I
must admit, Im a big fan of the films of S.F. Brownrigg. The first
film I caught of his was the fascinating Keep My Grave Open. I
could not believe that this film had made it past my radar for so
long. Camilla Carr had my instant attention, as did director Brownrigg.
Not really "horror" films, Brownriggs work is actually
much closer to the films of Mike and George Kuchar than to say the
films of Andy Milligan. Thanks to the mad dash to release DVD titles,
much like the early-'80s VHS boom, S.F. Brownriggs 1973 directorial
entry, Dont Look In The Basement, has found its way onto the
versatile format. The earliest of the Dont movies that would
continue in the '80s, this effort falls well after the brothers
Kuchar, and the entire oeuvre of Herschell Gordon Lewis. Unfortunately,
Brownriggs reign of low-class art ended in the '80s with his 1986
film Thinking Big, which was nowhere near the strong exercises
he produced with Poor White Trash Part 2 or his own follow-up
in the Dont line Dont Open The Door. Dont Look In The Basement
opens with Dr. Stephens coaxing the Judge (Gene Ross, co-screenwriter
and star of Poor White Trash Part 2 and also appeared in Brownriggs
two other 1980 films) to strike hard against a log on the ground
in front of him. Great Brownriggian close-ups of the Judges sweaty
face, further antagonized by a second, low-angle camera placement,
sets us up for an axe to Dr. Stephens skull when a nurse tells
him she is leaving. Dr. Masters (Anne McAdams) hurries to calm the
situation and grabs the axe from the Judge. Curiously, no one is
punished for this event, and its left to our imaginations what
becomes of Dr. Stephens corpse. The rest of the film from this
point on is basically the patients behaving as they do around the
asylum. Betty Chandler as Allyson is constantly on the make with
anyone she can attempt to turn on, but no one will accept her advances.
She sheds her shirt and exposes her cleavage for a phone technician
(who visits after the phone lines are mysteriously cut), the Judge
and more, to no avail. The pathos that she brings to this role is
incredible. Actually, everyone in the film is incredible. Yeah,
yeah, I will have my detractors on this, but these people really
play their parts to the hilt. Dr. Masters is extraordinary, and
Rosie Holotik as Charlotte Beale the visiting nurse really delivers
a fear-filled character in this low-budget madhouse. The gore scenes
are a bit laughable at times, from the first axe blow to a tongue
getting ripped out to the over-the-top finale, but it all adds up
to more Brownriggian fun. I am not recommending this film to anyone
who is expecting a chiller-thriller or gore fest. This film is for
those patient enough to enjoy sweaty close-ups of deranged faces
screaming in the midst of psychosis or mooning for affection, and
watching near non-actors explore their craft with the roles that
Brownrigg has offered. I'd also highly recommend this film to devotees
of "Thundercrack!" Not as much sex here, but plenty of insanity!
And the sets! Plain for the most part, but carefully decorated with
matching way-out '70s bedsheets and curtains! Some interesting tidbits
in the biographies section of the DVD show that the screenwriters
didnt suffer from having this film on their resume. Thoma Pope
also wrote The Manitou, Hammett, The Lords Of Discipline, The Lost
Boys), and Tim Pope directed The Crow: City Of Angels. The DVD also
includes trailers for four other VCI Home Video DVD releases: Blood
And Black Lace, The Bird With The Cyrstal Plumage, The Night Visitor
and Gorgo. The fullscreen transfer itself is fine; not an amazing
DVD release, but much much better than any previous VHS version.
VIDEO/DVD
I
must admit, Im a big fan of the films of S.F. Brownrigg. The first
film I caught of his was the fascinating Keep My Grave Open. I
could not believe that this film had made it past my radar for so
long. Camilla Carr had my instant attention, as did director Brownrigg.
Not really "horror" films, Brownriggs work is actually
much closer to the films of Mike and George Kuchar than to say the
films of Andy Milligan. Thanks to the mad dash to release DVD titles,
much like the early-'80s VHS boom, S.F. Brownriggs 1973 directorial
entry, Dont Look In The Basement, has found its way onto the
versatile format. The earliest of the Dont movies that would
continue in the '80s, this effort falls well after the brothers
Kuchar, and the entire oeuvre of Herschell Gordon Lewis. Unfortunately,
Brownriggs reign of low-class art ended in the '80s with his 1986
film Thinking Big, which was nowhere near the strong exercises
he produced with Poor White Trash Part 2 or his own follow-up
in the Dont line Dont Open The Door. Dont Look In The Basement
opens with Dr. Stephens coaxing the Judge (Gene Ross, co-screenwriter
and star of Poor White Trash Part 2 and also appeared in Brownriggs
two other 1980 films) to strike hard against a log on the ground
in front of him. Great Brownriggian close-ups of the Judges sweaty
face, further antagonized by a second, low-angle camera placement,
sets us up for an axe to Dr. Stephens skull when a nurse tells
him she is leaving. Dr. Masters (Anne McAdams) hurries to calm the
situation and grabs the axe from the Judge. Curiously, no one is
punished for this event, and its left to our imaginations what
becomes of Dr. Stephens corpse. The rest of the film from this
point on is basically the patients behaving as they do around the
asylum. Betty Chandler as Allyson is constantly on the make with
anyone she can attempt to turn on, but no one will accept her advances.
She sheds her shirt and exposes her cleavage for a phone technician
(who visits after the phone lines are mysteriously cut), the Judge
and more, to no avail. The pathos that she brings to this role is
incredible. Actually, everyone in the film is incredible. Yeah,
yeah, I will have my detractors on this, but these people really
play their parts to the hilt. Dr. Masters is extraordinary, and
Rosie Holotik as Charlotte Beale the visiting nurse really delivers
a fear-filled character in this low-budget madhouse. The gore scenes
are a bit laughable at times, from the first axe blow to a tongue
getting ripped out to the over-the-top finale, but it all adds up
to more Brownriggian fun. I am not recommending this film to anyone
who is expecting a chiller-thriller or gore fest. This film is for
those patient enough to enjoy sweaty close-ups of deranged faces
screaming in the midst of psychosis or mooning for affection, and
watching near non-actors explore their craft with the roles that
Brownrigg has offered. I'd also highly recommend this film to devotees
of "Thundercrack!" Not as much sex here, but plenty of insanity!
And the sets! Plain for the most part, but carefully decorated with
matching way-out '70s bedsheets and curtains! Some interesting tidbits
in the biographies section of the DVD show that the screenwriters
didnt suffer from having this film on their resume. Thoma Pope
also wrote The Manitou, Hammett, The Lords Of Discipline, The Lost
Boys), and Tim Pope directed The Crow: City Of Angels. The DVD also
includes trailers for four other VCI Home Video DVD releases: Blood
And Black Lace, The Bird With The Cyrstal Plumage, The Night Visitor
and Gorgo. The fullscreen transfer itself is fine; not an amazing
DVD release, but much much better than any previous VHS version.