What makes a film art? Is it subtext? The collage of mediums blanketed onto film with music and mood layering the textures, emotions and the suspension of disbelief? Well, the time has come. Yes, I did forget but, I remember now. 

This month’s Retro Movie is Panos Cosmatos’ debut psychedlic science fiction feature
– BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW (2010).

Spawned out of the grief of losing both his parents, Swedish sculptor Birgitta Ljungberg-Cosmatos and film director George P. Cosmatos (Rambo: First Blood Part II and Cobra), and funded from residuals from his fathers last film TOMBSTONE (1993). Beyond the Black Rainbow is a 35mm surreal mind-screw of colors, prolonged shots and transitions in lush panavision colors.

A young girl (Eva Allen) being studied and tested on by a mysterious scientific research corporation that is supervised by a mysterious and somewhat unhinged head of research scientist (Michael Rogers) for her untapped psychic potential. Yes, this was made before STRANGER THINGS. The runtime is 110 minutes and will feel longer due to the slow drip of tension and visuals. The shots are mostly long, giving the film a very claustrophobic and unnerving mood.

Jeremy Schmidt, keyboard player for Vancouver-based rockers Black Mountain, was invited by Cosmatos to compose the film’s soundtrack. “Evil Ball”, a track from Schmidt’s solo project, Sinoia Caves, was used by the movie’s director on a private screening held for Schmidt. A mutual appreciation for Tangerine Dream, John Carpenter soundtracks and Giorgio Moroder‘s music for Midnight Express (1978) and American Gigolo (1980) cemented their bond.^[25] Schmidt also pointed out the background music from The Shining (1980) and Risky Business (1983) as musical blueprints for the Beyond the Black Rainbow score.
– Wiki

There are themes of control woven into the drama. Control being presented here via Adults controlling the young or Masculine over the feminine. Barry Nyle at the start of the film seems like a scientist with an almost paternal affection towards his test subject but, as the film progresses that veil is removed to be nothing of the sort and his true and mutilated nature begins to bubble to the surface.

There is a very lovely film here with hints of all the films that were mentioned as musical influences to the score. The director being a fan of Michael Mann’s MANHUNTER and THE KEEP, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 and the rest. The story of a young girl discovering her past and her strength and finally her liberation is a haunting, uncomfortable, acid-trip of a journey into the subconscious and the dark side of the third eye. Conspiracy Theorists will find a lot to chew on here within, with references to MKULTRA and a lot of the experimentation of psychedelics on human test subjects and research into psychic potential that has long been declassified by the C.I.A.

This is recommended viewing for anyone looking for something left-of-center. And a perfect start to a film career that was continued with MANDY (2018)

Keep your fingers on that Rewind button and stay loose, and stay easy…. and wear your masks.

But at 2a.m. I couldn’t have picked a better movie to throw $6.99 at for a 24hr PPV rental.

Mandy is a definite 80’s homage to midnight cinema but, more rooted in 70’s arthouse and grindouse films with some Argento sprinkled over it. Simple storytelling that can be summarized in seconds but, unraveling for a justifiable two hours. This film is indeed influenced by Heavy Metal; both the magazine and the music genre with the main title bleeding across the screen in Black Metal font. Its music vibrating and injecting mood and suspense throughout a obvious work of art, the last film to be scored by Jóhann Jóhannsson.

The opening title sequence was when my eyes melted into my television and I immediately knew this movie was made by people that are in sync with director Panos Cosmatos’ vision of the script. The film opens with an overhead view of the films setting, THE SHADOW MOUNTAINS in the year 1984 A.D. The slow creeping ‘Starless’ by Kind Crimson (from the RED album) starts playing.

There’s a limited but beautiful color palette all throughout this film.. Anyone who obsesses over early Michael Mann films will recognize the blues and red immediately. As well there’s moments that can easily be associated with other classic retro films especially one scene that just feel so much like it’s from Ridley Scott’s LEGEND. There’s a little bit of this and a lil bit of that movie but this is no friggin ripoff R. Zombie collage.. This is its own very vibrant and voluptuous tapestry.

Say what you want about Nicholas Cage. Many times, critics and casual movie goers will repeat some nonsense from the internet about Cage being the worst of the worst when it comes to film, I disagree. People said the same thing about Keanu Reeves yet are impatiently waiting for that third John Wick film. Keanu is a good actor when he is utilized correctly and the same is true with Nicolas Cage like in the films: Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Bringing Out the Dead, 8mm and Adaptation. I’m still a fan of his tiny role as a pimp in his directorial debut, “SONNY” starring James Franco.

The rest of the cast is perfect. Andrea Riseborough reminds me of specific women that I easily fell for – down a love canal of vinyl records, band shirts, late-night B movies, pajama and chill nights; and shared cigarettes. There are scenes like one where her face is only lit by a bonfire where her facial features neckline and endless gaze invokes classic Psychedelic Metal drawings of Frank Frazetta women.

But I agree with other critics that one performance that must be talked about is Linus Roache (History’s Vikings and Batman Begins) who plays the leader of the Children of the New Dawn. A small Manson family like cult of hippie freaks and acid trippers. The bi-polar nature of his character is entertaining, unhinged, pathetic and vile.

The plot is simple – Bad group see girl, they hire some of the most disturbing bikers I’ve ever seen on camera to find them, they do some really messed up things and our hero must forge his weapon in the fire and seek vengeance like a blue collar Conan the barbarian.

This movie is awesome. I can’t wait to get it on BLUE-RAY. I want the poster on my wall next to my album art. I need more weapons in my house. I miss the forest. I miss the cold. The chill that comes in-between the seasons. This film is everything you could ever want. I haven’t been this hyped bout something since I saw: “Hobo with a Shotgun”, “Bronson”, “Good Time”.

Basicallly Panos has joined the list of my favorite directors, with only two films under his belt. That is significant. He’s nestled among the talents of Denis Villanueve, Nicolas Refn Winding, the Safdie Bros., the Coen’s, Michael Mann, Sam Esmail and others.

If you haven’t seen this movie yet or you live in a town that can’t carry it, I suggest you rent it through your cable provider or purchase it at your local Best Buy. Cult Movies like this usually get distributed to Best Buys fairly fast. So Go watch it. I insist.

Tune in next month when I review Panos Cosmatos first film “Beyond the Black Rainbow”. A psychedelic science-fiction thriller that’s David Cronenberg meets 2001 and Altered States.

Keep cool, Keep warm, Stay chill and always keep your fingers on that Rewind Button.

TRAILER: