Unearthed Films: 100 Tears (2007) - Reviewed

Images courtesy of Unearthed Films

When you see the Unearthed Films moniker on a blu-ray cover box, you know you’re in for a bumpy transgressive edge lord ride as evidenced by their ongoing output of rough, disturbing horror films without a ceiling.  Working not always with the best sources, sometimes releasing titles that were not well filmed or had the budget for more expensive cameras, their latest venture is another one of those movies made by a makeup effects artist turned filmmaker keen on showing off his talents for bloodshed and gore in a clown horror freakout.  No, not the It or Terrifier movies, I’m talking about effects-artist/director Marcus Koch’s 2007 Digicam HDV video film 100 Tears.  From the eventual director of American Guinea Pig: Bloodshock, the film was branded with the NC-17 the first time around.  Thanks to Unearthed Films, now here is this new unrated director’s cut release which includes the original 2007 cut in the extras alongside plentiful making-of materials.  It’s not very good but those who enjoy seeing killer clowns running around with meat cleavers dismembering or decapitating people will still get a kick out of it.

 
Gurdy the Clown (Jack Amos) is a mute circus performer falsely accused of rape who goes on a murder rampage against those who framed him, sparking an urban legend perpetuated by sensationalist media junkets of Gurdy being an unstoppable killing machine.  Meanwhile two tabloid reporters Jennifer (Georgia Chris) and Mark (Joe Davison) are closing in on their own investigation of Gurdy the Clown alongside two detectives.  However, as they draw nearer, they find themselves ensnared in a trap where they’re locked in Gurdy’s warehouse evading capture and murder while fending off his conniving psychotic daughter Christine (Raine Brown) who runs amok with a sledgehammer.  Most of this movie just consists of human canon fodder being sliced and diced apart by Gurdy the Clown who much like Art the Clown from Terrifier remains mute throughout the picture.

 
Made on a budget of $75,000 with grimy digital video camerawork by Wesley Wing and original electronic music by Kristian Day which sounds frankly like Sky Wikluh’s industrial dubstep score for A Serbian Film, 100 Tears is a bit of a dire slog interspersed with moments of interesting bloodshed.  A bit torpid despite only running ninety-five minutes as our mute murderous clown saunters from one slaying to the next, the effects by The Oddtopsy FX Group are good but as with many of these microbudget slashers that is kind of all the film has to offer.  Written and produced by actor Joe Davison who plays one of the reporters, the movie has a lo-fi roughness to it including but not limited to largely using unremarkable production audio for the sound effects.  Though unpolished and grainy with yucky floating digital grain in parts, the lousy visual aesthete oddly benefitted this kind of regional no-budget horror flick.

 
Given a limited theatrical release in June 2007 followed by a DVD release a year later, 100 Tears as expected came and went without a blip on the mainstream radar but gained some minor traction among horror film circuits and independent film critics.  With most of the attention heaped on Jack Amos’ Gurdy the Clown who hulks around silently slashing people up, the movie crops up now as a rival to Pennywise and Art the Clown.  While ostensibly a check-your-brain-at-the-door horror funhouse, 100 Tears beyond the killings is sluggish and meandering.  Unearthed Films have done a good job with this release but my friendly suggestion as someone who likes and enjoys transgressive cinema is to skip this one.  Preexisting fans will enjoy the release but I myself was glad when it finally reached the finish line.

--Andrew Kotwicki