VIDEO REVIEW: Dust Devil

VIDEO REVIEW: Hardware

REVIEW: Dust Devil

Dust Devil
Director: Richard Stanley
Year 1992
 
Dust Devil is an enthralling horror film that subjugates the audience to bare witness to a vividly portrayed world filled with surreal imagery and cruel tendencies. Blasted across a brutal and dreamlike landscape in which magic twists the lives of its main characters, the film is a wonderment in atmospheric horror which soaks the viewer in a grotesquely imagined psyche of a serial killer, yet unveils that there is more to meets the eye when the true nature of the beast is revealed. Shot across the expansive and dry plains of South Africa, Dust Devil is a true masterpiece of the genre, as it seduces all who fall victim to its beautiful presentation and stark maliciousness.
 
The film follows a young suicidal woman by the name of Wendy Robinson as she sets out on a cross country trip in order to run away from her abusive husband. With her course set towards the sea and her mind struggling to relinquish the past, Wendy begins to have a number of strange encounters with a lone hitchhiker who slowly begins to reveal to her that he is more than just a mere man. Referred to by the locals as The Dust Devil, this shape-shifting man devours the lonely and lost, and unfortunately for Wendy he has his sights on her. Hunted in the middle of nowhere and lost within the never-ending dune covered desert, Wendy must find a way to survive this hellish situation and prove to herself that she wants to keep on living.

Chelsea Field plays the role of Wendy Robinson, the jaded and worn-out young woman who teeters on the brink of death. Chelsea is mesmerizing in this role as she really gives an outstanding and rigorous performance as the strung out Wendy, forcing you to sympathize with her ongoing plight. In the context of the film, the character of Wendy must progress from a timid and suicidal pacifist to a headstrong and capable fighter by the closing moments of the film and Chelsea does an amazing job in pulling off this character arc with stupendous results. Not only does the narrative demand that she be battered emotionally throughout the story, but she is also physically tested as there are a number of action-filled moments that have her clawing her way out of an overturned car, fighting for her life against a demonic magician, and even wielding a shotgun like a total badass. It’s the cruel and unusual punishment that she endures throughout the movie that really allows you to root for her in the end. Her performance is just plain enjoyable and Chelsea creates an enormously memorable role as the captivating hero. It also doesn’t hurt that she looks absolutely stunning in the film either.
 
Robert John Burke takes on the demanding role of the Dust Devil, the shape-shifting spirit who takes human form in order to satisfy his appetite for human suffering. Burke is outstanding in the role, allowing a truly twisted cinema monster to wreak havoc on the denizens of this dilapidated post-apocalyptic looking countryside. His performance is deliciously devilish, though surprisingly he gives a rather sympathetic approach to his character. You could almost call him likeable in the role, harking back to real-life serial killers like Ted Bundy, where his charisma was his number one quality in which persuaded so many victims to let down their guard, enabling Bundy to be such an efficient and successful killer. I enjoyed the parallels to real-world murderers, even if it wasn’t intentional, and Burke takes an impeccable stab at the role.
 
Aside from the two main actors, we are given a third in the form of Zakes Mokae who tackles the role of Ben Mukurob, a local police officer who is plagued by depression over the loss of his wife and son. Assigned to the series of grizzly murders, in which the Dust Devil has created during his travels throughout the region, Mukurob takes on the case as a personal quest in order to cleanse his guilt over the things that he believes he has caused to have happened in his life. Zakes brings a special kind of quality to his character which allows his unique breed of acting and local flavor to add an exotic and genuine touch to the film. His efforts in this movie go a long way and I thoroughly enjoyed his handiwork in building the atmosphere of the world.

