it really shows what people are willing to do for fame and immortality.
TIFF 2009: SUCK
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 11:58AM |
Mitchell Tully
Suck
Released: 2009
Directed by: Rob Stefaniuk
Starring: Rob Stefaniuk, Jessica Paré, Paul Anthony, Mike Lobel, Dave Foley, Malcolm DcDowell, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Moby
Genre: Horror/Vampire, Comedy
Short Review:
Suck is the second feature length film by Rob Stefaniuk and an interesting, zany, hilarious and satiric look at what individuals are willing to do to make it big in the music business, even if it means becoming a vampire. I really enjoyed the film on a number of levels, from the recreation of famous album covers, to taking full advantage of their army of rock celebrities that make a number of cameo appearances throughout the film in both hilarious and unnerving sequences. If you want to experience an amazing campy Canadian film about wanna-be rockers and vampires, then this film is definitely for you.
Full Review:
Suck is Rob Stefaniuk's second film he’s directed and is being shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. and it was a laugh riot filled with witty rock movie, song references, a truly Canadian sense of humour and an all star cast that any up-and-coming director would kill to possess.
Rob Stefaniuk plays Joey, the lead singer of a struggling bar band known as the Winners, managed by the constantly drinking Jeff (Dave Foley) who doesn’t want anything to do with the band anymore. Joey is introduced to the bartender, Alice Cooper, while the band’s base player, Jennifer (Jessica Paré), meets a rather scary “goth” guy that happened to enter the bar the same time a bat flew into the bar (hmm slightly suspicious) and from that point on the bands’ lives change forever.
When Jennifer returns the next morning from her rendezvous with her goth friend looking a lot paler then usual, the band is faced with a very tricky moral question about what to do with their demonic companion. They eventually decide to see where her newly acquired gifts get them. But when the bodies start piling up, and the band’s rodie, Hugo, is being turned into her hopeless slave that hides her victims, it really shows what people are willing to do for fame and immortality.
While the film can be regarded as being quite campy, I feel it works very well for the film’s subject matter, as well as the atmosphere that surrounds the characters. In several instances we are treated to sequences made with stop motion animation, mainly to show the band traveling in their Six Feet Under worthy car - they are both fun and quite charming. After the screening, Rob Stefaniuk joking explained why they were forced to use stop motion animation, mainly because they couldn’t afford the complicated helicopter shots.
While I feel the film possesses a lot of potential, you can't go without mentioning the incredible line up of guest appearances such as: Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Alex Lifeson, Malcolm McDowell, Henry Rollins, Moby and a ton more. There are a few appearances I’d like to mention because they were quite memorable such as Moby playing the lead singing for the group, Secretary of Stake who encourages their audience to pelt the band with raw meat during their performances. The great interactions between the band members, Iggy pop and Alice Cooper are usually unnerving but also quite hilarious and unforgettable. Worth mentioning is Malcom McDowell's role as Eddie Van Helsig, an aging vampire hunter with his own demons he has to face, especially his unhelpful fear of the dark - there's even a scene where he is confessing his fears to the bar’s bouncer.
There is also an incredible sequence where we learn how Eddie Van Helsig (Malcom Mcdowell) started his vampire-hunting quest with the death of the women he loves. The sequence is truly amazing because the young Eddie could have been from his Clockwork Orange days, and the amazing thing is that the footage is actually taken from extra footage from the film, “The Lucky Man."
While the film can seem quite campy for a number of viewers, I still really enjoyed this incredible film and would recommend it to anyone that loves rock music, vampires, gore and a zany unforgettable sense of humour. I can’t wait to see Rob Stefaniuk next film, but let’s hope it doesn’t take another five years.
SHARP OBJEX Rating: 4 out of 4
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 11:58AM |
Mitchell Tully
Suck
Released: 2009
Directed by: Rob Stefaniuk
Starring: Rob Stefaniuk, Jessica Paré, Paul Anthony, Mike Lobel, Dave Foley, Malcolm DcDowell, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Moby
Genre: Horror/Vampire, Comedy
Short Review:
Suck is the second feature length film by Rob Stefaniuk and an interesting, zany, hilarious and satiric look at what individuals are willing to do to make it big in the music business, even if it means becoming a vampire. I really enjoyed the film on a number of levels, from the recreation of famous album covers, to taking full advantage of their army of rock celebrities that make a number of cameo appearances throughout the film in both hilarious and unnerving sequences. If you want to experience an amazing campy Canadian film about wanna-be rockers and vampires, then this film is definitely for you.
Full Review:
Suck is Rob Stefaniuk's second film he’s directed and is being shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. and it was a laugh riot filled with witty rock movie, song references, a truly Canadian sense of humour and an all star cast that any up-and-coming director would kill to possess.
Rob Stefaniuk plays Joey, the lead singer of a struggling bar band known as the Winners, managed by the constantly drinking Jeff (Dave Foley) who doesn’t want anything to do with the band anymore. Joey is introduced to the bartender, Alice Cooper, while the band’s base player, Jennifer (Jessica Paré), meets a rather scary “goth” guy that happened to enter the bar the same time a bat flew into the bar (hmm slightly suspicious) and from that point on the bands’ lives change forever.
When Jennifer returns the next morning from her rendezvous with her goth friend looking a lot paler then usual, the band is faced with a very tricky moral question about what to do with their demonic companion. They eventually decide to see where her newly acquired gifts get them. But when the bodies start piling up, and the band’s rodie, Hugo, is being turned into her hopeless slave that hides her victims, it really shows what people are willing to do for fame and immortality.
While the film can be regarded as being quite campy, I feel it works very well for the film’s subject matter, as well as the atmosphere that surrounds the characters. In several instances we are treated to sequences made with stop motion animation, mainly to show the band traveling in their Six Feet Under worthy car - they are both fun and quite charming. After the screening, Rob Stefaniuk joking explained why they were forced to use stop motion animation, mainly because they couldn’t afford the complicated helicopter shots.
While I feel the film possesses a lot of potential, you can't go without mentioning the incredible line up of guest appearances such as: Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Alex Lifeson, Malcolm McDowell, Henry Rollins, Moby and a ton more. There are a few appearances I’d like to mention because they were quite memorable such as Moby playing the lead singing for the group, Secretary of Stake who encourages their audience to pelt the band with raw meat during their performances. The great interactions between the band members, Iggy pop and Alice Cooper are usually unnerving but also quite hilarious and unforgettable. Worth mentioning is Malcom McDowell's role as Eddie Van Helsig, an aging vampire hunter with his own demons he has to face, especially his unhelpful fear of the dark - there's even a scene where he is confessing his fears to the bar’s bouncer.
There is also an incredible sequence where we learn how Eddie Van Helsig (Malcom Mcdowell) started his vampire-hunting quest with the death of the women he loves. The sequence is truly amazing because the young Eddie could have been from his Clockwork Orange days, and the amazing thing is that the footage is actually taken from extra footage from the film, “The Lucky Man."
While the film can seem quite campy for a number of viewers, I still really enjoyed this incredible film and would recommend it to anyone that loves rock music, vampires, gore and a zany unforgettable sense of humour. I can’t wait to see Rob Stefaniuk next film, but let’s hope it doesn’t take another five years.
SHARP OBJEX Rating: 4 out of 4