|
|
Addiction, The
|
List Price: $9.98
Special Price: $40.00
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Polygram USA Video
Starring: Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Paul Calderon
Directed By: Abel Ferrara
|
Average Customer Rating:   
|
|
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786304032206
Format: Black & White
ISBN: 630403220X
Label: Polygram USA Video
Manufacturer: Polygram USA Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Polygram USA Video
Release Date: 1997-03-18
Running Time: 82
Studio: Polygram USA Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1995-10-06
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: This movie hurt me...
Comment: First, imagination if you will, a college student out there, somewhere, decides to write a script that deals with the philosophy of evil. Then that person gets some money. Let us say, oh, five dollars or more. Maybe more. Maybe he found some coins in his Dad's old truck. He runs over to a garage sale and buys a camera in which he stuffs in some black and white film. Then he hires some of the best actors, like Christopher Walken, and some others to play in his story. Then he films it. Some scenes are in the street. In fact most are. But he does dish out some money for some better places. Like restrooms and art museums. More likely art stores. No editors are involved. Nobody of any skill is used to help in the movie but the actors, who has trash to work with and a director who is, as we have said before, a college student. A poor college student who lives on cold pizza, looks for loose change in the gutter and sleeps on a park bench.
That is not what happened. But that is what it feels like. I have ignored movies. There are vampire movies out there that I have fallen asleep while watching. But I forced myself to continue to stare. Or at least stay in the chair and try to understand them. This movie made me so bored that a couple of times I almost turned it off. I almost walked away to do cleaning. CLEANING. This film hurt to watch. It made me feel pain. It was so numbingly bad that I had to dream about vacuuming the floor to escape its sad, pitiful excuse for a story. It has NO reason to exist.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Plato and a Vampire walk into a bar...
Comment: Have you heard the one that involves vampires going to college to learn philosophy? Opening like a simple joke one could overhear at a bar, "The Addiction" is yet another fledgling disaster by director Abel Ferrara. Unlike your typical philosophical joke, this one involves a plethora of detailed information, actors excited by the material - destroyed by the finished product, and a score that completely misses the tone of the overall film. Yep, I am going to come out punching with this one, because for nearly 80-some odd minutes, I tried ... I tried to get into Ferrara's mind, into his details, into his rhythm, but could not find anything to attach myself too. This was one of those films college philosophy classes drool over trying to find the inside jokes, the powerful double meanings, and the hidden power of the words - but for me, a simple film viewer, this one went over my head, displayed a lack of talent, yet showed me strength with failed opportunity. "The Addiction" remains on VHS without the transfer to DVD for a particular reason, and while I will honestly give a reason for my disgust, I don't foresee a transfer in this films future, unless the dollar bin has any space to fill.
"The Addiction" has two prerequisites one must accomplish prior to even thinking of enjoying this feature. The first is that you must have some knowledge of philosophy to comprehend the rants that Taylor gives (both in and out of character) - even if it is simply an introduction class, you will be in a better position that I was. The second is that you must have watched or have heard of the Jim Jarmusch film "Dead Man". In fact, when looked closer upon, these two films could be companions to each other - both giving nearly a full college credit within the parameters of the opening and closing credits. With these two prerequisites under your belt, you are ready to endure the truth - no matter how painful Ferrara makes it. I tried to enjoy "Bad Lieutenant" as much as I could, the cult status sky-rocketing the hypothetical stock price of Harvey Keitel's portrayal of a corrupt cop, but it just wasn't the film I was hoping for. "The Addiction" falls within the same. I wanted a powerful moment of cinema helmed by Lily Taylor, Christopher Walken, Edie Falco, et al, but instead a was handed 80+ minutes of incoherent gibberish. Have you seen "I Shot Andy Warhol"? If you find yourself with the answer of "yes", than you have seen an identical character delivered by Lily Taylor. Ranting, raving, and pushing the limits of independence, Taylor finds herself welcomed unrepentantly into the world of the vampire. Using reverse psychology, philosophical rants, and even the taste of drugs, Taylor becomes a creature of the night - ready to suck blood and bore to sleep.
