Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

            This was the first film I had the honor of seeing at this year’s “It Came from Lake Michigan”, and boy, was it a doozy. Unfortunately I missed the opening sequence, which I’m told was absolutely boobtastic, but I didn’t feel like I was confused at all. It starts out with typical situations bringing six people together in a remote cabin in the woods; only they are not so typical this time around.

            College girl hikers Sherry (Sarah Grant Brendecke) and Claudia (Michelle Tomlinson) are out and about enjoying a beautiful day strolling through their local forest. They spot a river and decide to skinny dip, providing the requisite nudity in the film. In a scene afterwards, Claudia’s lesbianism is revealed. I only mention this because it explains why her character acts the way she does later. In the next scene, we are introduced to Clarence Singer (Joshua Benton) and Bob Jules (David Crane), two convicts in the middle of being transported to another holding facility. Due to a dumb ass move by the guard watching over them, the duo soon escapes into the wilderness while handcuffed together and head toward some semblance of civilization. Finally, we’re introduced to the Reverend Eldon Farnsworth (Andy Forrest) and his secretary Amy (Christina Tiberia) as they wander through the countryside, looking for salvation. Sooner than you can say, “I couldn't see that coming”, all six of our main characters end up at the aforementioned cabin.

            Unfortunately, a couple things go wrong along the way. There happen to be a couple of beasties out in the woods whose sole mission is to eat some brains. The creatures are the result of an alien goo-type thing, which infects the host's body and begins a controlling symbiotic relationship with it. The only way for it to transfer to another host-body is to vomit an oily substance all over it’s intended victim. Soon, the monsters surround the cabin and the real fireworks begin. We can be sure than someone will fall to the monsters, but the real fun is getting there.

            I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I came into this movie. This was my first independent film festival, and I didn't know whether to expect absolute crap or not. Fortunately, this film was incredibly entertaining. The character of Clarence was easily my favorite, as he was written the best one-liners and provided most of the comic relief. The movie was shot very well, seemingly on film or digital. It reminded me of the Evil Dead series with some of the shot setups. The actors all did well in their roles to varying degrees of greatness. The makeup wasn't exceptionally realistic, but I got the feeling that that was intended. It reminded me of some of the reality-stretching makeup bone in B-movie classic Night of the Demons. I suppose that it is just a coincidence that director Kevin Tenney also helmed Night of the Demons, but that's where the resemblance ends. Brain Dead looks so much better than the earlier film that you can almost see where Tenney has been working to improve his style.

            Overall, this movie was an exceptional start to the festival. The humor was actually funny, the creatures were interesting, the characters were pretty well realized, and the story was interesting. I enjoyed this one so much that when the inevitable DVD comes out, I will more than likely buy it. According to the website, it is still in post-production, so it could be a while off. Until then, though, keep a look out for this gory, humorous entertainer, as ‘tis truly a great watch.