Punk Rock Double Feature

PIG DEATH MACHINE
Writer:Jon Moritsugu/Amy Davis
Director:Jon Moritsugu
Starring:Amy Davis, Hannah Levbarg, Victor of Aquitaine
Availability: DVD available at www.jonmoritsugu.com
Rating:

CIGARETTE GIRL
Writer/Director:John Michael McCarthy
Starring: Cori Dials
Availability: DVD available at www.archer-records.com
Rating:

    Jon Moritsugu and John Michael McCarthy are two underground pioneers who I absolutely worship.  Their films have a sort of punk rock energy that recalls early John Waters, or in McCarthy's case, Russ Meyer.  It also feels like ages since they have released anything new.  Pig Death Machine and Cigarette Girl have been on the festival circuit for quite awhile now, but finally, after years of waiting, these films have finally seen the light of day on DVD.

    Jon Moritsugu's Pig Death Machine is a weird, WEIRD movie.  Aesthetically, it feels closer to the SOV delirium of Scumrock than the 16mm pleasures of Mod Fuck Explosion.  Moritsugu has embraced the video format in the way only a man of his wild vision can.  The colors pop out like a scene from a twisted acid nightmare.  In fact, if you've ever seen Nick Zedd's War Is Menstrual Envy, you might have an idea of the type of insanity you're about to experience.  The main difference, of course, is that Moritsugu actually has a sense of humor.

    Amy Davis, Jon Moritsugu's wife and long-time muse plays a total twit who, upon eating an unusual strand of pork, is suddenly transformed into a genius.  It also gives a punk rock waitress the ability to communicate with plants.  It's all absurd nonsense, but that's part of the charm here.  Moritsugu and Davis have a totally unpredictable sense of humor, at times being the closest heirs we have to the spirit of early John Waters movies.  One of the things that appeals to me about the work they've done together is how different each film is.  Moritsugu definitely has a singular vision, but he loves finding new ways to explore that vision.  I wouldn't call Pig Death Machine his best film, but it's probably his weirdest, and believe me that's saying something.

    John Michael McCarthy is a director that I discovered in the same way I imagine a lot of people discovered him.  Troma released one of his films, Superstarlet A.D.  It immediately became one of my favorite Troma releases.  It felt like the closest anyone has ever come to actually capturing the spirit of a Russ Meyer picture.  After I started seeking out his work (which isn't easy to do, mind you), I immediately became a fan.

    Cigarette Girl is a movie that McCarthy has had in the can for quite some time.  Finally, through the fine folks over at Archer Records, people now finally have the chance to see this wonderful little gem.  It tells the story of a futuristic society where smoking has been outlawed.  There are only certain sections of the town where you can smoke, and it's illegal to buy or smoke outside of this desolate wasteland.  Cori Dials (both sexy and delivering a command performance) shines as the Cigarette Girl.  She sells cigarettes for dirt cheap, and is also battling her own addiction to smoking.  Eventually, she becomes a sort of angel of death, someone who as the film's description would suggest, "would rather kill than smoke."

    McCarthy has dabbled in comics over the years, and it shows here.  This is an incredibly interesting movie visually, echoing the feel of a graphic novel.  It's a far more mature film than anything McCarthy has ever done before, ditching the trash aesthetic to tell a story that is truly original.  The movie is a lot of things.  It's at times hilarious, often times moving, and while it's far from a perfect movie, it should appeal to those who love their underground films to be weird, unique, and showing a true stylistic flair.

    In the world of underground cinema, there are still those certain films that receive all the attention.  A lot of times, I can appreciate the praise heaped at this films, but other times, I wonder why other, more daring films don't get any love.  Moritsugu and McCarthy are a couple of true punk rock auteurs.  A new film from them is always a cause of celebration, and these movies show that age hasn't neutered their vision.  There are still some truly daring voices in the world of independent cinema.

    Until next time, my fellow freaks and weirdos...