Friday, May 6, 2011

Special Effects (1984)

2 / 5 June '10
Tagline: Mary Jean is just dying to get into the movies... She's about to get her wish.
Directed by: Larry Cohen
Written by: Larry Cohen
Actors include: Zoe Lund, Eric Bogosian, Brad Rijn
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Length: 103 minutes
Banned: Nope




Review:
This is a bottom of the barrel rip-off of Brian De Palma that has very little in the way of redeeming qualities. I was intrigued by this because I usually like Larry Cohen pictures, and I loved lead actress Zoƫ Lund in Ms .45. The thing was in that role she was mute...this is one of the only other roles she's starred in and with a voice it seems obvious why...she was not a very good actress. You will see her boobs many times, and watch her clumsily play two roles. She plays an actress who is strangled to death by the director of the film (it happens near the beginning of the film so I'm not wrecking anything). Her boyfriend looks guilty in the eyes of the Police so they focus on him. The thing is that the director video taped her death so he intends to use this footage to make his own film. Now they have the chore of finding a look-alike which of course they do quickly in order to shoot the rest of the scenes from the film. It's a lot like Body Double only a whole lot crappier from the bad music, stupid plot and neverending supply of dull moments. Very much not worth seeking out unfortunately, I really did think it would have been so much more.

Availability:  On DVD

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