The 2024 production of Death, directed by Anmol Mishra and filmed entirely in Newcastle, Australia, is a journey of the mind. A dying mind in fact. Mishra terms his David Lynch inspired film a “psychological horror.”
It may well be just that but one has to admire the temerity of any filmmaker who manages to include a sort of a blend of Abbott and Costello, or more accurately perhaps, Cheech and Chong, doing a “Why does the chicken cross the road,” gag.
Right in the middle of the film.
Now I love Aussie Horror Cinema; from the gory and blackly comic The Loved Ones to the dreamlike Picnic at Hanging Rock, I adore horror films from “Down Under.” I was excited to get this offering from the land of the dingo and the ever dangerous outback.
It is intimate
Death is an intimate offering with a cast of four:
Marigold Pazar is Sabrina.
David Hecimovic is Romeo.
Lauren Johnson is Wendy.
Oliver James Damian is Mazza. *The one with the cigar.*
The story
Sabrina is in the process of killing herself. The film appears to be both recollections, a’ la a Bardo moment and insights. Timelines mean nothing and the dying person appears to be privy to things they were not present for.
Death follows this journey of the mind with its odd disjointed time table and almost psychedelic imagery. The tale itself, at times, borders on Repulsion territory and has its legs planted firmly in the Art House style of delivery.
*Warning: There is partial frontal female nudity, a simulated sex act and sexual references throughout. There is also drug use. All the above mentioned items are minimally introduced, with the exception of the sex act.*
It works, sort of
Death really needs to be seen a number of times to make sense of the proceedings. There are quite a few memorable moments: A Halloween type mask wearing Wendy. Massa and Wendy walking down that dark road and of course that superb “Chicken” gag. To name just two/three.
*I must admit to falling in love with the filmmaker’s work after watching this almost deconstructive approach to the classic chicken crossing the road joke. This scene literally made the movie for me.*
Kudos
All the performers managed to bring something to the metaphorical table here. Special kudos to Damian for his stoner character. He darn near stole the whole film.
Mishar writes, directs and edits this foray into the world of death, suicide and those esoteric moments between this world and the next. Using what I call the “Robert Rodriguez” method of filmmaking, Anmol does it all.
Very well.
These guys made a film with an estimated budget of $35,000. This fact alone makes it worth watching. Lo/no budget films are not easy to make. And a 35K production cost is shoestring with a capital S.
The Verdict
I give Death a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. Yes, you may need to watch it a few times to “get it.” But the viewings will almost bring it together enough to follow the tale.
To be fair, it earned a full star for the ingenuity of that Wendy and Mazza scene. Keep an eye on this filmmaker, he has vision and a unique look at the world and its travesties.
*Oleg Somov scored the film.*
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