When it comes to beautiful horror movies, Dust Devil leads the pack. Of course this is no surprise when it comes to Richard Stanley. He’s able to infuse breathtaking visuals into genre fair where you typically wouldn’t see something as optically sumptuous otherwise. Take his violent science fiction effort Hardware for instance. The film is bathed in harsh abrasive colors, plunging the film into some kind of surreal nightmare, instead of the tried and true iterations of the genre that stick to a more tangible sense or real-world feel. With Dust Devil, Stanley allows the otherworldly quality of the South African desert and its scattered towns, to enhance his story and emphasize the dream-like quality that he introduces in this film. Lost in a haze of orange hues and crimson blood, Stanley paints an expressively haunting depiction of a world that is slowly dying and slipping into the past. The void that the countryside and its dilapidated towns offer, gels perfectly with the theme of the narrative, bringing to light the frightening concept of man’s frailty and mortality.
 
Adding to this thematic tone is a no holds barred approach that goes right for the jugular. The world of Dust Devil is viscous and cruel displayed perfectly by the depressing quality of life among the living, the harshness and racial tensions between the races, and the overall brutal tendencies of the blood thirsty Dust Devil himself. Trapped in a ritualistic series of murders in order to maintain his power, the Dust Devil both laments and relishes in these acts, often playing with his victims before slicing them up like a Thanksgiving turkey. The gory details are reveled in by the filmmakers as they never shy away from the aftermath or try to hide our eyes from the ungodly things this beast of a man does. For me that’s what makes Dust Devil so vividly profound, as it never forgets what kind of film its trying to create. By maintaining the vicious continuity across the length of the film, the movie comes off as a complete visceral experience, one that ends with an epic conclusion that really takes the cake in practical gore effects. Let’s just say that this film gives Scanners a run for its money in the exploding heads department.

Dust Devil is another masterpiece by the South African-born filmmaker. It is a film that showcases just how good a horror movie can be if given the proper treatment and the correct amount of unabashed love. As serious as a heart attack, Stanley provides all the right ingredients to make a compelling story that literally grabs us by the throat as it demands our attention and respect. With a cast that was equally up to the task in delivering a narrative with abundant maturity and metaphorical overtones, the film is a breathtaking portrayal of the horrors of depression mixed with the mythological archetypes that encompass the region’s history. Chelsea Field, Robert John Burke, and Zakes Mokae all do their part in bringing this cinematic world to life and each character has a sympathetic approach to their role.
 
The overall look of the film is off the charts as it compiles scene after scene of wonderful visuals plastered against horrific and shockingly bleak imagery that just curdles your blood. The severity of this film is displayed again and again, by the cruelness of its memorable moments, and the mythology that Stanley was able to establish and incur in this movie is simply astounding. Dust Devil is a film that is truly haunting in its portrayal, allowing the story to slowly unfold as we are witnessed to the horrors and reality of this fictional realm come to life. The mixture of iconic locations, memorable and fully realized characters, and the film’s penchant for blood lust, combine to make an atmosphere that is just super charged with poignant moments that burrow into your skull and never fade from memory. If you’re looking for a film that is soaked in surreal scenes, then give Dust Devil a go. This movie is an…..

This dude is so devilish.

The maid is going to shit when she sees this!

Well that sucks.

Thanks for the ride lady!

Looks like going on a road trip with a psychotic serial killer isn't all bad.

What a beautiful day for a blood bath.

I'm the Queen of the WORLD!

If you're going to cry about it you don't have to kiss me.

Trick R Treat!

I'll hold your stick, but I won't like it.

Anyone for a midnight snack? Finger foods!

What a FREAK!

Fuck YEAH!

Look at this badass.

Screw this shit! I should have just stayed with my abusive husband.

Ready.... Aim......

FIRE!

Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit!

Oooooh that's gotta hurt!

REVIEW: Hardware

Hardware
Director: Richard Stanley
Year 1990

There are a few movies in your lifetime that come out of no where. The ones that blow you away and boggle your mind for the sheer fact that you never knew they existed. Well Hardware is one of those movies that just came out of left field for me. I'd seen Richard Stanley's other film, Dust Devil and was thoroughly impressed by that one and had heard good things about his apocalyptic Sci-Fi outing entitled Hardware, but had no idea on what a visceral film it would end up being. What a beautiful, desolate, and foreboding wasteland of a film. Filled with carnage and soaked in meaning, this film is something of a lost gem that can finally be found courtesy of the great team at Severin Films. Last year they put out this packed DVD and it was worth the wait it seems.

