Film Review : "Mandy"

It's been 3 months since the last post here. While factors like the number of blogs I juggle might work into this , I think it's no mystery there has a been a lack of horror coming out. Ok lack might suggest none at all and people will argue 'the Nun" did excellent box office so that's good for horror. Yes and No. It continues to show Hollywood there is a demand for it. The no is due to the fact it gives them the false impression that people will flock to any piece of shit that hits the screen, like it's the "Fast and Furious". Perhaps horror fans might though I would like to think they have a sharper , mind there are still plenty of Juggaloos and other white trash willing to watch anything. So when a movie like "MandY' comes out and makes the most of it's low budget, it's somewhat frustrating to know all the money is getting poured into some shitty "Conjuring" off shoot rather than this.As a result who knows if this movie will make it to a theater near you. The buzz about this film revolves around Nicholas Cage, when it should be around how surreal and beautiful this movie can be. It's like watching the cover of a Micheal Moorcock book come to life. Who ever did the cinematography for this movie should have handled "Dr. Strange". It's going to get lumped in as a horror, when in fact it's more of an action movie.

If I used my friend who saw it with me as a barometer I guess it could as he had to look away a few times . My 8 year old daughter handled it pretty well. It does manage to create a creepy mood similar to what Rob Zombie set up leading into "House of a 1000 Corpses" and visually the movie struck similar notes to what Zombie goes for . Though more savvy horror fans will note Zombie was pulling from 60s exploitative horror. This film mixes that with a nod to the 80s as well. The Charles Manson like cult which used LSD as part of it's operations , works off the more late 60s vibe. The leader is not just crazy for the sake of crazy, though aside from "Ascending" his motives for what he wants in the bigger picture are not clear. The go to a great deal of work to summon cenobite like bikers to deal with Nic Cage when they break into his house. Though they were already around according to urban legends Cage gets later in the film.

While it turns into a revenge flick , the film works best when it is creating a mood to make your skin rather. There are no jump scares and the bloodshed is very vivid and cartoonish, my 8 year laughed at it. I like the fact it did not follow the path set down before it , while still taking influence from those eras of film. In tone it might bear some similarity to "the Void" though much less Lovecraft and much more hippy. It's unclear how much supernatural elements are actually involves. Sometimes the hell bikers seem like they might be other worldly but then they do things like snort a plate of cocaine. I like my horror to not just be bloody , but to look good as well. I think the torture porn undercurrent in one part could have been taken further while they are at cobbling together bits of varied eras. Overall I think it was fun and much need break from Blumhouse crap.