Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Ratline
Collapse
-
- Published: 11-01-2011, 08:46 AM
- 24 comments
X
Collapse
-
Ratline
Released by: Wicked Pixel Cinema
Released on: 9/20/2011
Director: Eric Stanze
Cast: Emily Haack, Jason Christ, Sarah Swofford, Alex Del Monacco
Year: 2010
Purchase from Amazon
The Movie:
Two sisters, Crystal (Emily Haack) and Kim (Alex Del Monacco) are on the run due to their involvement with some bad people, which ended in theft and murder. They find some safety in the small town of Hermann, Missouri when they rent space in a house with good-girl Penny (Sarah Swofford), who works for the town under her grandfather (Joseph R. Engel). Meanwhile, Frank (Jason Christ) comes to town looking for something Sarah's grandfather has and he works his way into the lives of the women with some sinister intentions and gruesome results.
To give much more for a plot synopsis would be a disservice to the movie. Reading the above, it may sound like some shitty women's channel original movie, but it isn't. But to say much more would give away some turns in the movie that are not expected. The box copy mentions ties to Nazi Germany and the Blood Flag which supposedly contains supernatural powers, so saying that isn't revealing anything, but that's as far as this review will go in sharing the story line.
Forget the fact that its an indie picture and forget the fact the it's a very low budget picture. Actually it's very easy to forget this is a micro budget movie because the skill of the filmmakers, specifically co-writer/editor/cinematographer/director Eric Stanze, make this movie look a lot bigger than it really is. The film is shot on location, mostly in Missouri, and they make full use of what the town has to offer, including an Oktoberfest celebration held by the town every year. Also used is a run down school and an amazing old graveyard. Stanze has a great photographic sense and knows how to fill the screen and his editing style, such as the use of fade-in/fade-out mixing (which most probably has some technical term), lends the movie an interesting feel. It is sometimes almost dreamlike. And a big slap on the back for the film's creative use of fake WWII movie reels of the Nazis and some of the paranormal research they conducted. It's really well done and such a great way to show the past without use of a flashback.
Performances are pretty strong, with Wicked Pixel veteran Emily Haack working her character pretty convincingly. The standout job, though, goes to Jason Christ. He plays the role of the bad guy and keeps it from going over the top in such a way that he avoids being ridiculous, and is instead pretty menacing. Another performer worthy of mention is the guy who did the gore effects. There are lots of them to behold, all physical ones (as opposed to computer fakery) and most of them are very realistic. The blood and guts quota is high, as is the nudity factor, making this a sleazy movie that should appeal to the exploitation/horror crowd.
The one drawback for the film was actually the inclusion of such graphic violence. This movie has enough going for it without having to resort to the visual gimmicks of beheadings and dismemberment and would certainly appeal to a larger audience without it. Scaling down of the “show everything†technique may have helped the films climax to have more of an impact that it does. The climax still packs a punch though, and does something most viewers won't be expecting.
With an original story, good acting, and great production values, Ratline is a firm example of indie filmmaking and is worthy of your attention. It's miles above just a slice-and-dice cheapie.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The film is shown here in what it is assumed to be the original aspect ratio of 16:9 anamorphic widescreen, and things look pretty standard. The colors look correct, as do skin tones. Good detail too (check out the Wicked Pixel wind-up skeleton on Haack's bicep). There's lots of scenery in the movie and things have an overall decent look. The black levels look pretty consistent, maybe a bit murky in the darkest of scenes. The audio is a 2.0 Dolby track that has a good balance throughout. Voices are clear, no distortion to speak of, and the music has a kick to it, but is never too much. There are no authoring issued noticed with the disc.
The extras are plentiful starting with two commentary tracks: one with director Stanze alone, and one with Stanze, and the lead actors Emily Haack and Jason Christ. The latter is the more interesting of the two, and that's not to say the one with the director alone isn't good, because it is, but it's kind of dry. Stanze delivers some great information, especially to those interested in making micro-budget movies, but the track could use some pep. Maybe another person? The one with Stanze and the cast members is a pretty fun listen. Lots of stories and memories and Jason Christ gives his take on the representation of gay characters in movies, and the man makes a lot of sense.
There is also an hour-long making of, which is just as good as the feature. Interviews with the crew and actors and lots of behind the scenes footage (Christ's beard at one point is of near-Taliban proportions) make up the parts that create an interesting look into no-studio moviemaking. Also included: about four minutes of deleted scenes, a seven-minute gag reel, and a couple of trailers (Ratline and Deadwood Park).
