Own the rights?
6 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Beautifully shot, well-acted, 26 May 2007 Author: Mike Watt from Waynesburg, PA
This gorgeously-shot little movie gives audiences a welcome break from the current trend of gory torture films. Hyndes and Hansen give excellent, multi-layered performances and the script is surprisingly adult and deliberately-paced. No easy answers given. Production Design is also outstanding, giving audiences just enough to establish a post-apocalyptic civilization that we've never seen before. Well done on all counts. Smugala's direction is particularly deft in handling the multiple flashbacks and points of view, as well as juggling each character's motives and motivations. Check this out if you're in the mood for a little more depth. Not for the casual viewer. This is a movie that has to be paid attention to in order to be appreciated.
6 out of 11 people found the following review useful: A Sordid tale of Vanity, Lust, Greed and Bad Politics (like the USA today!)., 13 February 2007 Author: yurshta from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Set in a future world not destroyed by plague or Hydrogen bombs but rather one that fell into anarchy as a result of a total economic and political collapse with certain natural leaders here and there becoming basically dictators calling themselves anything they like. They use access to food, medical care and provision of some security from roving gangs to gain a following of assorted rabble and are of course, in fierce and bloody competition with other "petite" Lords and Ladies of the Land reminiscent in some ways with the Mad Max series.A sordid and lustful tale, dark, chaotic, and narrating the lives of rulers almost as idiotic, mindless and cruel as the real-World rulers of the present day. Sure to amaze and entertain! One thing you can say for the Queen: She was not as dreadfully boring a character as G.W. Bush and probably only half as vain and was probably more considerate of the common rabble too!So all things considered, this movie is not exactly Oscar material, but then it's more entertaining than some, but not quite as sordid and twisted as the revelations of the 9/11 Commission Report.Probably more lustful than Mad Max, but not as lustful as Blood Gnome....h'm. I think I live near some of these people!When love fails, lust will suffice! Maybe it's time we got some lust in politics! Oy Vay! That's right, we got that with Clinton!Sorry folks, I'm still stupefied with this movie!
A thousand red roses have merely brought a thousand stains upon my heart, 23 July 2008 Author: lastliberal from Florida
It is impossible to watch this movie and not see it as the final result of watching reality TV and celebrating vapid starlets and beauty queens. The fact that some 90 million people voted for someone exactly like the beauty queen (Beverly Hynds) in this film is testament to our fascination with the lowest common denominator.It is a post-apocalyptic world, where warlords rule. In this case, the county is ruled by a fading beauty queen who kidnaps young girls. Sylvie (Courtney Kocak) is one such girl, who also narrates.This queen, much like the Blood Countess soon starts killing the young girls to add their blood to her bath water. She is obsessed with beauty and loyalty.Gunner Hanson (Hellblock 13, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) plays a very prominent role, and gives a great talk on aging.Like all people in power, there is always someone waiting to dethrone you. In this case her assistant (Katie Rudisel) is waiting for her to finally flip.Great nudity from Kocak and Rudisel, and a great view, although very very short, of our lovely Debbie.
7 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Beautifully designed, thoughtful art flick, 22 May 2007 Author: mikekostel from United States
This gorgeous shot on 35 mm film is a surprisingly excellent entry to the current spate of indie films I have seen thus far this year. The story is unique (any one sick of all the remakes recently?) and absorbing. It is a classic tale told in the near future in an post-apocalyptic setting. Beauty has worth beyond anything else which is very reflective of today's times with celebrities becoming famous for just being famous. This multi-leveled story is timeless and shot so well it's definitely worth checking out. The actors, sets and themes are in a class by themselves. It's not surprising the director is a glamor photographer as the composition reflects his still work perfectly.
6 out of 15 people found the following review useful: precious minutes from my life I can NEVER get back, 1 May 2007 Author: movieman_kev from United States
Amber, a bitter, spiteful, extremely vain ex-beauty model goes on her day by day wheelings and dealings as she's queen of her county after the apocalypse has come and gone. Sylvie (Courtney Kocak) narrates the film and tells her tale of how so met Amber. Gunner Hansen is also on hand as an old man who takes Sylvie in right after the world turns. If you ever hoped that good old Hansen would speak more in his movie roles, you're in luck as he goes on a lentghy monologue about getting old and his old hands. It made me hearken back to the days when he was mostly silent in actual good films as "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" & "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers". Mack-10 should REALLY just stick with rapping. But funnily enough those two are among the BETTER actors in this million dollar stinker. Quite possibly the worst movie based on the Elizabeth Bathory legend ever made. It takes a lot to make that particular story into something so deathly dull and lifeless. Yet this film accomplishes that task with rancid gusto. Pure art-house drivel.My Grade: D-
Add another review
