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Released by: Independent Entertainment
Released on: February 21st, 2012
Director: Billy Garberina
Cast: Jamison Jontry, Paul Asling, Kevin Santry, Phil Duran, Jason Witter
Year: 2011
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The Movie:
And gracing my screen, again, is yet another low budget direct-to-video zombie movie, a subgenre of a subgenre in itself. For many years, churning out a cheap zombie movie seemed to be on the to-do list of every aspiring filmmaker in the world, and the trend continues today. This is where Stiffed is actually surprising, it brings something different to the zombie film table.
Frank and his buddies are some small-time criminals who are out to pull off a major heist. So, Frank hooks up with a stripper named Chloe, and the next day him and his cronies go off for their job. Of course, predictably, things go wrong and our criminals end up on ice at the local morgue after a car accident. Have no fear, however, it turns out that Chloe is a devil-worshipping cult leader, with some powerful black magic abilities.
After the apparent failure of their ritual (which is actually a rather well-edited little segment), they are surprised to return the next day and see the former robbers are now the living dead. These are not, however, your typical living dead. They are fully functioning, conscious, and rational…they just have no pulse and are rotting. Anyway, their second chance at life gives them a new lease on robbing their city blind, and the hold-ups ensue. Our heroes soon find out, that loyalty to each other can get stretched then, and women can get in the way…even when you're dead.
Okay, kudos have to be given to the filmmakers for actually trying a different premise with their project. The script is actually quite good with some very funny lines, some interesting turns, and some quality, original ideas. The movie also has quite a few good performers and the chemistry between most of the actors is of a high quality, which is rare in the low budget world. Of course, these high levels are not uniform among everyone in the film, but that criticism could be leveled at every Hollywood blockbuster that comes out. A specific shout-out has to be given to Jason Witter, who plays Randy in the movie. Jason acted in a movie that I was on the special effects team for a few years ago, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see him in this one.
The movie is DEFINITELY not perfect, however. It's a low budget horror movie that clocks in at 1 hour and 45 minutes, which is an excessive length for any horror movie. The script is good, but some trimming could have been done because the pace gets muddy and the flick just goes on and on. Also, like most low budget movies, the photography and lighting runs the gamut from professional, to solid, to flat-out godawful. It's so bad at some points that it's distracting, but once the story finally gets into motion (which takes quite a bit of time) it becomes quite hard to notice. The effects are similarly dodgy, some very primitive gore and what appears to be even more primitive CGI in some scenes. I understand the need for skimping on a low-budget production, but if you're going to spend money on anything; spend it on the gore. They did seem to save some of the effects budget for the ending, however, which is a pretty fun sequence.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The movie is presented 16x9 and was shot on what appears to be DV, and besides being able to click on the commentary, there are no other audio options. It sounds, however, to be a plain 2.0 track. On the extras front we get the aforementioned commentary with director Billy Garberina, writer/executive producer Devin O'Leary, and DP Craig Butler, all of whom also have small roles in the film. In the commentary we get plenty of anecdotes and stories from the set, which sounded and looked like it was a blast. Also on the disc is a 50 minute behind the scenes featurette, packed full of footage. It's not a typical bonus features documentary with after-the-fact talking head commentary, everything is straight from the set, and honestly these are the most fun for an aspiring filmmaker to watch. Extras are rounded out with an interview with director Garberina, which added altogether make this a pretty packed release for such a small film.
The Final Word:
Stiffed is not a horrible movie, it's actually a quite creative one withe some great ideas, some witty writing, and some solid performances. It's also a rather technically ugly movie that goes on for way too long, and that is trying on the viewer. As someone who is already a fan of SOV/DTV genre fare, and understand the baggage that comes along with movies like this, I was able to have quite a bit of fun with this movie. For the viewer who is already turned off by the ultra low budget world, or the viewer who can't stand anything that wasn't shot on film…this movie will not change your mind. If you like low budget horror flicks, and you want to try something a little different, this flick might be worth a watch for you.
