so the expectations for a low budget movie shot on video might be understandably low. There are plenty of films that are able to overcome the aesthetic constraints of low production values because they have a half decent story.
While it might be debated in some circles where mood, atmosphere and style are valued more than narrative cohesion and entertainment value, Glen Grefe’s “Nutcracker” is not one of those films that can get by on looks alone. The artsy-fartsy lo-tech videography and inventive editing quickly lose their charm as it becomes more and more evident that there is not even close to enough narrative content to legitimize the film’s 80 minute running time.
The scant story involves a psychologist inadvertently encountering a bizarre man who is desperately in need of some mental assistance. Indie horror icon David Hess (from Wes Craven’s “Last House On The Left”) is the film’s notable positive, sinking his teeth as well as every other inch of his body into his role as the disturbed stranger, delivering a charismatic, loopy and wildly energetic performance. Unfortunately, it is not enough to save the film. Grefe is really aiming high here but he is painfully low on ammo. However, that said, the sense of style, pacing and general understanding of cinema really suggests that, given a half decent budget and a strong story, Grefe could really hit the bulls-eye with another film.