The red burnt sky of the wasteland.

Hardware is every bit as vivacious as was told by the various reviews I browsed over in anticipation of the DVD release and the inevitable viewing. The colors pop onto the screen and beg to be washed over by a watchful eye. Not only are the colors something to behold, but the imagery is bold and abrasive. Nothing is squeaky clean in this depressing world of Hardware. Everything is used and rusted, discovered by some second hand scavenger given down from generation to generation. Deteriorated until its first intended use is now something quite entirely different. This is post apocalyptic at its finest.

A beautifully shot vista of a broken world.

The story starts out with a lone scavenger crossing a desert like landscape in search of lost and discarded objects. This stranger comes across a broken wreckage of mechanical parts and scoops it up and heads off into the unknown. We then switch over to two men as they travel through what looks like a trash heap, but is really the outskirts of a large shanty like city. One of the men is Moses Baxter played by a strong and heroic looking Dylan McDermott and the other is Shades played by John Lynch. The two make their way across this disjointed terrain on their way to a more civilized portion of town, yet still as dysfunctional as their present locale.

Getting down and dirty with McDurmott as Moses Baxter.

They stop at a junk peddler's shop to browse his wares and maybe trade some of their findings in. The shop owner is named Alvy played by a thick Mark Northover who was none other then Burglekutt for you Willow fans out there. Both Moses and Shades are talking to Alvy when a strange man enters the shop in stylistic splendor.

Now that's a stylistic entrance.

This stranger was the scavenger that we saw at the beginning of the film and he's dropping off his most recent find to see how much it is worth. He leaves as mysteriously as he had arrived and Moses asks if he can buy the scrap metal from Alvy. Alvy gives him a price and Moses pays and takes off.

Burglekutt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After leaving the shop, Moses and Shades head to an apartment complex that's just a bit more classy then the rest of the junk heaps around the area. Moses is here to meet his off again on again girlfriend and they haven't seen each other for a long while now. He comes bearing gifts in the form of the scrap metal he has just picked up. His girlfriend is an artist and sculptor and would appreciate such an otherwise shitty gift. His girlfriend is named Jill and is played by the hypnotically beautiful Stacey Travis in one of her earliest screen roles. She's gone on to play a countless number of TV roles, but in this film she shows us that she can really shine in a starring role as the chick you don't want to mess with when the shit hits the fan.

Jill takes a cigarette break from the dismal

landscape outside her living room window.

When Moses first arrives he gets a less then a stellar reception, but after showing her the gift that he had brought she slowly begins to come around. The two make up for lost time and like a sports team after a vigorous game, they hit the showers. This is a great time to bring up the music in this film, because once the shower montage kicks in we're blessed with an amazing song in the form of Public Image Limited's "This is what you want... This is what you get". This song is so catchy, that you'll be singing it days after viewing this movie. Anyways, the shower montage is really beautifully shot with slow fades and recessed motions. It really cranks the film up to an arty level followed by its colorful and tastefully done sex scene.

Is it hot in here or is it just my giant metallic robot hand?

The film really uses its color selections in a striking manner giving great jumps of contrast to the overall composition. For instance the scrap metal that Moses had given Jill for a gift had a robotic helmeted face that Jill decides to spray paint over with the american flag. The look of the face gives such an impression as the star patched left side of the head meets with the red and white horizontal stripes of the right side of its skull. It's a menacing sight and one that adds to the overall doom of the picture and the impending storm that is sure to strike once the robot repairs itself.

The look of absolute terror just before it decides to strike.

As I've just alluded, this scrap metal of robot parts is in-fact a disassembled robot. The only exceptional thing about this robot though is that it's a Mark 13, and a Mark 13 is a self sustaining military drone that is known to slice and dice human skin tissue and ask questions never. It's a ruff and tough hombre and we watch as the film progresses and it slowly starts to rebuilt its body with horrifying results.

Bad Robot! Bad Robot!

