Well, I've been and seen DMC tonight....so....*ahem*
Lol, got to the cinema with loads of time to spare, but ended up with not a lot of time to spare before the film actually started....just outside the main cinema entrance, inside this gigantic complex I was in, there were a couple of bouncer-looking types....and it turns out that were promoing DMC to people before they entered the cinema! One of the guys gave me a load of DMC promo cards....and no, they aren't all for me
.....and also his last DMC poster! I stood chatting to him (with a hovering...and lovely...Corey Price, also helping out with DMC promo...managed to get a few words out of him!), and quickly found that he was
Lea Michael Walton, who was DMC's main lighting guy, and also had a non-speaking cameo as "Romeo's oppo" (about 20 minutes in and...ohh err....say no more!!) in the film! So, we chatted about DMC, the very talented Paul Barber (who is a friend of Lea's, and who Lea has been trying to tempt down to Birmingham for the showing), the next Stray Dogs feature, 'Carve Up' (which Lea and Corey will be involved with in behind-the-scenes capacities...and which it was hoped to film in Birmingham but funding has been a prob, so it will probably shoot in Manchester now!), a little about the sort of work he has done in the past and what he wants to be more involved with, and I got a plug in for Pleased Sheep and these very forums...and he knows about this thread and to look out for my thoughts on the film!
He told me that he never met Chris but he was heavily involved with the filming for the day he was on set. He was responsible for the lighting and was lugging equipment up the roof of the abandoned Terrortorial Army base that it was filmed in, rigging everything up, etc...etc.... He said how it was freezing and pouring with rain, and it was a very arduous day for him...no wonder he had no time to meet Chris!
Lea was a great guy and it was wonderful chatting to him about his experiences with the film, etc....Thank you, Lea! *mwah*
Right, the DMC screening room.....well, I got into the cinema, with the trailers most of their way through....and guess how many people I saw in the screening room? Guess? Lower? No...lower...lower....no, lower...keep going....no, you're not quite there yet....nah, lower....2 people?
2 PEOPLE!! The film's opening night in Birmingham and only 3 people turned up to see it.....argghhh! That's awful....I didn't expect a full house, but I expected at least a few more than this!
And no more people turned up, either! On the plus side, it meant I basically had my pick of the seats, and wouldn't have to worry about an 'annoying' audience spoiling it for me.
Then came problem number 2 (it gets far better...trust me!)....the screening room didn't appear to be properly soundproofed, as, throughout the entire film, I could hear the sound of this other movie playing over the top of DMC.
Sometimes it wasn't really noticeable and went out of my mind, as there was only so much of this other movie you could hear, but when the soundtrack from it was on....sigh!
Now, the film itself. What did I think of it? Well, I thought it was great; I really did!
And it gets off to a great start, too, with a striking 'boxing contender' pre-title sequence.
In terms of the acting, Paul Barber (playing, er, Paul!) was outstanding and gave the best performance of the movie for me....sorry, Chris, but he were fabulous, and there wasn't so much to go on with your cameo part...excuses...excuses!
Coming a close second was Samantha Janus (Tom's wife, Kris), and so it was a shame she was used so little in this, as I thought she gave a very convincing performance in the little we (me and the two *sigh* others there) saw of her. I would of liked to have seen her character fleshed out more, so to speak. I think I would have taken an extra something from the film and her character if this had been the case.
James McMartin (Tom) did very well in his role, too....loved his well-delivered car insurance line!
Chris's acting....BRILLIANT! Well, duhhhh!
So, the acting was uniformly solid, though I wasn't left very convinced by Mark Russell's portrayal of Chongi. He didn't have the presence, for me, that the role required. However, maybe others will take from his performance what I didn't.
