4. Lords of Salem
Plot: Directed by Rob Zombie and starring Sherri Moon Zombie the movie takes place in modern day Salem where Sherri Moon Zombie plays Heidi a local DJ at a rock station. She receives an album by a band called "The Lords" that when played on air has a strange trance like effect on the women in town. Things get weird as "The Lords" plan a show in Salem.
My thoughts: This is a strange one. Of all of Rob Zombie's films this is the one I am most on the fence about. I liked House of 1000 corpses, I loved Devil's Rejects, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto is easily one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile and then there are his awful Halloween remakes which I despise so where does this one fall? I really don't know. I thought it was well made, this is a beautifully shot film. The violence is tame and the colors are brilliant. Sherri Moon Zombie gives a complex and believable performance as Heidi. There are definite nods to Dario Argento's Mother Trilogy and more than a few nods at Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. That being said not a whole lot happens and once the creatures are revealed they are laughable, one appears to be a three foot mutated baby and the other a giant wiggly sweet potato. This deserves a viewing and I will revisit it to see if my opinion changes.
I agree on the Dario Argento moments. Honestly, Zombie did a good job of capturing the late 70's/early 80's feel. I'm just not sure how I feel about the movie. It's dark, and not really scary, but the satanic imagery was well done and unsettling. All said and done, I'm a Zombie fan (apart from the Halloweens) so I'm leaning on the positive side of the fence, but multiple viewings may be required.
ReplyDeleteJames that is my thoughts as well. I just don't know on this one.
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