Customer Reviews

Beverly Kills

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Damion Dietz (Neverland, The Virgin Larry, Fag Hag, Respect My Ass) is a director and writer who obviously has a great time putting together his genre of films. What seems to be over the top, silly, absurdly ridiculous situational comedies have a singular bite. Take the time to listen to the lines and observe the parodies and there is a lot of social comment that deserves some attention.

The plot is loose: Beverly Jackson (Gary Kelley - a buff, masculine guy in obviously absurd drag) is a wannabe actor who is denied a role in an upcoming musical at the Pride Playhouse: this sets off the idea of revenge that is supposed to be the main line of the plot but gets sidetracked by all the other antics. We encounter broken relationships, lonely guys, new relationships, arrivals to Hollywood from all over the country who long to become stars and end up being 'stand-in celebrities' for the tourists along the Hollywood Boulevard. Beverly gathers the guys and gals who have auditioned and plans a terrorist, martyrdom attack at Hollywood and Highland as a means of making a statement about the unstable way of life and irony of the promised land of dreams. Of course it all goes awry, but it does so with some very pretty people and, given the tenor of the script, some impressive introductions of talent. The quality of acting must be judged on the requirements of the project and these folks play their roles very well indeed. There are some funny musical numbers, the requisite amount of bare skin to keep the eyes entertained, and in the short and long of it BEVERLY KILLS makes no pretense at being anything but what it is - a spoof, waaaaaay over the top independent edgy film, and actually quite a bit of fun. Relax folks, this is like a backyard summer charade. Watch it for what it is and enjoy the numerous quite fine talents, both male and female. Grady Harp, June 06

I am a huge fan of trashy cinema. Sordid Lives is probably my favorite gay movie. Beverly Kills is right up there with that. The two boys are adorable and in fact, all of the guys in the movie are gorgeous and either wear absolutely nothing or next to nothing throughout the whole movie which is a plus. Unlike most low-budget gay romantic comedies this doesn't take itself so seriously, is quite witty, and leaves you feeling great. If you are easily offended or don't have an absurd sense of humor then you should probably look elsewhere as this one is scathing and out there. I saw this at a film festival in Arizona and loved it but with the DVD I was able to listen to the director's commentary. It is enlightening and made me appreciate this movie even more. The musical numbers in the gay theater are absolutely hysterical.

This movie is sooooo gay. Considering that it is meant to be a gay oriented theme picture, that may not be a total bad thing... Yet, it plays against itself in the process.
Beverly is a wannabe-drag queen... merely a middle aged man in women spandex pant suit, ugly blond wig, and horrible makeup. If he was called a drag queen, it would come at great offence to those who are truly masters of the craft.
When Beverly is spurned for not having much talent, he sets out with a diabolical scheme... a scheme that is so wickedly lame. It is up to two heart throbs to stop the plan but they are up against a brainwashed army of wannnabe actors and actresses. In between the mayhem lies a love story. A love that develops in a day. And just in time to avoid disaster too... how wonderfully quick paced beverly's world is. This movie isn't bad... and several of the actors offered witty performances. But it is the premise that deflates this potential balloon of a film... and the scheme is just plain silly. This is a film I could see Charles Bush doing... because he is a master of the craft of creating kooky noir pics such as this. This one had the schlock... and a couple shocks of male nudity... but it seemed bland and Beverly was a little too over the top. Just a tad... Beverly Kills is average fare as it attempts to be bold but seems to simply flounder.

