Stuff this film in the incinerator! No actually make that Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz. Definitely didn't live up to the eye-grabbing title, tagline and film poster courtesy of the good folks at Troma... playing 'their' games. Misleading, sure... which the advertising push didn't entirely fit with the tone of the film. There are moments of camp and even an incinerator (for a good minute) but it's fairly half-baked, no one is incinerated and underlining it was something much more elaborate.
Surprisingly the cloak and dagger idea of this peculiar story had potential with its many sleight of hands. Leading you down one path, before deciding to shake things up again and again. Maybe one too many times in its quest to blur the line between reality and allusion.
Charades, theatrics, deception, greed and murder are at its core. However stiff and laborious execution all round made this a flat dark comedy without the risqué edge to carry it through. Someone like Paul Bartel could have done wonders. And that music score surely did get on my nerves.
"All the world is a stage. All the men and women... merely players."
Surprisingly the cloak and dagger idea of this peculiar story had potential with its many sleight of hands. Leading you down one path, before deciding to shake things up again and again. Maybe one too many times in its quest to blur the line between reality and allusion.
Charades, theatrics, deception, greed and murder are at its core. However stiff and laborious execution all round made this a flat dark comedy without the risqué edge to carry it through. Someone like Paul Bartel could have done wonders. And that music score surely did get on my nerves.
"All the world is a stage. All the men and women... merely players."