THE GRUESOME DEATH OF TOMMY PISTOL

You ever heard of a guy called Plip Nutfield? Nah didn’t think you would have done. It’s my "Porno Name" providing you follow the formula using your first pets name followed by the street you grew up on. (That’s the price you pay for naming your two Goldfish, Plip and Plop I guess). A much cooler name is the alias use by the central character in writer and director Aramis Sartorio’s The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol.

Our story obviously rotates around our doomed protagonist, played by none other than ... erm... Tommy Pistol. TP is a real life porn star from such skin flicks as "School Bus Bitches", "Cum on My Tattoo" and a cameo in the utterly fantastic "STAR WARS: a PORN PARODY". He of course joins the growing number of his female counterparts making the switch into low budget horror territory.

It begins when he is late for a coveted acting job. Sure it only pays a paltry $50 for the solitary day as an extra but it could just be the first vital step toward joining the Tinsel Town elite. Not convinced are you?! Well neither is Jonny’s partner, Daisy, who is struggling to raise their young child as the star struck father of her child fruitlessly chases his dreams.

His hesitancy to give up his illustrious ambitions in favour of a more grounded commitment to his family means he finds himself alone. As weeks turn into months Jonny hits rock bottom – then starts to dig! What little money he can scrape together dwindles away on microwave hot dogs, porn and a heroic amount of lube for his faithful masturbatory device. It is here that Tommy slips into a reverie that will change his life forever...

The brief synopsis above accounts for the first 20 minutes or so of the movie. What we are treated to from then on in is arguably the longest dream sequence in movie history!! Now the thing with dreams, as I am sure you have experienced, is that they have no boundaries. They can simply meander along jumping from one nonsensical scenario to the next. That’s all good and well, but when this concept is the core of a movie it can be perceived either as masterstroke of artistic freedom – or it can be seen as a copout for a proper narrative!

Personally I had a hoot with this movie! The nightmarish visions that Tommy conjures are a meld of humour and violence. The hilarity of being duped into starring in a snuff movie after applying for a role via FuckedByDeath.com is a hugely entertaining sequence. Hearts are viciously extracted via breasts along with the first ever cheese grater death I have witnessed! To top it off, Adult film actress and director, Kimberly Kane, adds a delightful bit of sleaze to proceedings with her frenzied cameo.

The movies outlandish narrative then goes into overdrive which culminates in some puss popping mayhem from a diseased nympho whore. Yes it’s THAT good! Somehow, Sartorio works a certain Mr Schwarzenegger into the plot. Not sure whether the maverick director actually loathes the Austrian born American film star turned politician in real life, but let’s just say TGDoTP’s treatment of Arnie makes "Team America’s" treatment of Matt DAAAAAmon seem rather tame.

With such an explicit title, and given the grotesque levels of pandemonium that make up the core of the movie, there was always the risk that the climax could be somewhat of a letdown. Without giving too much away, rest assured Tommy’s fate is suitably hideous and a fitting finale to this highly enjoyable romp!

Although clearly made on a limited budget, Sartorio’s flick does actually look good. The gore effects are for the most part pretty decent. Jonny himself does showcase a variety of personas with aplomb. The down and out loser from the opening scenes gives way to a whole host of outrageous guises while in the dream state. From gullible goofball to his clichéd teary eyed Oscar acceptance speech, Pistol puts in a great shift which elevates the picture above its horror comedy peers.

If you like fun filled violence that keeps the needle of the Gross-o-meter firmly in the red check out what happens to Tommy. It might just make you think twice about falling asleep while watching Babestation!!!

Review by Marc Lissenburg