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Keoma (1976)
A Missed Opportunity
For as long as I can remember, the Western genre has fascinated me with its rich characters, history, and landscapes. After reading the premise of Keoma, the thought of a western with mystical aspects really appealed to me. The plot is pretty straightforward and typical of the genre with a minor twist. A Native American half-breed and ex soldier returns home to find the area he grew up in ruled by a gang of criminals. All the while, he receives visions and is visited by the apparation of "The Witch" who rescued him as a child.
There are some very good aspects of this film's that stand out to me. The performances are very good, as is usually the case for westerns with actor Nero as its lead. Nero always breathes charisma and pathos into his roles, and Keoma is no different. He does really well as a man tormented by both his past and his darker impulses. Likewise, Woody Strode as George is very good. The portrayal of a freed slave who fought the Cival War, now reduced to an alcoholic to escape the horrors of the Indian and Cival war is deftly handled by Strode, who effortlessly oozes charm and inner turmoil for the character. Even minor roles are well handled.
Cinematography also leaves an impact, with some sweeping landscapes of the desert hills. Slow Motion for some of the action sequences is also handled well enough so as to not be distracting, and the action is pretty good.
Music, however, is a mixed bag. The main song is good, but some of the other pieces during dramatic moments serve to undermine these scenes to the point where it becomes grating. The moment Keoma faces off against his adopted brothers in a fist fight, with the music and editing all to the beat of a guitar is very well put together. Though the blaring song at the end removes a lot of what I loved about the sequence.
Sadly, the film's execution is where it drops the ball. Certain plot points are never fully explained or explored. The mystical aspects that drew me to this film are strangely muted and not really touched on. For me, this is where a lot of what the film could have been is lost. Native American culture is so rich with spirituality and not explored well in the western genre. I would have loved for the film to explore those mystical aspects and expand upon the Witch character. Sadly, they don't, and a lot of questions like why he is haunted by her spirit and why he has visions is left as a glaring plot hole and never filled. As Keoma leaves a newborn child in the hands of the ghost witch (is she real or no?), I am left with so much confusion and questions rather than resolution to the whole thing.
In terms kf execution, it is all muddled, as if there were a lot of changes or cuts behind the scenes, and one cannot help but think that there was some sort of meddling during the making of the film. While not getting too off track, the film is full of missed opportunities, muddled execution, and a sheer disappointment. There are good moments, but the rest nearly sink the film as a mediocre effort.
Eyes of Fire (1983)
A Mezmerizing and Atmospheric Tale of Folk Terror
Eyes of Fireis a film that managed to surprise and enthrall me with a well-crafted and atmospheric story. The plot though simple and jumbled to some, with special effects of varying quality. It takes time for the horror elements to seep into the film but it does so organically which is commendable, spending time with the characters and their interactions with each other, something that few horror films tend to do. On those characters, the acting is subtle and very well done, with Boyd as the rugged and knowing man of the land and Crockett as the young, mystical fairy-esque pressence are one of my favorite characters of the horror genre. With each character, there is a very naturalistic feeling which how the characters behave and act that pulled me deeper into the story. For me, the focus is clear, we see people of different beliefs and backgrounds interact with one another while being confronted with horrors that test them to their limits. The horrors themselves are quite eerie, with faces in the trees and clay-covered figures stalking the darkness, its memorable and striking imagery and not too jarring as to overshadow the characters that director Crounse developed. True there are moments where the special effects are flawed, but for me, it adds an almost dream-like atmosphere to the film, which in turn becomes a subtle nightmare. Melding its atmosphere with a crisp camerawork that is absolutely breathtaking and mysterious, and the attention to the period on which the film is set is quite remarkable. I will say that the climax could have been fine tuned a little and becomes a little overdramatic in some places. But, overall, the film is an impressive and inventive debut for a first time director and I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone.
Begotten (1989)
A Disturbing Experiment in Alchemical and Fantasy Horror
How does one truly review a film like this? For Begotten is unlike any film out there in both narrative and style, something that both disturbs and causes open minds to think about what they are seeing in the screen. For this reviewer, Begotten represents a high water mark in experimental film and one of the most original films I have seen.
Admittedly this film will not be for most people's tastes, but if you are patience and go into this film with an open mind you will find this film has a lot more depth and substance than you would think. The opening scene of the incredibly creepy robed figure disemboweling itself with a razor is iconic and effective as we are not given any escape from the horrors that pervade the screen. Many films would revile in sadistic glee in the gore and brutality of it all, this film shoots its subjects with an unemotional eye and almost ritualistic fashion. The latter description makes complete sense considering the background of this film and how the director has admitted in multiple interviews the ritualistic and mystical intentions of the film's story. When you dissect the story to its most basic elements the story goes like this: Within his isolated home, a robed "god" takes his own life by disemboweling himself. From his desiccated remains emerges an adult woman who takes the sperm of the dead god and impregnates herself. Some time later she gives birth to a deformed and disabled man who continuously convulses as he drags himself across the landscape. Soon thereafter, the mother abandons her child to wander a barren landscape and he comes across a group of nomads who capture him and torture him. The mother soon appears and the nomads turn their attention to her, raping and murdering her in a frenzy. Afterwards they take her corpse to a group of robed figures who disembowel her and place each piece into containers. The nomads return to the son and murder him, bringing his corpse to the robed figures who complete the same process they did with his mother. Once complete, they robed figures bury the containers into the earth. Time passes and flowers sprout from the earth where they were buried.
I know for some people, Begottten will seem slow and overlong, this may be in part to the fact that it does not adhere to the classic film narrative we are all used to. I honestly found it rich on a thematic, visual and storytelling level. In place of dialogue, and typical narrative tropes, Begotten forces the viewer on a highly visual journey where we must interpret what we are seeing on screen. The film's simple background sounds make the film all the more unsettling and horror upon horror occurs on the screen. From a self-disembowling "god" to the rape and murder of the "mother earth" and her misshapen son, all occuring to the most simple and unemotional background sounds that never intensify nor calm. I honestly felt uncomfortable with it all cause it forced me to adopt that unemotional gaze, causing me to reflect on what it really meant to be human. True, there are stretches where seemingly little happens, but I find those sections a great time to reflect on the previous events that occured on the screen. Its all a very contemplative film that must be digested not through our traditional film viewer method, for the film is not traditional and should be treated as such. Once you see the film through its own lens, some will find it a very rewarding experience. For me I would be safe to say that this film is a unique and disturbing masterpiece.