"Grotesque" starts out with some florid narration that turns out to be part of a "movie within a movie" that's meant to introduce the audience to a special effects makeup expert who is good at creating monster masks and costumes. OK, fair enough, so now we have an excuse for the director to include all kinds of mood shots of demons, grotesqueries, etc. as the story unfolds.
That's about the last good decision the director (or the screenplay) makes.
And, let's see, the synopsis says that a "gang of vicious "punkers"" are the primary motivator for the events of the movie, so that's fine...oh dear. There's over-the-top performances, and then there's...whatever this is. Seriously, punkers? The gang members from "Last House on the Left" and the serial killers from "The Devil's Rejects" just called, they think maybe you should dial it back a notch.
And, let's see...the screen play proceeds to lurch wildly all over the place, unsure if it's going for horror, suspense, comedy, women-in-trouble...holy heck, what's TAB HUNTER doing in here? What's ROBERT Z'DAR doing in here? What's...well, I know what Linda Blair is doing in here, she's trying to keep her career alive, and as an actress she's OK for the part. She screams convincingly, emits fear and panic, etc., like the little pro she was.
OK, so at least we'll have an ending to wrap things up and put "paid" to all the silliness before it...no? Movie, are you sure you're going to go for THIS weird thing, completely unjustified by anything that came before it?
Yeah? Well, fine. Just get it over with and out of my face, would ya?
"Grotesque" actually had a little bit of potential, especially if you liked the implications of "Old Dark House" style movies, or "Last House On The Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes". But the director bites off big, indigestible wads of screenplay that he doesn't have the ability to make work or even watchable.
I would't bother with this unless it's about all you've got to watch.
That's about the last good decision the director (or the screenplay) makes.
And, let's see, the synopsis says that a "gang of vicious "punkers"" are the primary motivator for the events of the movie, so that's fine...oh dear. There's over-the-top performances, and then there's...whatever this is. Seriously, punkers? The gang members from "Last House on the Left" and the serial killers from "The Devil's Rejects" just called, they think maybe you should dial it back a notch.
And, let's see...the screen play proceeds to lurch wildly all over the place, unsure if it's going for horror, suspense, comedy, women-in-trouble...holy heck, what's TAB HUNTER doing in here? What's ROBERT Z'DAR doing in here? What's...well, I know what Linda Blair is doing in here, she's trying to keep her career alive, and as an actress she's OK for the part. She screams convincingly, emits fear and panic, etc., like the little pro she was.
OK, so at least we'll have an ending to wrap things up and put "paid" to all the silliness before it...no? Movie, are you sure you're going to go for THIS weird thing, completely unjustified by anything that came before it?
Yeah? Well, fine. Just get it over with and out of my face, would ya?
"Grotesque" actually had a little bit of potential, especially if you liked the implications of "Old Dark House" style movies, or "Last House On The Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes". But the director bites off big, indigestible wads of screenplay that he doesn't have the ability to make work or even watchable.
I would't bother with this unless it's about all you've got to watch.