I refuse to loosen my cynical slack on indie horror. If they want my respect, they've got to earn it. Any jerk off can pick up a camera and create a concoction of Karo syrup and other ingredients, ultimately resulting in a DIY horror film. It takes real talent to do so effectively. 100 Tears is an attempt that dared to try, but gained mileage too quick.
Take any contemporary serial killer film and dissect it slowly. What is the end result? Surely I'd place my money on a duo "investigating" the killer who stumble upon him or her eventually. Directors don't seem to like change. Two douche bag tabloid reporters decide grudgingly on investigating the Teardrop killer. This remorseless inhuman clown has been slaughtering people for 20 years? Doesn't add a whole lot of sense to the equation, but I'll bite.
The few things that have going for 100 Tears is the enjoyable (and overused) freak show back story lingering behind the myth of Gurdy the Clown, and the over-the-fucking-top violence that is exhibited for all to see. It doesn't seem to matter why this clown with a GIANT cleaver just shows up at random places and kills people. It doesn't worry you and you eventually forget how ridiculous the entire plot is.
100 Tears tries to throw small twists in there, and suffers a similar fate of most films by including incompetent cops who cannot find a mass-fucking-murderer. The idea of a clown slicing his way through a huge population for over 20 years is almost as retarded as saying Jeepers Creepers was based on a true story. I also get this feeling that Koch wanted a Devil's Rejects feel to his film. Trust me, that's not a very good inspiration.
The direction of the film is led by Marcus Koch. He might be a simple exhibitionist, assumed by his insatiable appetite for inane violence and extremely brutal tortures committed on pulchritudinous women (Which heightens the suspense and overall shock value of the production).
100 Tears really aspires to be an indie classic but fails due to a horrible and amateurish ending, and the lack of delivering any memorability. The only memorable thing I can recall is the damned annoying techno track that would loop whenever the killer strikes. 100 Tears is just another bland & tasteless horror film. The only striking difference is that this is shot on HD.
-mAQ
I also get this feeling that Koch wanted a Devil's Rejects feel to his film. Trust me, that's not a very good inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHigh five, dude!
Also, I like your acknowledgment of the hey-I-gotta-digicam-I'm-gonna-make-a-movie mindset within horror circles. The same thing irritates me in documentary circles.
I agree with you this movie pretty much sucked. I heard they didn't really even get distribution it was all a scam for publicity.
ReplyDeletei think you`re being a bit harsh in terms of not giving indie horror a bit more slack, i think its great that any silly bastard can pick up a mobile phone and use the camera on it to make a laughably bad, appallingly unwatchable, and ludicrously inept pile of dog-shit, (as long as the silly bastard in question is american as opposed to british) because i know that as long as its a horror movie it will still provide me with some entertainment value, which is more than can be said for many of the big budget comedys and dramas that mainstream hollywood still unfortunately makes. why cant hollywood stop making comedys and dramas and concentrate on science fiction and horror all the time then there would never be any more bad films made ever again.
ReplyDeleteI actually liked this one quite a bit. It reminded me of a more polished version of some of the old German splatter films. Although the plot is nothing particularly amazing, it is linear and coherent enough to keep things moving and the acting was a lot better than most other indie films. With nothing but remakes, sequels, and pg-13 cash in horror in theaters it is nice to have some glimmer of hope for the survival of American horror. Spectacular gore, interesting characters, and Raine Brown with a sledgehammer, enough to keep me entertained.
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