The Last Refuge — Review on the Comedy Horror "The Joker" "When the arrow turns"
The ancient game will begin.
But how do you know the rules?
Do you think or guess? (c)
Famous music producer Max Taylor, having won a game of poker from the mysterious Callum Chase, becomes the owner of an old luxurious castle. Later, he transports his entire small family there, while waiting for the arrival of a replenishment in the form of his brother, who picked up hitchhiking young people in his van. Under the terms of the deal, Max as a bonus gets a mysterious ugly creature in a clown cap, called the Joker. Opening the playing room, framed in the form of various card paraphernalia, the new residents find and launch the arrow of a wooden box with a game called Win or Lose. It is one thing to get the Joker out of his sleeve, but quite another to rescue him from the gloomy depths of Purgatory.
Amazing comedy gothic horror film directed by screenwriter Simon Spracling. In the beginning, there was a short work “The Joker”, which today “you will not find with fire in the day.” Further, Spracling interested people from the outside and they helped financially implement the project, among the co-producers of the tape you can find the name of Tim James - the performer of the role of the bloodthirsty Joker. The first and last feature-length film of Spracling, in the future this undoubtedly talented director was limited exclusively to short films.
This horror is one of the three most beloved of your humble servant and he will defend it in every possible way. Description of the film search kills in the air. “Tim James’ hero wins an old mansion near London at cards...” – Seriously?? A bo-bo head? Let us leave this on the conscience of amateurs of the Arkady Semenovich Profane Institute.
By the way, still no reviews. Do you want to register on a popularly loved resource for a single river?
While American viewers in their corporate style lowered this work below the ground, claiming that the Joker painfully reminds them of Fred Krueger, I found those who were his prototype: with all responsibility I am ready to voice that the film was based on the urban legend of Jack the jumper, who allegedly instilled fear in England in the mid-to-late 19th and early 20th century. Costume, headdress, habits are strikingly similar. For some reason, American viewers did not mention this (well, right, where does Jack care about Slanderman!). Rejection of everything British is in their blood.
The film was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the Fantasportu Film Festival in 1995. To the classic paintings of the studio “Hummer” “The Joker” has nothing to do, the only thing that they have in common with them is a wonderful stunning Gothic atmosphere, coupled with magnificent locations of the castle, and most importantly – the character of the “dark gentleman”, who was successfully played by Christopher Lee in a small cameo (the beginning and end of the film). Acting at a decent level, you can not stick. Pay special attention to the character of Thelma Fudd, who is an exact copy of Velma Dinkley from the animated series “Scooby Doo”, here the creators are kidding. High-quality “black” humor is beyond praise. The killer jokes cynically, expressively dances, sings amusingly, dresses up in anyone. Murders are cruel in their cold-bloodedness, monstrous in a good sense of the word, Joker does not spare either women or children: brutal scoring with a hefty club, when bloody pieces fly in different directions, after which the Joker directs his gaze close-up comments: “This is how it is done!” (all murders are carried out with sly remarks); electrified pliers are introduced into the ears, as a result of which the victim begins to fight in death convulsions in literally real life, does not look like a box in this case, with a small snarlage in the eye).
Scenes of physical reprisals amaze with their savagery and frankness. Specialists in makeup, visual effects, costumers and artists have tried their best, showing us a truly unforgettable sight. The operator brilliantly coped with the task, especially impressive long-range plans shot unsurpassed. Editing is amazing. There is no nudity, unfortunately, but this does not affect the final result, since the picture looks on one breath and without it. With musical accompaniment, the authors got to the very point, throughout the film sound cool fervent rock and roll compositions. The ending is visually made without the slightest complaints: a creepy, surreal, irrational picture in which the main character under the touching rock ballad of John Taylor, slashed and bloody through tears, laughs at what his fame as an avid gambler led to. After the final credits will be a small fragment.
I advise you to get acquainted with this horror film from the mid-90s, which I personally have watched countless times. An unusual, exciting, dynamic spectacle is for you! A rare kind of British horror very unusual sample, I warned you.
10 out of 10