Chris's scene....well, I thought I'd already seen it all....I hadn't....not quite, anyway! After we have Teddy Bear screaming, I thought that Chris's part in the movie was completely over, but the next scene it cuts to takes place near the door of the room of Chris's main scene. You can see those who had attended Teddy Bear's class leaving, and so then we see him stood there watching them leave...and no doubt exchanging unheard pleasantries...I think he was also trying to hand out something to each of them, but I'm not sure on that one! You just get several of him here, and he has no more dialogue to speak! Really loved his appearance in DMC, though....loving your very convincing scream, Chris!
The film as a whole....
Well, with it being ultra violent, filled with lots of swearing and very 'non-happy', shall we say, it isn't necessarily the sort of film that I would be drawn to, but I'm glad I was (wonder what started that off, then!
), as it was a really 'enjoyable' film....though 'enjoyable' isn't strictly accurate, given the subject matter! I was impressed, anyway!
It was hugely atmospheric, and the film's 'tone' very strikingly made its presence on me.
Matt Whyte, the Director of Photography, deserves a big round of applause at this point for how he brought across the whole 'feel' of the film. *round of applause* And...and I'm not just saying this....Lea's lighting in the film was outstanding. It added greatly to the 'fatalistic' feel to the film, where these are the nasty, dreary lives these characters are living....they seem to have accepted it, and so the audience 'has' to.
As I say, this is a VERY violent film. If you are at all squeamish, then obviously this film may really not be for you! Now, this is the next thing that impressed me...the sound. In this film, A LOT of people get punched...and sometimes punched with a knuckleduster.....and the impact of these punches made me occasionally flinch just a little as the punches felt so close and so 'vivid'.
The original score (which I loved hearing more extensively over the end credits) was fabulous. It has a very Western feel, and the guitar work, in particular, on this was outstanding. However, on one or two occasions, I felt the film would have benefited without the incidential music....it just wasn't really needed in every scene it was in. It was great music, though, so that made it easier to put up with! Hee hee!
There was a moment in this, very near the end, which made me just a teeny teeny bit teary (just a lil!)....then a moment soon afterwards which made me smile. I won't say what these moments were (anyone care to guess once they've seen the film?!) as they would involve major spoilers, but they do both centre on Tom. And they were moments that told me that I had taken something from this character, as, when 'things' happened, it did slightly stir the ole emotions.
There was also a brief scene in-between these, involving Tom's wife, Kris, which I won't say its content, for those who are yet to see this, but I wasn't sure it should of been included. Not entirely sure why, but it just seemed a bit superfluous and 'Hmmm'!
Now, I obviously don't know the makers' intentions for this film, but what struck me was how even though the film had an air of violence, hopelessness and weary gloom to it, what was impressed on me at the end of the film was something different. It was like the film's characters lived lives not to be aspired to or influenced by, and not lives that you want for yourself...so it sort of gives you a feeling, as the film ends, of having just a little more hope, if you like, for yourself. You feel more 'spirited'. These aren't necessarily lasting feelings, but, if you watch the credits roll, they are there in these moments. Love it!
In terms of the direction....well done,
James Marquand! It was clean (unlike any of the film's characters or actions!), nicely paced, and made for a great debut into feature directing.
End credits....as I say, loved listening to the score over this....and
LOVED reading 'Teddy Bear' and 'Chris Finch' in the credits too! His name was quite a way down the list, but it worth waiting for! Saw Lea's name there, too!
And still on endings, I obviously won't give DMC's ending away here, but I will say that it was quietly effective. It isn't, maybe, what you may hope for (depends what you hope for, I guess!), but it works nonetheless.
Film highlights:
+ Chris's appearance...and his screaming! Well, this had to come first, didn't it?
+ Paul Barber's wonderful performance.
+ The striking 'tone' that the film immediately establishes, and maintains throughout....aided by wonderful cinematography.
+ The original score.
+ The impact so vividly realised when each person got punched in the face.....especially when Paul whacked people with his knuckleduster on....ouch, that has REALLY gotta hurt!
So, do I recommend you all go and see this film?
YES! But does this recommendation still hold true for the 'squeamish' amongst you?
NO! Did I really think it was great?
YESSSSSSSS!
xx Joanna xx
