BLOOD CAR

BLOOD CAR

An onscreen host introduces us to "the near-future, about two weeks from now". His story is set in an America where fuel prices are at an all-time high and no-one drives anymore as a consequence. "Car graveyards" have been formed for the now-dormant vehicles, where they are used by teenagers as places to fuck in.

The story begins for real when we meet Archie (Mike Brune) reading for kids at the local school. A conventional teacher, he isn�t. When he finishes his work there, he gets on his pushbike and rides through the largely deserted streets to pick up some wheatgrass at his favourite vegan store. Not that he notices, but the bespectacled attendant there � Lorraine (Anna Chlumsky) � has the hots for him. We know this because we see the drawing she�s doodled under the counter; of her sucking his cock and remarking that his cum tastes like tofu.

Opposite Lorraine�s portable vegan store, is a similarly temporary meat stall. This is run by sultry Denise (Katie Rowlett), who tries to entice Archie over to sample her wares. Oblivious to the connotations of her body language, Archie insists he�s vegan and makes off with his latest supply of wheatgrass.

It turns out that Archie is a bit of a single-minded nerd, obsessed with solving the worldwide fuel problem by inventing a car that will run efficiently on wheatgrass.

One frustrated night, Archie gets drunk while performing his experiments and cuts his hand on broken glass. A drop of his blood falls into his wheatgrass fuel invention � and fires up the engine he�s been working on. Sure enough, his car comes alive using this concoction the following morning.

Elated, Archie siphons blood from his arm and manages to fill his car up. Of course, he faints soon afterwards � but his experiments have proven to be a success. He races � in his car � to tell his best mate, Lorraine.

Denise is quick to move in, telling Archie she loves riding in cars. Quite innocently, he offers to take her for a drive. She makes it worth his while, giving him what I suspect is his first ever blowjob. He�s smitten: he asks if he can see her again. Taken by his car, she agrees to a second date � so long as he takes her somewhere in his car.

That�s all good and well, but Archie knows he needs blood to achieve this. He tries the blood of squirrels and dogs (which he has trouble killing, given his animal activist tendencies). But this doesn�t work � human blood is required!

And, let�s face it, Denise is the type of slut who greets Archie with lines such as "put a taco in my mouth and your dick in my ass" � he�s going to oblige, if it means he can keep on seeing her �

Well-shot, tightly edited and acted with commitment from its admirably straight-faced cast, BLOOD CAR shows off its director Alex Orr as a clear talent behind the camera. Yes, his screenplay � co-written with long-time collaborator Adam Pinney � is consciously daft. But to dismiss their film (Pinney also co-produces and co-edits) as puerile runs the risk of overlooking how deceptively clever it can be.

First and foremost, the film is genuinely funny. It�s smart without being smug, it�s amusing without ever forcing the issue. The cast pitch their performances just right, and Orr keeps the pace brisk (the film is only 75 minutes in length) but allows breathing space in-between the enjoyable, late 80s-style set-pieces.

Gory and trashy though it undoubtedly is, BLOOD CAR also offers some wry observations on timely issues such as the global recession, sexual politics, the conscience of killing for need, obsession and greed. All mixed in with classical music and some great moments of comedy from Brune (his remorse when trying to kill his dog by shooting it repeatedly; the marvellous moments he shares with his young pupils).

BLOOD CAR comes to UK DVD uncut courtesy of Left Films. The film is transferred in its original aspect ratio and has been enhanced for 16x9 television sets.

The picture presentation is vivid and alive, with bright natural colour schemes and a rich texture of contrasting darks and lights. The film�s budget was low (reportedly $25,000) and there�s no denying that this can be felt in the film�s look. But the transfer is really good regardless.

English 2.0 stereo audio is also pleasing.

A colourful and agreeably noisy animated main menu page leads into sub-menus, including an animated scene-selection menu allowing access to the main feature via 10 chapters.

Extras kick off with two audio commentary tracks. The first is from Orr, Pinney, Brune, Rowlett, co-producer/co-director of photography Chris Campbell and co-star Matt Hutchinson.

This is a surprisingly honest track, which makes for an interesting listen. Brune is funny in particular, picking out the bits about the film that he likes and dislikes. One gripe is that this seems to be a cut-and-paste affair.

The second track comes from �film historian� Rutherford Thorpe. It�s quite a funny pastiche of stuffy academic chat tracks.

A 41-minute behind-the-scenes featurette is shot on the shoot by boom operator Michael Goldberg, and offers a good mix of documentary footage and crew interviews.

"Blake Makes Blood" is a 17-minute offering in which we learn the secrets of making a good, thick fake blood mix for the movies.

"Brune For President" is a 4-minute clip of a mock presidential campaign speech by the actor, much to the hilarity of whoever�s shakily filming it.

"The Last Last and the Tribulations of Johnnybush" is a surreal, silly 8-minute short from 2003. In it, a couple of friends look for a certain type of grass. One of them is played by Pinney, and he looks like the lead from "The In-Betweeners".

We also get BLOOD CAR�s original trailer, and its UK theatrical trailer.

The disc is defaulted to open with trailers for MEMORY LANE (looks good, certainly it�s been ladled with plaudits), MONSTRO, rock documentary SUBSOURCE: A DUBUMENTARY, THE HARSH LIGHT OF DAY and THE PEOPLE I�VE SLEPT WITH.

BLOOD CAR could easily be written off as madcap rubbish. And that�s from its title and cover alone. But look closer and you�ll find a really well-made, smart film with good gags, top performances, gore to spare and its fair share of boobies too.

Left Films serve the film well with this good DVD.

Review by Stuart Willis


 
Released by Left Films
Region 2 - PAL
Rated 18
Extras :
see main review
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