I enjoyed this follow up to House of 1000 Corpses in a way that's hard to express without sounding like a total headcase.
I've read numerous reviews which complement Rob Zombie for the technical virtuosity he displays here, and that this is a big improvement on 1000 Corpses (which I also liked), but that The Devils Reject's is for people who think Charles Manson were paragons of virtue; messianic seers who symbolise a rich an valuable vein of counter-culture. Hmmmm Straight up, straight down, The Devil's Rejects is extremely violent, gory, sadistic, worrying, profane and seedy. And I loved it. It's hard fast, tough and dealt out with a brio that is hard to find in any cinema, anywhere in the world. Great praise must be directed towards Phil Parmet's tremendous Super 16mm photography, which is grainy and visceral, colourful and gruesome; he transforms the parched landscape into almost surrealist terrain. Anthony Tremblay's production design is also absolutely superb, creating the world of 1970s Texas with great detail: it's really convincing and thus when the characters run around like headless chickens, the art direction makes it look all the more convincing.
The film also takes no time to get going: the narrative starts immediately. Five minutes in, we're in the middle of a brutal gun battle, with the beleaguered Firefly family trying to ward off the emissaries of the Texas Rangers in Ned Kelly style armour. Suffice to say, it all goes to hell. Several of the Rejects are killed, and Momma Firefly is captured. Two, however (Otis, and Baby Firefly), make a break and go on the lam, meeting up with the iconic Clown Captain Spalding. Thus the stage is set for the ultimate, hellish road trip, with the three surviving members of the brood trying outwit just about everything the States of Texas has to throw at 'em and the increasingly demented Sheriff Wydell, who is being haunted by his brother, a previous victim of the Rejects.
The Firefly Family kill whomever they want to and whenever they please. Meet them, and they'll scrag you before you blink an eye, or after they've tormented with vituperations about haw much of a loser you are, or just torture you. The family has, apparently, amassed a record of MORE THAN A THOUSAND MURDERS. Move over Well, just about ANY serial killer. This family is the ultimate in unmitigated monstrosity and unprovoked murder. They really kill just 'cause they hate everyone and I mean everyone.
Rob Zombie has certainly improved as film-maker since 1000 Corpses: this is a more accomplished, homogeneous, aggressive and accomplished work. It's the work of a real film-maker and it's had to fault his basic nuts-and-bolts assemblage of cinematography, editing, design and music. His frame of reference has also expanded because he riffs on Leone, Peckinpah (specifically The Wild Bunch), Bonnie and Clyde, (maybe) Badlands, as well as the old faves (such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Deranged). His narrative also seems to be structured around homage, following famous conflagrations or serial killers: The Alamo, Gacy, Ed Gein, or Anthony Perkins from Psycho.
It's quite a ride then and the soundtrack is a killer: Allmanns, Lynrd Skynrd, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Buck Owens to name but a few.
However, I can well understand the arguments against the film. Some have argued that Zombie celebrates the Firefly family, seeing them as rebellious, non-conformist and individualistic, who reject any form of suppression. They might be a bit excessive and bonkers, but they're to be supported and followed in their total rejection of any form of authority. I can appreciate how people might see it that way. For one, I didn't always like the actors: I thought the like of Geoffrey Lewis and Ken Forsythe (why isn't this dude more famous he's almost as cool as Clint!) eclipsed the Firefly Sheri Moon Zombie and the others. They were just more layered and convincing as performers. Also the film is certainly over-balanced in favour of the Fireflies: we never really learn much about their apocalyptic antics prior to what we see in the film, and the forces they're fighting against, such as Sheriff Wydell are straight-lipped Dirty Harry types who basically want to stop the Fireflies mucking about. I certainly didn't think Zombie made the Firefly repellent enough (they are truly evil people) and I think it would have made the film more powerful if the Fireflies were villains rather than ambiguous heroes, since there would have been no-one to root for.
But still, I really enjoyed this. It was a real adrenaline rush, always inventive and full of incident. True: it kind of rejoices in a form of evil, but lacks the sophistication to really ram a message like: "violence and death are cool go hurt someone!" Perhaps I should be grateful that Zombie never succeeds in saying something like that, because then I'd need to certified and I'd also probably have been watching a snuff film. Whatever you do, don't take it seriously. Hopefully, R.Z. doesn't want us to take it seriously just enjoy it like horror aficionados.
