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THE MUTILATION MAN
Produced, Written, Edited, and Directed by Andrew Copp
Terek Pucket – The Mutilation Man
Jim Vanbebber – Father
Kristie Bowersock – Demon Lover/GirlfiendNow this movie is hard core! It’s what filmmaking is all about, art. For a while I’ve wanted to see a movie that pushes the envelope for underground filmmaking and THE MUTILATION MAN more than obliges.
Director Andrew Copp uses expressive images and sound to tell his story of pain and vindication. The premise revolves around a man who wanders a wasteland (Dayton, OH) and performs acts of self-mutilation similar to traveling actors in the old west. But that’s not the story Copp is trying to tell. It’s about a man trying to deal with the murder of his mother and his childhood rape at the hands of his drunken father. Two acts that have left him more scarred then the knives and safety pins he uses to mark his body.
Copp employs various mediums to represent the transitions between the different states of MM’s mind. The present is clean and clear 16mm. MM’s mind is focused on just business, just one gig to the next. This part of the story is pretty straightforward.
Once the shows begin, we see one of two different worlds. The past, filmed in Super 8 and video, sheds light on why the MM does what he does. The second is a hallucinatory dream state that he falls into to take away the pain, also filmed in Super 8. It’s in these two worlds where the more shocking images take place, and chances are these scenes are the ones that will shock and offend you.
There is almost no spoken dialogue; the soundtrack consists mostly of an industrial, Skinny Puppy influenced score. Surprisingly the effect is less like a music video then you might think. The film seems similar to something Luis Bunuel might make if he were still alive. Picture a much darker and violent version of Un Chein Andalou.
At the center of the film is Terek Pucket who gives one of the strongest and bravest performances I’ve seen this year, low budget or large. It’s incredibly stylized. He lets everything hang out, from his emotions to his penis (for a good portion of the movie he is completely naked). He is almost wooden when it comes to interacting with those around him, but he’s pure menace and attitude once his shows begin.
I have to make note of Jim Vanbebber as the Father. It’s been far to long since Jim has graced the screen with anything, whether it be one of his own films or an acting job in someone else’s. The man is fantastic at whatever he does. I wish someone would give him the money to complete Charlie’s Family. In this film is pure evil, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone be this convincing at it.
I can almost guarantee you this film will win awards on the Underground Film Festival circuit. It will be interesting to see which films will win more, this or Eric Stanze’s ICE FROM THE SUN. If Stanze is smart he’ll ship that one out to the festivals too. Both films are similar in style, but THE MUTILATION MAN is a better film. SUN might be more commercial and accessible, but MAN has a rawness that gives it more impact and power. After watching this the images will be burned into your brain and you’ll scream for stiffer penalties on child abuse.
Viwe the Apparition Films Website