BRAND UPON THE BRAIN

*

Director:

Guy Maddin

Writers:

Guy Maddin

George Toles

Guy Maddin is probably the most unique and inventive filmmaker working in cinema today. That being said, I am not a fan of his films. Although, I loved the awkward and bizarre “SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD”, the rest of his oeuvre has not thrilled me.

Word got out that he had put together another silent-film that was touring theaters as part of a live show. I put my feelers out to track the show dates down found out that the film was coming to the Egyptian theater in Los Angeles, thanks to the wonderful film fans at the American Cinematheque. My wife Jessica and I were lucky enough to catch the show which provided the stark black and white film with live foley and narration from Italian horror movie goddess Barbara Steele, who helped make “BLACK SUNDAY” a memorable film experience. If we had watched it without all this fun stuff going on onstage, we’d have certainly fallen asleep.

I will try my best to describe the plot to you, but honestly it was all over the place and I’m sure I’m going to loose a few plot points here and there. Basically, a man (called Guy Maddin, no less, and played serenely by Erik Steffen Maahs) returns to the lighthouse orphanage his parents owned and where he and his sister spent their childhood. The memories of the olden days flood back in and we flashback to an event in his younger years when strange marks appeared on the heads of the orphans and a couple of kid detectives show up to uncover the truth behind the strange experimentation being performed on the children.

Employing startlingly authentic black and white photography and blurry title card, you’d believe it if they told you the film was old. But as much as I enjoyed the look and feel of the film, the story was incomprehensible and boring, which is the worst sin a film could ever commit. The acting is fine and the locations (what can be seen of them) are interesting. But the directing and the story are muddled and both my wife and I found ourselves lost a number of times and losing interest quickly. Maddin reminds me of Lynch. These are two guys who make films for themselves and no one else and there is nothing wrong with that.

VERDICT:

Cramming lesbianism, mad-scientist fathers, a suicidal mother, and Nancy Drew-like antics, this film is a can’t-miss for film scholars. However, even the most seasoned filmgoer will have a tough time sitting through the film’s plodding 95 minute running time.