Boston Underground Film Festival 2009

"The thing's pretty much fucking brilliant." - Ain't It Cool News We really hope you haven’t been having a good day because Deadgirl will certainly ruin it. Yes, the gore is indeed gory, but that’s not where this film’s true horror lies. Deadgirl would prefer to have you wallow in the inhumanity of humans, lash you with the libidios of its libertine protagonists, and torment you with the notion of how misguided loyalty can be amongst friends. Ricky and J.T. don’t like school. They don’t like the shit town where they’re stuck living, and they don’t much like anyone around them. They’d prefer to ditch class and drink beer in a nearby abandoned mental asylum. One day they make a horrific discovery; a dead girl. Naked. Chained to a table.Only is she really dead? She bites and snarls, and basically embodies pure, unbridled aggression. She may not be dead, but given her state, can she be called alive? Indeed one would be hard pressed to even consider her human. And did I mention she’s naked? And kind of hot? The boys could call the police, alert a doctor… or, as J.T. suggests, “we could keep her.” Although the premise alone is enough to repulse even those with hardened sensibilities, Deadgirl is an unexpectedly smart horror film. Trent Haaga’s script keeps implausibility at bay by simple virtue of the fact that most of us knew kids like J.T. and Ricky while growing up. Directed by newcomers Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel, Deadgirl is a powerful feature debut with some not-so-nice things to say about friendship, masculinity and coming of age. - Kevin Monahan

Because we love you, BUFF is proud to present what may be the strangest artifact in the entire canon of Japanese cinema (and that’s saying a lot!). Indeed, it is difficult to believe that Nohuhiko Obayashi’s Hausu was crafted in earnest, and even harder to believe that Obayashi was allowed to continue working after its release. The film, which has been tagged by one online reviewer as “enough awesome to kill a rhino,” is a manic, sprawling mess that is an absolute joy to behold. The plot is practically irrelevant. Suffice to say that the titular house appears to be a house that eats virgins and a group of young, teenaged girls are set up to be its next victims. Along the way, we're treated to slapstick skits, musical numbers, and a surplus of set-pieces that don’t just go over-the-top, they completely shatter any illusion or concept of restraint. Hausu may have been intended to be a horror film, but it switches genres so fast and furiously that you cannot help but be jarred by the cinematic whiplash it inflicts. Plot lines are thrown up into the air only to be dropped with a crashing thud. The fact that none of the characters seem to mind is part of the charm. Do not miss this rare opportunity to experience this cinematic wonder with an audience – indeed it is the only way to experience it, as this film is absolutely, positively, and conclusively not available on DVD! - Kevin Monahan