 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
NIGHT BASEMENT
Written and Directed by Mike Legge
Starring:
Mike LeggeMike Legge is like a Chameleon; he camouflages himself behind his roles so skillfully you need to take a second look to make sure it's really him. In NIGHT BASEMENT, a spoof of Rod Serling's Night Gallery, Mike plays four distinct characters, each one fully realized and unique unto themselves.
The first is Rod Serling himself. In the wraparound segment, Mike walks through his basement picking up items and telling their stories with the same deadpan delivery as Serling. As Legge delivers the introductions to each of the stories in full make-up, you would the ghost of Serling was right there in front of you. If it weren't for the dialogue, all sense of parody and mockery would be lost in Legge's near perfect channeling of the man.
The first story in this anthology is "Lemon Man." The short appears to be an older super-8 film with Legge in the title role of a salesman-like character who talks his way into people's homes with the promises of giving them lemons. With the owners paralyzed with fear (or maybe the overpowering scent of magic lemons), he cleans up their homes.
The film is absurdist in nature. On the trial of the lemon man are the two dumbest officers the local police force can find. As their search for The Lemon Man continues, their dialogue becomes more and more contradictory of the story. The end result is a film very much in the vein of New Comedy made popular by the likes of Martin Short and Lily Tomlin.
The second film, "Stage Blood", is much more traditional in nature. It's also the closest thing to a horror film that I've seen from Mike Legge. A local theater troupe brings in an experienced director, played by Legge with effeminate theater glee, to mount their best production ever. As the opening date nears, the cast falls prey to a werewolf.
One of Legge's best assets as a filmmaker is his stable of actors, all of whom usually deliver professional quality performances. The same is true with "Stage Blood", where he calls upon almost everyone in that stable for a role. That, combined with moody atmosphere and well-balanced storytelling, allows Legge to produce the most accessible and commercial short of the lot.
The last film is "Sick Time", a short akin to "Lemon Man" in its surrealism. A husband, Legge, stays at home sick while his wife goes to work. Throughout the day, strange events occur that may, or may not, be related to what he's watching on television.
Going on for much longer than it needs, the short film runs out of steam near the halfway point. It falls into a pattern of repetition, which only serves to bog it down. Tightening of the editing to the point of loosing entire segments might leave the piece with more of a direct punch and a fiercer bite.
This was Legge's first film and the rough edges become more apparent when compared to his most recent effort, CURTAINS. Both posses the same left-of-center capricious humor, but CURTAINS has a subtle charm not found in THE NIGHT BASEMENT. Conversely, THE NIGHT BASEMENT is more bold and daring, where CURTAINS tends to play it safe. The shorts in THE NIGHT BASEMENT feel experimental when compared to those in CURTAINS. They are two movies that on the surface appear very similar, but underneath are so different you wouldn't think they were from the same director. Mike Legge isn't just a versatile actor creating unique characters; he's also a versatile filmmaker creating unique stories.
Sideshow Cinema
Sub Rosa Studios