But this is still and ride to remember.
I've read numerous reviews which complement Rob Zombie for the technical virtuosity he displays here, and that this is a big improvement on 1000 Corpses (which I also liked), but that The Devils Reject's is for people who think Charles Manson were paragons of virtue; messianic seers who symbolise a rich an valuable vein of counter-culture. Hmmmm Straight up, straight down, The Devil's Rejects is extremely violent, gory, sadistic, worrying, profane and seedy. And I loved it. It's hard fast, tough and dealt out with a brio that is hard to find in any cinema, anywhere in the world. Great praise must be directed towards Phil Parmet's tremendous Super 16mm photography, which is grainy and visceral, colourful and gruesome; he transforms the parched landscape into almost surrealist terrain. Anthony Tremblay's production design is also absolutely superb, creating the world of 1970s Texas with great detail: it's really convincing and thus when the characters run around like headless chickens, the art direction makes it look all the more convincing.
The film also takes no time to get going: the narrative starts immediately. Five minutes in, we're in the middle of a brutal gun battle, with the beleaguered Firefly family trying to ward off the emissaries of the Texas Rangers in Ned Kelly style armour. Suffice to say, it all goes to hell. Several of the Rejects are killed, and Momma Firefly is captured. Two, however (Otis, and Baby Firefly), make a break and go on the lam, meeting up with the iconic Clown Captain Spalding. Thus the stage is set for the ultimate, hellish road trip, with the three surviving members of the brood trying outwit just about everything the States of Texas has to throw at 'em and the increasingly demented Sheriff Wydell, who is being haunted by his brother, a previous victim of the Rejects.
The Firefly Family kill whomever they want to and whenever they please. Meet them, and they'll scrag you before you blink an eye, or after they've tormented with vituperations about haw much of a loser you are, or just torture you. The family has, apparently, amassed a record of MORE THAN A THOUSAND MURDERS. Move over Well, just about ANY serial killer. This family is the ultimate in unmitigated monstrosity and unprovoked murder. They really kill just 'cause they hate everyone and I mean everyone.
Rob Zombie has certainly improved as film-maker since 1000 Corpses: this is a more accomplished, homogeneous, aggressive and accomplished work. It's the work of a real film-maker and it's had to fault his basic nuts-and-bolts assemblage of cinematography, editing, design and music. His frame of reference has also expanded because he riffs on Leone, Peckinpah (specifically The Wild Bunch), Bonnie and Clyde, (maybe) Badlands, as well as the old faves (such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Deranged). His narrative also seems to be structured around homage, following famous conflagrations or serial killers: The Alamo, Gacy, Ed Gein, or Anthony Perkins from Psycho.
It's quite a ride then and the soundtrack is a killer: Allmanns, Lynrd Skynrd, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Buck Owens to name but a few.
However, I can well understand the arguments against the film. Some have argued that Zombie celebrates the Firefly family, seeing them as rebellious, non-conformist and individualistic, who reject any form of suppression. They might be a bit excessive and bonkers, but they're to be supported and followed in their total rejection of any form of authority. I can appreciate how people might see it that way. For one, I didn't always like the actors: I thought the like of Geoffrey Lewis and Ken Forsythe (why isn't this dude more famous he's almost as cool as Clint!) eclipsed the Firefly Sheri Moon Zombie and the others. They were just more layered and convincing as performers. Also the film is certainly over-balanced in favour of the Fireflies: we never really learn much about their apocalyptic antics prior to what we see in the film, and the forces they're fighting against, such as Sheriff Wydell are straight-lipped Dirty Harry types who basically want to stop the Fireflies mucking about. I certainly didn't think Zombie made the Firefly repellent enough (they are truly evil people) and I think it would have made the film more powerful if the Fireflies were villains rather than ambiguous heroes, since there would have been no-one to root for.
But still, I really enjoyed this. It was a real adrenaline rush, always inventive and full of incident. True: it kind of rejoices in a form of evil, but lacks the sophistication to really ram a message like: "violence and death are cool go hurt someone!" Perhaps I should be grateful that Zombie never succeeds in saying something like that, because then I'd need to certified and I'd also probably have been watching a snuff film. Whatever you do, don't take it seriously. Hopefully, R.Z. doesn't want us to take it seriously just enjoy it like horror aficionados.
But this is still and ride to remember.