Beverly Kills is a highly entertaining satire of Hollywood lunatics, fanatical doomsday religious cults, and oversexed gay community theater. This film belongs on anyone's list of top gay independent films. Writer/Director Damion Dietz wrote a brilliant script, which is both humorous and touching. Dietz is a skilled director who knows how to breathe life into his own material. He has a great talent for casting skilled actors who fit the roles. What makes this black comedy unique is that the actors play their parts seriously, allowing the audience to laugh at them. This is critical for a successful black comedy. Gary Kelley as the cross-dressing terrorist Beverly Jackson is a standout. His threats following rejection at a gay theater audition are both chilling and humorous. Another great performance is delivered by Rick Sparks as Shane, a gay man who is down on his luck. The audience will truly sympathize with his plight. All of the other acting in this movie is top notch. This is very refreshing, as most actors in other gay indie films appear to be recent graduates of the Porn Star Acting Academy. In addition to great acting, this film delivers amusing satire. A true highlight targets on-the-cheap gay community theater. Anyone who has sat through a number of these productions is well aware that the key to getting butts in the seats is to show butts on the stage. Full-frontal nudity guarantees full houses. A perfect example of this satirical point is demonstrated in the "Balls Out" song in the play-within-the-film. This number is witty and skillfully performed. It would be impossible to improve on the music, lyrics, and choreography. One wonders how many takes were involved to get the actors to rip off their Dolphin shorts to show the full Monty at the right moment. This is a musical number that should be watched over and over again. Apart from the film, the DVD contains some nice features. For example, the director's commentary track is very entertaining. Dietz follows all of the rules of a good commentary track: (a) keep talking, (b) discuss what's on the screen, (c) share on-the-set mishaps, (d) dish lots of dirt, and (e) don't bore viewers with too many technical details. Dietz will hold your attention for the entire commentary. Most directors fail miserably at this. For additional amusement, show this film to your friends with the subtitles turned on. You and your friends can take turns shouting out all of the obvious subtitle goofs. There are many! For more great surprises, freeze-frame the Cult's CD Multi-media presentation. A few single frames contain some startling images.

I think the title says all. Ridiculous plot, wooden acting, idiotic characters. Once again "low budget"="low intelligence".
Trash!

I've seen some pretty bad films in my time, but this one is right there with the worst. The movie is funny only if you find overacting drag queens, a poor script, dreadful amateur performances, and insulting gay stereotypes amusing.
The only time the movie comes alive and is on track is when we see snippets of a gay review they are putting on in the theatre. They should have junked the overacting drag queen and the two twinks finding true love along with the rest of the stupid plot and given us the show they are rehearsing. There the satire was bang on.
The film is being compared to the early works of John Waters. That is an unjust comparison to Mr. Waters. John Waters' films were outlandish, fun, and the work of a talented filmmaker. This one lacks any of those qualities I just mentioned. It is clichéd, the humor is sledgehammer heavy, the acting just plain bad.
There is a big difference between the words amateur and amateurish. The latter word fits this gobbler.

How did this movie get made? I mean, there are so many struggling writers out there trying to get their movie made and they have good scripts, yet this piece of trash slips through the cracks somehow and DOES get made. I rented it after reading the description. It sounded interesting and I was actually looking forward to it when it arrived in the mail, but once I saw the main menu screen, I could tell right away I was in for a long hard ride. First, the acting was at beginner level, at best. The sound was also a problem. There were moments when the actors' voices distorted badly when they barked out their lines. I was also at a loss when I was in the middle of it and couldn't figure out what the plot was. At one point, I thought they were going for a 'film noir' thing, but they blew it fast. Nothing happened and the last act was nothing more than the 'actors' parading around Hollywood & Highland which had nothing to do with anything. I could see better acting in my own home videos and more compelling characters I might add. The whole thing just really fell apart right after the opening credits. It just makes me mad that something like this gets made, while some other more deserving script sits on the shelf, collecting dust.

I can think of nothing good to say about this abomination, and I can almost always find SOMETHING redeeming in even the most abysmal films. Production values: nonexistent. Writing: semi-literate. Direction: was there any direction? Humor: forced at best. Campy, clichéd portrayals of all characters. Amateurish acting. Devoid of all wit. I did not crack a smile throughout the entire film, and I was determined to hang in there until the bitter end to see if got any better. It didn't. What a sad, sad waste of time and money for those involved in its making, and what a waste of time and money in my renting it. Thank goodness I didn't actually buy it.

Beverly Kills is dead from the start and never comes to life.