THE DISCO EXORCIST

Rex Romanski (Michael Reed) is a man with an enviable life. Not only does he command all the best dance moves at the hottest club in town, he is a babe magnet of the highest order.

Our first sight of him is back at his shag pad, complete with lava lamps – naturally, having his wicked way with two naked girls. One has purple hair, the other has blue.

The next time we see him, he’s dancing in his favourite club, owned by best pal Manuel (Brandon Luis Aponte). It’s here that he attracts the attention of tall brunette hottie Rita (Ruth Sullivan). They dance, chat a little corny dialogue and then retire to his place to fuck each other’s brains out. Agreeing to meet Rita again, it seems Rex may be just about ready to go steady.

Indeed, the next time he hits the club he spies her on the dance floor and makes his way straight to her. As she chats to him, however, his eyes are drawn to Amoreena (Sarah Nicklin) on the other side of the club. She’s the hot porn star that Rex spends his free time watching on the screen of his local storefront cinema.

Needless to say, Rex drops Rita like a hot turd and gets it on with Amoreena. They fuck and fuck, and then later he goes with her to the set of her latest porn film … where he watches excitedly as she fucks other men.

Meanwhile, Rita retires to lick her wounds in the darkness of her Satanic abode. Rita is, you see, in league with the devil – and therefore, the wrong woman to dump upon!

While Rex is busy making his debut foray into the adult cinema industry with his insatiable new girlfriend, Rita is occupied toying with pentagrams, ancient daggers and goat’s skulls.

Soon, Rita’s incantations take their effect and Rex finds his porno co-stars to be possessed and hungry for blood. Their slaughter of the porno crew attracts two dumb cops onto the scene – but Rex and Amoreena know that really only they can put a stop to these evil goings-on.

But how? With the help of Rex’s estranged priest brother (Alexander Lewis)? Or maybe the failed exorcist now working as a cleaner in Manuel’s club?

From the natural, never overly self-conscious dialogue to the imaginative cheap sets that genuinely do recall the best of the halcyon days of the grindhouse, from the costume and hair design to the manipulated look of the film (all dust, specks and vertical lines), THE DISCO EXORCIST does an excellent job of being a period piece – the period here being the early 1970s.

The advent of porno in theatres, folk snorting cocaine openly in clubs, the promiscuity that rendered getting laid as easy as getting a dance: director Richard Griffin (NUN OF THAT) and writer Tony Nunes further nail their setting, working with the excellent production values and savvy art design to make this venture as authentic as it possibly could be.

The gags work. The balance of horror and dark comedy is measured very well for the most part. Daniel Hildreth’s original score also convinces. The horror segments of his soundtrack are effective and clichéd in equal measure; the disco pieces nicely understated.

Meanwhile, those looking for pure exploitation will find it in abundance here. Along with the keen visuals, attractive coloured filter lighting and tight editing, expect a great deal of crude old-school gore (stabbings, decapitation, castration etc) and a veritable shitload of gratuitous nudity. Mostly of the female variety, of course.

That the film was actually made in 2010 shouldn’t trouble potential viewers. I’m growing to hate this trend for producing faux grindhouse aesthetics as much as the next fellow. But when it’s done as well as this, as stylishly and as well-judged in terms of the semi-humorous, totally sleazy tone, it’s impossible not to like. Plus, Reed has real charisma in the lead role: I can’t remember the last time I saw a lead actor who smiled so much.

It’s small wonder that a sequel, THE BROTHER OF THE DISCO EXORCIST, is on its way.

THE DISCO EXORCIST comes on a region-free DVD from MVD Visual in an uncut anamorphic 1.78:1 transfer. The film has been given a deliberately distressed look during post-production, so the washed-out colour schemes and numerous instances of onscreen debris are there to help Griffin’s movie achieve the look of a 70s grindhouse feature. It actually achieves it more successfully than Robert Rodriguez or Quentin Tarantino ever did.

Importantly though, beneath the manufactured grain and print damage, the transfer offers plenty of clarity and finer detail. Colours, when not purposely faded, are impressively deep. Contrast and depth are well rendered and maintained throughout.

Ditto the English 2.0 audio track, which is well-balanced and clean for the duration of playback.

The disc opens to a fiery animated main menu page. From there, a static scene-selection menu allows access to the film via 6 chapters.

Of the disc’s extra features, undoubtedly the most significant is a feature-length commentary track from Griffin. Witty, controlled and very careful to apply attention to detail consistently, this is a good track from a clearly intelligent and articulate filmmaker. Give it a whirl.

A 42-second deleted scene offers more in the way of exposed boobies, guns and in-shot boom mics. If anything, this scene looks more faded and worn than the main feature.

The film’s original 61-second teaser trailer looks like something that would’ve sat well during the intermission between DEATH PROOF and PLANET TERROR. All blood, blasphemy and bad hairdos: a good trailer.

Speaking of which, two lengthier trailers in support of the film also feature: the Red Band effort (2 minutes 24 seconds) and its tamer Green Band counterpart (also 2 minutes 24 seconds). They’re virtually identical, save for some subtly alternate footage here and there.

Finally we get distributors Wild Eye’s teaser trailer for the film. Clocking in at 69 seconds in length, this is practically the same as the other teaser.

Far better than its title or cover art may suggest, THE DISCO EXORCIST is one of THE surprise review discs of the year so far for me.

Recommended.

Review by Stuart Willis