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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
you don't have to have PMS to love this film, November 17, 2003
This review is from: The Curse (1999) (DVD)
i came across this film quite by accident. made in new york for some $30,000 with a 4 week shooting schedule, two years in slogging post production hell, then a distribution deal and a scheduled release date of october 2001 -- whoops, can't release a movie that takes place in new york in october of 2001, so it sits on a shelf for another two years and finally ... since there was no for special effects or to blow on sets or costumes, this movie was forced to survive solely by the power of its script and acting performances and it succeeds. it succeeds in being funny, scary, and romantic all at the same time. bitten by a fellow patron at a manhattan lingere sale, our heroine, frida, (played capably by Amy Laughlin) finds that her PMS is getting worse and worse every month and that, in fact, she has become a PMS werewolf, changing into an animal and ripping dates to shreds every 28 days. can true love save her? how long does it take to get rid of a human arm in the garbage disposal? who is that devilishly handsome police officer? the bonus features include two seperate audio tracks with general commentary and a second with tips on how to make an indy horror flick ("don't use SAG!", spend money on an audio director, hire a DP with his/her own equipment)
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Independent Black Comedy, May 24, 2004
This review is from: The Curse (1999) (DVD)
Frida (Amy Laughlin) is a relatively normal girl who works and lives in New York, except she's only that. "Normal." Nothing about her really makes her stand out in a crowd, or particularly in New York's dating scene. When her friend and neighbor decides to give her a makeover, Frida ends up getting much more than she bargained for. While shopping for slinky lingerie, she gets bitten by another woman, and after that things change drastically for Frida. Her dates appear to be going better, until she wakes up in the morning to find herself covered in blood with no memory of how it got there. Frida blames her blackouts and the blood on PMS and her period. But when a severed arm shows up in her bed as well, can she continue to write these coincidences off as mere "women's troubles?" To complicate things, two detectives are hot on her trail, connecting her with each of the victims. One of them wants to persue her as a suspect while the other wants to date her himself. Will Frida's life ever be the same? This movie is a great example of a well-made independent film, and black comedy. Don't be mistaken! In no way is this a horror film. Rather, this film pays homage to other great werewolf films of the past. In addition, "The Curse" is a hilarious satire that turns lycanthropy into a metaphor for menstruation (similar to "Ginger Snaps" in that respect). Amy Laughlin does a great job of portraying the trials and tribulations one goes through when adjusting to a new and strange lifestyle. You will find yourself laughing hysterically as you watch her waking in pools of blood, getting rid of bodies and body parts, and trying to explain her situation to her somewhat skeptical best friend. The fact that this is a low budget film with no effects doesn't detract from the quality of the film in any way, shape, or form. Great films need not have huge budgets. The script and cinematography are spectacular, and while some of the minor characters can be irritating, the major roles are performed quite well. The extras on the DVD are quite interesting, as they explain making an independent film on a low budget. Overall a great value for those who can appreciate excellent movies that don't have million dollar budgets! Highly recommended!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smart and Original, July 6, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: The Curse (1999) (DVD)
Hip indie black comedy/horror film. Really good performances from an exciting new cast (I didn't recognize any of the actors). The lead actress, Amy Laughlin, is bound to be a big star one day -- very natural with a commanding presence. She convincingly makes the transformation the script requires of her character. I saw this film with my girlfriend, and she fell in love with the lead actor Mike Dooly. The script is witty and fun -- it doesn't rely on "jokes" or sitcom humor -- but instead gets its black comedy from situations and scenes. I'm not sure why the film is being marketed as a horror film because it's really so much more than that. It's more like a sophisticated indie black comedy shot on a ultra-low budget. But don't get me wrong -- there's blood and gore, but that's not what this film's about. What really makes this DVD standout are the two audio commentaries. One is a "straight" commentary in which the Writer-Director and Producer actually take the commentary seriously and give great details on the making of the film (I was surprised to hear this was shot on 16mm -- it looks like 35mm). The other commentary (which I've now listened to three times) was basically a "What Not to Do When Making a No-Budget Indie Film" (though it's not marketed that way on the cover). The advice in this commentary alone is worth the price of the DVD. Once again, the Writer-Director and Producer tell you what mistakes they made while making this no-budget film. Their honesty is refreshing and an inspiration to anyone who plans to shoot a no-budget feature.
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