The rest of the characters attempt to give something to camera, but that piece of machinery doesn't lie. Falco is as stiff as a board, Walken tries to steal his scenes, but they merely interpret into hack philosophy quotes. Then we have others (like Fredro Star) that one could mention, but it would just waste your time. The camera focus' on Taylor, and while I can get lost in her blunt mannerism, this wasn't the film for her talents. The picture didn't seem to match the artists, and vice versa. The music didn't seem to match the theme, and the emotion didn't seem to match the words. "Addiction" felt like a student film, pushing the limits of nothing while trying to seem more artistic than entertaining. The line was fuzzy. I needed either a deeper character study or a deeper plot, I wanted something that would make me think - not bend my mind unwillingly. The language seemed forced and the plot seemed unrealistic. I realize that this is a film about vampires, but two scenes made me shudder uncontrollably (and not in a good way). The first is when Taylor drugs her professor using the infamous "in" and "out" method, and the second was when Taylor has the party and everyone goes ballistic - as if nobody will notice that people are missing. I needed more development, more explanation, more voice to this philosophical film. Ferrara could have made this into a breathtaking film that explored possibilities, but instead he let the camera slide, let the music destroy the scene, and allowed our actors to go character-less throughout the entire film. In essence, the film imploded.
Overall, I wish I had something positive to say about this film. I wanted to like it, because I thought the cast was incredible - such big names - but nobody seemed to work for the pennies they were probably making. This film is a blemish on Walken's career, proving that he cannot save everything. The hokie black and white choice for cinematography was creative, but not original. It distracted from our central focus and forced us to scurry around near the end of the film to find it. This is an independent film, but that doesn't mean that it is a good independent film. There are problems throughout this feature that destroy the characters, sound, and sights throughout. It is hard to watch, just like "Dead Man", and may even put you to sleep before you know what happens. The characters were forced or non-existent, the sound was horrid (completely didn't match the film's tone), and the story was bland. This was yet another way of trying to appeal to smarter viewers without actually listening. Sure, throw in philosophical words - that makes any feature better (did you hear the sarcasm?) - but with "Addiction" nothing could save it. There is one final scene that is the epitome of how I felt about this movie, it is right before the party when Taylor is so angry she destroys a closet while trying to rip her clothes off. If one had a camera in my house, I believe you would have seen the same thing as this film came to a close. Please avoid - it isn't worth the VHS it is printed on.
Grade: * out of *****
Customer Rating:
Summary: Oddly Gripping --Definitely Not Your Typical Undead
Comment: I found this movie fascinating and watched it a number of times. Whatever it may be, it certainly isn't a classic vampire film, let alone a cheap exploitation flick along the lines of "Vampiric Lesbians from Outer Space" (I made that title up).
Vampirism in the movie is presented as more a disease than something supernatural. There really aren't any special effects, except for an intimation that the anti-heroine (Taylor) has superhuman strength. Except for one prolonged scene where a party literally turns into a "feast for the damned," it isn't even particularly violent (the black and white tends to mute that).
Lily Taylor is a very interesting actress with a true penchant doing odd roles. She isn't a classic beauty, but she is attractive, and the character she plays has a sort of dark charisma that I found pretty fascinating. About the only other depiction of a female vampire that I liked as much if not better was Julie Carmen in "Fright Night II" (but that's a radically different flick). Taylor's vampire was compelling enough that I wonder whether I would tell her "to just go away" (something that apparently drives away vampires in this film's universe).
One knock against the film I suppose is a rather cryptic ending. I won't spoil it, but suffice to say, I was left wondering what exactly happened to the character of Kathleen at the end. Also, I think Christopher Walken was underused in the film. He's a great actor, and I would have liked to have seen more of him in it.
