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| 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
