AMERICAN NIGHTMARE – I’m writing this over Christmas, when many reflect on times past and the way we were. I’m thinking about the early noughts, about coffee houses and bars, about people sat around on sofas in those coffee houses and bars, hanging out, maybe philosophising about their greatest fears and desires, but mainly just hanging out. There’s lots of hanging out in ‘American Nightmare’. If an uncomedic version of ‘Friends’ with even more anaemic characters could be retooled as a slasher movie, the result might resemble ‘American Nightmare’. Debbie Rochon’s in it – she plays a nurse on a murder rampage. You keep waiting for her story to take form, but no, she’s just a nurse who happens to be into murder. She flits in and out – I’ve already mentioned that this is mostly about ‘friends’ sitting on a couch. They listen to their favourite radio show. What kind of DJ calls themselves ‘Caligari’? Someone who wants to discuss some really profound shit. He’s annoying. Little islands of strangeness float by – someone trips out at a gig in the woods, Rochon teases Caligari with her hot tales of knife sex whilst stabbing at (her? / someone else’s?) leg in a car. But mostly people just sit around as if they’re in a cheap, doomed version of Central Perk. I like the hazy feeling of indies of a certain vintage that only just hold together. I’m writing this over Christmas, a time for forgiveness, but ‘American Nightmare’ is a Halloween movie.
DARK TOWER – A strangely well-cast beast – Jenny Agutter, Michael Moriarty, Kevin McCarthy - though the vibe is more ‘Juan Piquer Simon on an off day’. I don’t refer to the splendiferous Simon of ‘Slugs’, but the blander, more basic guy behind ‘Cthulhu Mansion’ or something. My JPS comparison is a little off the mark when you consider that in this case the director’s chair passed from Ken Wiederhorn to Freddie Francis, both of whom disowned, but that’s another story. ‘The Dark Power’ lacks bite. There are too many scenes where people blather on, and it’s all obvious stuff at the end of the day – a new office block is haunted etc. Shreds of atmosphere phase in and out, long corridors and engine rooms hum with spectral presence, there’s a little bit of silliness to oil the pipes; aside from these crumbs it’s worth watching for Agutter and Moriarty. Look at Agutter’s eyes – do they often seem slightly crazed? It doesn’t matter that she does little to redeem her boring role, there’s always a basic magnetism. Moriarty reins it in, but in the end can’t help wandering around mumbling to himself like a bus station drunk.
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