ABC’S OF DEATH
(directors: Nacho Vigalondo, García Bogliano, Diaz Espinoza, Marcel Sarmiento, Angela Bettis, Noboru Iguchi, Andrew Traucki, Thomas Cappelen Malling, Jorge Michel Grau, Yudai Yamaguchi, Anders Morgenthaler, Timo Tjahjanto, Ti West, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Bruno Forzani, Helene Cattet, Simon Rumley, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Srdjan Spasojevic, Jake West, Lee Hardcastle, Ben Wheatley, Kaare Andrews, Jon Schnepp, Xavier Gens, Jason Eisener, Yoshihiro Nishimura; screenwriters: Simon Rumley/Dimitrije Vojnov; Runtime: 129; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Ant Timpson/Tim League; Magnolia Pictures; 2012-English subtitles for films in a foreign language)
“A bomb.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A bomb. This gimmicky experimental mystery/horror pic has 26 emerging international directors each film a short story about death and each title is derived from a letter in the alphabet. It opens with the Italian short Apocalypse directed by Nacho Vigalondo, that shows a wife stabbing her hubby in the neck while he’s in bed because she can’t wait for the poison to work. It closes with the disrespectful horror spoof “Zetsumetsu” from Japanese director Yoshihiro Nishimura, The anthology’s worst pic is probably the scatological gassy lesbian love film “Fart” from Japanese filmmaker Noboru Iguchi. The only short that I found bearable was “Dogfight” by Marcel Sarmiento’s, which tells of a cage fighter fighting a vicious dog barehanded. The collection also includes a bizarre animated short, called “Hydro-Electric Diffusion” by Norwegian director Thomas Cappelen Malling.
It fails to work as either camp or as a scare film, as the clumsy production turns too much to schlock art and shock characterizations as it wallows in mediocrity.
In case you’re interested, here’s the complete list of 26 films:
ApocalypseDirected by Nacho Vigalondo.Bigfoot Directed by Adrian Garcia Bogliano.Cycle Directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza.Dogfight Directed by Marcel Sarmiento.Exterminate Directed by Angela Bettis. Fart Directed by Noburo Iguchi. Gravity Directed by Andrew Traucki. Hydro-Electric Diffusion Directed by Thomas Cappelen Malling.Ingrown Directed by Jorge Michel Grau. Jidai-Geki Directed by Yudai Yamaguchi. Klutz Directed by Anders Morgenthaler. Libido Directed by Timo Tjahjanto. Miscarriage Directed by Ti West. Nuptials Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun. Orgasm Directed by Bruno Forzani, Helene Cattet. Pressure Directed by Simon Rumley. Quack Directed by Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett. Removed Directed by Srdjan Spasojevic. Speed Directed by Jake West. Toilet Directed by Lee Hardcastle. Unearthed Directed by Ben Wheatley. Vagitus Directed by Kaare Andrews. WTF! Directed by Jon Schnepp. XXL Directed by Xavier Gens. Youngbuck Directed by Jason Eisener. Zetsumetsu Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura.
REVIEWED ON 11/30/2013 GRADE: C-