One last thing...someone else tagged the movie with "lesbian vampire." I don't think that really is valid. Yes, the character of Kathleen attacks several women, but she also attacks men. One gets the impression that such a vampire feeds on whoever might cross her path.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Everything We Are Is Eternally With Us"
Comment: "One aspect of determinism is manifested in the fact that the unsaved don't recognize the sin in their lives; they're unconscious of it. They don't suffer pangs of conscience because they don't recognize evil exists. This is because they're all predestined to Hell and therefore never brought to the Light of metanoia{conversion}...so when considering the salvatory aspects of facing guilt, suffering is a good thing. We should all hope to feel guilty, to feel pain, so we can seek pardon and ultimately freedom. Guilt is a sign that god is working out your destiny, and it's a foolish person who refuses to acknowledge this."
The above quote is taken from the film, and is given by Kathleen's[Lili Taylor]philosophy professor, alluding to the thematic framework for Abel Ferrara's powerful and allegoric tale of redemption vis-a-vis existentialism meets vampirism ...similar to how Jim Jarmusch incorporated existentialism and mysticism into the western genre with his brilliant "Dead Man"[also filmed in black and white.]
"The Addiction" is quite unique, not your average horror movie. Don't be fooled by the ridiculous looking video box cover{no DVD available}. I'd seen it many years ago and stumbled on it again as IFC aired it late Halloween night. It's stark, grim, futile, very 'human'...the story need be in order to propell Kathleen toward the possibility of salvation. As most people aren't inclined to examine the metaphysical and philosophic elements of existence, the film may be substantively lost on many viewers who won't be bothered with a movie that requires thinking and feeling outside of the usual pedestrian horror movie cliches. The focus here is soul sickness, redemption and Christian iconography, much like Ferrara's wrenching "Bad Lieutenant."
Taylor gives a pained performance as an ordinary college student coming to terms with the vast array of evil deeds carried out by mankind. This is framed within her academic studies{philosophy, examining war atrocities}, but when she is violently attacked{yet chosen/accepted}while walking home one night, reality forces her from detached, speculative positions on evil into the burdensome gravity of facing that which is a very real aspect of humanity. You fear for her yet are fearful of her, and the nature of her addiction remains elusive.
In one scene, Kathleen seduces a fellow student in a library, coaxes her back to her apartment in order to feed. The distraught girl stands sobbing in front of the bathroom mirror, applying a bandage to her neck as Kathleen coldly sizes her up.
Her victim pleads "don't you care what you did to me! doesn't it affect you?" She replies, "Why didn't you tell me to leave, to get lost like you really meant it? My indifference is not the concern here; it's your astonishment that needs studying."
In another scene, Kathleen, checking herself over in the mirror before going out, thinks to herself, "is it wrong for me to draw blood? No. It's the violence of my will over theirs."
There's similar dialogue throughout, examining attitudes of moral ambivalence and apathy toward evil, even our species' desire for it. At the story's conclusion, Kathleen, now hospitalized after a heinous binge feeding, is confronted by the woman who initially attacked her, or, who she oddly submitted to. She symbolizes a quasi devil-on-your-shoulder attempting to justify evil, moral indifference and will to power just before the pastor arrives to give Kathleen her "last rites."
"Nobody can fall so low unless he has a great depth. If such a thing can happen to a man, it challanges his best and highest on the other side; that is to say, this depth corresponds to a potential height, the blackest darkness to a hidden light." ~ C.G.Jung
Given the realistic griminess and overall bluntness of the film, it concludes with a rather lyrical and moving scene of redemption and salvation, haunted by Kathleen's voice-over ..."To face what we are in the end, we stand before the Light, and our true nature is revealed; self-revelation is annihilation of self."
Customer Rating:
Summary: MINUS 5 STARS.. & THEN SOME
Comment: THIS IS THE ONLY MOVIE I HAVE "EVER" WALKED OUT OV THE THEATER FROM IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
