Post by wmcclain on Oct 25, 2023 12:07:42 GMT
Pontypool (2008), directed by Bruce McDonald.
Something very much like a zombie apocalypse as witnessed from the studio of an Ontario morning radio program. It takes place on Valentine's Day.
It is not a comedy or meant to be a spoof, but the quirky interpretation of the genre is pretty rich:
Stephen McHattie carries much of the story in his craggy face. He is great as the outlaw DJ, drinking at work and on his way down the ladder. Since talking is what he knows he tries to weaponize words to fight the outbreak. We don't know if he was correct.
Words as a "mind virus" is clever and totally unexplained in the story. Not the same words for everyone and we don't know who was patient zero. People start repeating phrases, get locked into loops, join into "herds" and become homicidal and self-destructive.
At one point our people get a warning message in French which they translate and read over the air:
And finally:
Available on Blu-ray.
The director and writer provide a chaotic, uninformative laugh-track. They spend most of the time talking about and reading from the scripts for two sequels they are certain are just about to be made, but never were as I write this.
The sequels would have been more zombie splatterific and sexually excessive. The outlines sound bad.
Something very much like a zombie apocalypse as witnessed from the studio of an Ontario morning radio program. It takes place on Valentine's Day.
It is not a comedy or meant to be a spoof, but the quirky interpretation of the genre is pretty rich:
- The news organization is the last to know what is happening in their own town.
- Having a big scoop they try to narrate it professionally with phony-concerned journalism-speak no matter how horrific the news.
- They are out-professionaled by the BBC who call in wanting to direct the story into a bogus "separatist uprising" narrative.
- The host is a talker and makes his living talking, which is unfortunate because the "infection" is spread not by germs but by words.
Stephen McHattie carries much of the story in his craggy face. He is great as the outlaw DJ, drinking at work and on his way down the ladder. Since talking is what he knows he tries to weaponize words to fight the outbreak. We don't know if he was correct.
Words as a "mind virus" is clever and totally unexplained in the story. Not the same words for everyone and we don't know who was patient zero. People start repeating phrases, get locked into loops, join into "herds" and become homicidal and self-destructive.
At one point our people get a warning message in French which they translate and read over the air:
- avoid terms of endearment
- avoid English
And finally:
- do not translate this message
Available on Blu-ray.
The director and writer provide a chaotic, uninformative laugh-track. They spend most of the time talking about and reading from the scripts for two sequels they are certain are just about to be made, but never were as I write this.
The sequels would have been more zombie splatterific and sexually excessive. The outlines sound bad.