As Moses goes out for a few hours, the Mark 13 decides it's time to start some shit so it begins to terrorize poor Jill. It stalks her inside her apartment and starts messing with the lights. The scenes with the Mark 13 creeping around Jill's apartment are great and they're filled with suspense. It's like a scaled down and more intimate version of Ripley and the Alien's "cat and mouse game" from Ridley Scott's Alien. Most people would say that it's too similar to that Sci-Fi epic, but that would be generalizing Hardware to those few precious moments and that wouldn't be fare to such an outstanding film. In Richard Stanley's vision, every shadow lies the grim possibility of death and the lighting scheme that the director has set up for these pieces are rather effective and look stunning.

Stacy Travis looking scared shitless.

You can also see other influences that the director must of had by his other peer's work. Richard's use of color strongly resembles the great Italian horror directors Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Even Lucio Fulci seems to creep in there a bit by the amount of gore on screen. Large sections of Hardware take a cue right out of Argento's Suspiria, by casting the entire scene in a red hue, giving it an almost fantastical quality. I love these sections of the movie, because I to am infatuated by Bava and Argento's expressive use of color and how it can leave an instant impression and exhume a certain atmospheric quality to the film.

Come any closer and I'll cut your pecker off!

Also, Stanley knows how to compose a striking visual. I've noticed that he's fond of composing his subjects in a symmetrical sense, keeping the frame balanced and even. An example of this is when the robot finally attacks Jill and has her cornered in her refrigerator. He frames the robot's hand in the left side of the frame and Jill's frightened face in the right, balancing out the composition and making a striking visual image.

I imagine that this was the pitch for

the new 3D resurgence. Coming at ya!

Everything in this film is such a treat to look at that it almost appears that this was a pretty expensive shoot, but Stanley is known for creating something out of nothing and he does an amazing job here with what he has. The sets look lived in and the world is just busting at the seems. It's very impressive and something I wished I saw lots more of in the hollywood circuit.

Well, at this point of the movie our hero shows up to save the day, blasting the robot menace to kingdom come with the help of two security guards. The girl is saved and all is well, but like all good movie monsters, the bastard just won't stay down.

McDurmott, happy as a pig in shit.

Once again terror strikes and we're thrown back into a red frenzy, cast into a crimson filter. It seems like the red hues accompany the horror elements of the film and it's an interesting concept to present a visual cue for the event that is at hand. I wonder if this was indeed intentional on the directors part or just something that was a coincidence that turned out for the better. Whatever the reason the films palette is richer for it.

Just need to take a rest from all the colors.

Of course there's the gore that I mentioned earlier. Taking cues from every Lucio Fulci ever created, Stanley brings on the gore and brings it well. No other scene represents this lust for gore better then when the security guard gets cut in half by the automatic doors. Damn that is brutal and Stanley never turns away from the grotesque horror. He keeps the camera almost ground level as we stare at the dying man's intestines as someone tries to pull him away from the door. It's some hardcore stuff and very well done and for a lover of practical horror effects it's a welcomed treat. Nothing's better then using prosthetics and a little creativity.

The horror! The horror! Way to go Stanley!

And we finally come to our conclusion where the once passive Jill is pushed to her limits and must take things into her own hands. She grabs a baseball bat and swings for the fences. She literally loses control and Stacey Travis conveys this wonderfully, really throwing her entire self into those last scenes. She really owns this movie and proves that she deserved the larger role opposite the all male cast. She really shines as the heroine and I wish she would have continued to make movies like this one instead of going into television, but what the heck as long as we have her kicking ass in one flick I'm glad it's this one.

Now that is one bad-ass shot.

Hardware really is an amazing film that could have been lost to a good many people other then for the lucky few that got to see it when it first came out. I'm so glad that I got a chance to finally see it because of the newly released DVD. I got to witness the twisted tale of a post apocalyptic love story fused with a woman on the edge tale that presses the gore button and produces something so visceral and dark yet so vibrant and colorful in both the characters and atmosphere, that it leaves a burned impression in my mind as a damn good film. Must check out for anyone that absolutely loves anything post apocalyptic.

5 out of 5 stars       A colorful post apocalyptic film drenched in Sci-Fi