I watched this film, because a review said, if David Lynch and David Cronenburg collaborated to make a film about cults....this is what it would look like. After viewing it, I'd say I partially agree with that. The first part of the film was well written....there was some great editing and cinematography done during the second audition scene. The lead actor, who plays the wannabe starlet did a remarkable job throughout the film. However, after..."The gates are opened", and her transformation begins...that's when the film turns into something else. Perhaps, it's a little Cronenburgish for a while. But ultimately, we go from an eerie, Lynchian, stylistic film....to a straight slasher film. And, there was no return to the feel and style of the first part of the film. It would've been nice to see what that pay off was for this actor selling her body and soul to...Satanists? I knew what I was getting into, but I felt like they could've pushed beyond the pentagrams and black masks and cloaks cliches. The actor who played the producer/ cult leader was a great casting choice...he had a sinister smile and was very animated. He reminded me of Leland Palmer from Twin Peaks.
I would've loved to have seen her transformation into an actual beautiful, starlet with her face on a poster for the Silver Scream, as the producer promised. Instead, we have to watch far too much footage of her physical suffering and decay, before she randomly decides to murder her friends. Then, she transforms into a woman with glowing green eyes and a bald head, (the skull cap was pretty noticeable). She is given a birthday present, because she has now been reborn....and in the box contains a dress, wig, and necklace. If I went through everything that woman did...I'd expect a lot more than that. I'm giving it 6 stars, because two thirds of the film was really well done, and worth watching for the visuals. Unfortunately, the ending was disappointing. This is an example of a missed opportunity...and it can be traced back to the screenplay. Writers can be experimental and avant-garde, but if you want to give us that....then give it to us all the way. Decide which genre of film you want to make, before you start filming. Not everything can be fixed in post.
I would've loved to have seen her transformation into an actual beautiful, starlet with her face on a poster for the Silver Scream, as the producer promised. Instead, we have to watch far too much footage of her physical suffering and decay, before she randomly decides to murder her friends. Then, she transforms into a woman with glowing green eyes and a bald head, (the skull cap was pretty noticeable). She is given a birthday present, because she has now been reborn....and in the box contains a dress, wig, and necklace. If I went through everything that woman did...I'd expect a lot more than that. I'm giving it 6 stars, because two thirds of the film was really well done, and worth watching for the visuals. Unfortunately, the ending was disappointing. This is an example of a missed opportunity...and it can be traced back to the screenplay. Writers can be experimental and avant-garde, but if you want to give us that....then give it to us all the way. Decide which genre of film you want to make, before you start filming. Not everything can be fixed in post.