PRO-LIFE

PRO-LIFE

Mining controversial territory with the same boldness that Joe Dante displayed in Homecoming (but without that episode's vein of satire), John Carpenter's Pro-Life is perhaps the emotionally harshest entry in the wonderfully inventive, often controversial Masters of Horror second season. Playing the story without sly grins or any attempt at softening the physical blow of the violence -- or the motional turmoil of the emotional concepts or philosophy driving the believable characters -- this short film is a blitzkrieg of shock and repugnance, packing into its structure enough rage, fear, and belief for several features. This is a good, fine thing, and accomplished with emotional resonance and technological proficiency by Carpenter, who shows he's as capable as ever of tackling real-life controversies and marrying them to the fantastical. This chapter in his rich, varied career also reveals his skill in making us care for characters who at first glance are anything but sympathetic.

An orgy of demonic baby birth, religious fanaticism, intolerance, and violent right-to-lifers, Pro-Life isn't only one of the most unsettling episodes in the Showtime series but one of the better written as well. Approaching difficult subjects with ambiguity and convincing atmosphere, the incredible and terrifying events occurring on screen have emotional counterparts in the richly envisioned characters. Beginning with a near-accident on an isolated mountain road, young Angelique (Caitlin Wachs) and the couple that almost hit her (Mark Feuerstein and Emmanuelle Vaugier), drive to a women's health clinic . . . where they discover she is pregnant. Meanwhile, the girl's father (and, in this case, also her baby's father!), a noted fanatic who resorts to violence to get his message across, is outside the gates. Soon all hell breaks loose as both he and the supernatural enter the clinic. As Dwayne and his three sons attempt to get their hands on Angelique, she is assaulted from both her family and the thing growing inside her . . .

Fresh off the success of last year's critically lauded Masters of Horror episode "Cigarette Burns," Carpenter brings subversive social commentary and his trademark razor sharp directorial style to a controversial debate in modern society, refusing to weigh in one either side. The script isn't designed to steer you either way politically -- unlike so much of the propaganda spat out by TV networks and so-called 'serious' mainstream dramas. The screenplay instead makes on think and feel, challenging us to consider how we would react to likewise situations, both preternatural and all-too-real. Viewers are made to choose their own stance not only on abortion issues but such related themes as religious fanaticism, familial relationships, and the destructive hold of the status quo. Pretty damn impressive for a story that, when all is said and done, is a monster-siege movie. Written by series veterans Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan (Cigarette Burns), Pro-Life feels like a horror film from the 70s or 80s. Devoted to achieving both physical and emotional terror without the need to soften the blow with nonsensical self-referential humor or moral posturing, this is horror with attitude. Outrage is laid on as thick as blood and anguish, and the subject matter is sure to have both right-to-lifers and free choice camps shouting in anger -- precisely the sort of emotional attacks that the genre should create. This is an example of subversive filmmaking, and if the idea of taking such a hot button topic as abortion and using it to tell a horrific story is thought somewhat vulgar, let us concede that the story seeks to attack our moral values even as it indulges in grotesque imagery. Masters of Horror is revealing itself to be a series devoted to social concerns as well as horror, proving, in fact, that dark and fantastic storytelling, as an art form, is one of the most effective ways to explore several facets of our condition. Equipped with both the tools and willingness to explore the dark byways of both our intimate fears and social problems, this chapter in Carpenter's career is as much a tool for philosophic discourse as it is an exorcism of tension.

John Carpenter's Pro-Life receives love from Anchor Bay in terms of both technological polish and special features. This twisted tale of the paternal-supernatural - and the paternal - is presented in widescreen at 1.78:1, and enhanced for 16x9. The print is clean and without any noticeable grain or image distortion. Skin tones are realistic and colors vivid. Audio does a fine job balancing music and effects. Extras are excellent (if not as generous as those in the first DVD release of the series), particularly the Audio Commentary with Carpenter and writers Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan. Carpenter is as wisecracking and cynical as ever -- and just as intelligent in his criticisms of genre, society, and life in general. Ranging from film to his career, this is a fine, engaging talk, not the least because the authors add much of insight and technical detail into the quickly paced chat. It's nice to see the authors getting some time in the spotlight, as the scribes are usually ignored in supplements. Other features include "Final Delivery: The Making of Pro-Life," which is just what you would expect, a nicely managed look at the production, talent and crew, and "Demon Baby: Birthing the FX Sequence," for all the FX geeks out there. A less substantial "Storyboard Gallery and "Director Bio" continue the festivities, followed by a "Screenplay" for those with DVD-ROM access. A provocative story lauded with an attractive package!

Review by William P. Simmons


 
Released by Anchor Bay
Region 1 - NTSC
Not Rated
Extras :
see main review
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