LUCKER THE NECROPHAGOUS

Another freak-fest from the delightfully demented Don May, Jr. of Synapse Films, Lucker The Necrophagous is one of those rare cinematic monsters that actually lives up to its bad boy hype. While this doesn't mean by any means that it is a good film, it certainly is shocking and willing to explore the deepest depth of degradation and gore. Gaining a rabid reputation despite little commercial play and a mangled promotional campaign, this sick puppy of maggoty lust, dementia, and bad taste is everything your mother warned you about in a horror movie . . . and then some. Deserving its reputation, this repugnant gore-fest wears its desire to sicken proudly on its pus and decay-dripping sleeve (and on another bodily organ that we won't mention!). Unfortunately it doesn't achieve any real depth of characterization or plotting -- never a recommendation. Yet the grand guignol imagery, enthusiastic directing, and grimy downbeat feeling evokes enough strong emotion to partially compensate for this defect, at least visually. Not a good story, Lucker IS a minimalist nightmare, achieving its effect by (probably unconsciously) mimicking the chaos and feverish intensity of its killer.

John Lucker embarks on a bloody killing spree when he escapes from imprisonment. On thee loose again, he's just raring to open up some flesh . . . and dead women's legs. This guy really likes them cold. Headed into the city, he seeks a victim who escaped his clutches, murdering and spreading his own brand of 'love' along the way. Filmed in 1986 by young film student Johan Vandewoestijne, this film wants to hurt your sensibilities and does so with such tender scenes as Lucker humping a maggot infested corpse. A lost film for decades, this infamous outlaw of cinema brushes aside theme or subtlety for spectacle, unrepentant in its search for sheer sensationalism.

From the sick maggot love of Nekromantic to the sordid thrills of the sleazy epic Blue Omega, necrophilia has long been a reoccurring if specialized motif of the horror and exploitation genres. More often repulsive than frightening, these stomach churning maggot-crunchers vary in approach and effect, some intent on exploring the emotional resonance of necrophilia and/or the psychological urges that prompt unnatural emotional or physical congress with the dear departed, while others (most of them!) pretend to be nothing more than balls-out swims in the sleaze-pit. Lucker The Necrophagus embraces the later with honesty, evoking queasiness with scenes of mean-spirited nihilism. While Lucker lacks serious thematic unity or characterization -- save for Lucker himself, who is disturbingly rendered if not empathetic -- its creator didn't set out to make a heart warming drama or cerebral character study. No, he clearly wanted to hurt us with his brutal blend of corpse lovin' and gut slinging. Emotionally scathing horror in an age where such fine emotions as terror and shock are often exchanged for weak self-reflective parody, unfunny humor, and PG-13 money grabbers, this production is if nothing else a work of love. If performances are weak, the killings are bold and splashy, vicious and over-the-top. Necrophilia and violence, death and sickness, are the true characters here. Approach with caution.

Lucker the Necrophagous is presented in anamorphic widescreen in its original aspect ratio. Long a collector's item on the grey market, the film was originally released only on VHS and somehow the elements were destroyed, considered a lost film. Considering Synapse had only VHS elements to work with, this incarnation of the movie looks very good despite some instances of grain and soft colors. Audio is in Dolby Digital Stereo in English. The track is surprisingly clean, with what sounds like additional effects are thrown in.

Extras for this sure to be controversial release include the original VHS release of the feature, featuring around five extra minutes of footage not found in the 'Director's Cut.' While the picture and sound quality for this are lacking (with Dutch Subtitles), it is a worthwhile addition for those looking to compare versions. The most significant extra has to be "Lucker: The Story Behind the Film," a half hour plus interview with James Desert, who discusses the many difficulties of making the film and its problematic distribution, other projects he's been involved with, and his thoughts on the Synapse version.

Review by William Simmons