The Final Word:
An original movie, made with competence and obvious talent, Ratline stands above the hoards of independent film company output. There're some good plot turns and a couple of moments where the story doesn't go where you'd expect, keeping the action from being predictable. The extras are excellent and there's lots of them, helping to make this a solid DVD. Definitely worth picking up.
-
#22Todd JordanSmut is good.Find all postsView Profile11-02-2011, 11:10 PMEditing a commentLay it on me man. I don't care, kidding or not. Paul and Ian show no mercy.
-
#23Paul CaseyFrito BanditoFind all postsView Profile11-03-2011, 07:41 AMEditing a commentSlayer shows no mercy.Paul and Ian show no mercy.
-
#24Todd JordanSmut is good.Find all postsView Profile11-03-2011, 08:41 AMEditing a commentYou had me all paranoid. I was looking to see if I missed a space between sentences.
Posting comments is disabled. -
Categories
Collapse
article_tags
Collapse
- album review (218)
- album reviews (274)
- arrow video (271)
- blu-ray (3225)
- blu-ray review (4162)
- comic books (1392)
- comic reviews (872)
- comics (988)
- dark horse comics (484)
- dvd and blu-ray reviews a-f (1969)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews G-M (1711)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews N-S (1757)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews T-Z (878)
- dvd review (2512)
- idw publishing (216)
- image comics (207)
- kino lorber (391)
- movie news (260)
- review (318)
- scream factory (279)
- severin films (298)
- shout! factory (537)
- twilight time (269)
- twilight time releasing (231)
- vinegar syndrome (497)
Latest Articles
Collapse
-
Released by: Film Masters
Released on: April 23rd, 2024.
Director: Bert I. Gordon
Cast: Richard Carlson, Juli Reding, Lugene Sanders, Susan Gordon
Year: 1963
Purchase From Amazon
Tormented – Movie Review:
The late Bert I. Gordon’s 1963 horror film, ‘Tormented,’ is an effectively spooky ghost story made with an obviously low budget but no less effective for it.
The story revolves around a professional piano player...-
Channel: Movies
04-17-2024, 10:19 AM -
-
Released by: Grindhouse Releasing
Released on: March 12th, 2024.
Director: William Grefé
Cast: William Shatner, Jennifer Bishop, Ruth Roman, Harold Sakata
Year: 1974
Purchase From Amazon
Impulse – Movie Review:
Directed by the one and only William Grefé, 1974’s Impulse is one of those rare films that allows you to witness what it would be like if a really sweaty William Shatner got mad at a lady carrying balloons. Before that...-
Channel: Movies
04-15-2024, 01:20 PM -
-
Released by: Severin Films
Released on: April 30th, 2024.
Director: Andrew Legge
Cast: Emma Appleton, Stefanie Martini, Rory Fleck Byrne
Year: 2022
Purchase From Amazon
Lola – Movie Review:
Irish filmmakers Andrew Legge’s 2022 movie, ‘Lola’, which was made during Covid-19 lockdowns, is a wildly creative movie made in the found footage style that defies expectations, provides plenty of food for thought and manages to make...-
Channel: Movies
04-10-2024, 04:09 PM -
-
Released by: Vinegar Syndrome
Released on: March 26th, 2024.
Director: Jess Franco, Jorge Grau, Pedro L. Ramírez
Cast: Alberto Dalbés, Evelyne Scott, Fernando Rey, Marisa Mell, Wal Davis, Norma Kastel
Year: 1974
Purchase From Amazon
Spanish Blood Bath – Movie Review:
Vinegar Syndrome brings a triple feature of Spanish horror films of the in this new three-disc Blu-ray boxed set. Here’s what lies inside…
Night Of The...-
Channel: Movies
04-10-2024, 04:02 PM -
-
Released by: Universal Studios
Released on: April 9th, 2024.
Director: Zelda Williams
Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino, Joe Chrest, Henry Eikenberry
Year: 2024
Purchase From Amazon
Lisa Frankenstein – Movie Review:
The feature-length directorial debut of Zelda Williams, 20214’s Lisa Frankenstein takes place in 1989 and follows a teenaged girl named Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) who, two years ago, lost her mother...-
Channel: Movies
04-03-2024, 03:40 PM -
-
Released by: Severin Films
Released on: April 30th, 2024.
Director: Gianfranco Giagni
Cast: Roland Wybenga, William Berger, Stéphane Audran
Year: 1988
Purchase From Amazon
Spider Labyrinth – Movie Review:
Professor Alan Whitmore (Roland Wybenga) is an American who works as a Professor of languages studies and has a fascination bordering on obsession with translating pre-Christian religious texts. He was also locked in a closet...-
Channel: Movies
04-03-2024, 03:37 PM -