Townies

Tempe's name is without doubt synominous with the low budget horror movie scene, so I was more than curious to see they were about to release a micro budget black comedy and with 'Townies' I got far more than I actually expected!

Shot in black and white with a budget of tuppence, 'Townies' is an often bleak but worryingly hilarious tale of the mentally challenged and their 'care in the community'. The film opens with a series of collage scenes to introduce us to the movies 'special' characters. First there's 'The Clapper' - a guy who believes that he can clap his hands to make traffic crossing lights change, then there's 'Pricey' - a young mute woman who dresses and acts like she's a small girl child or how about 'The Licker' - a guy (with an obsession for Captain America) who likes to pick things up off the street and simply lick them! There's also the seriously confused 'William' - who believes some strange nemesis called Chico is out to thwart him at every turn, 'Caduceus' - the silent psychotic skinhead or 'Crazy Connie' - who we first see crouching down to defecate on the street and last but not least our stories lead nutter 'Dickie' - street trash scavenger extreme! These unlikely social rejects make up the 'Townies' of the films title, a name created by the local young folk for all the people let loose from the nearby mental health hospital.

With 'Townies' there's not a 'movie' plot as such but a series of vignettes concentrating on each of the characters with some loose connections that link them all together. With poor Dickie, we first meet him as he's being wound up by a couple of local hoods as to whether or not he's had sex with his handicapped pal Connie. Decrying that he hasn't because she's his friend they push him to "pork that bitch" and informing him that in fact "no means yes"! As you can imagine Dickies advances on Connie end up being less than welcome but Dickie can't believe his luck when he later discovers the corpse of a dead girl festering in a garbage skip. So he takes her home where he can spend some quality time with his new dead girlfriend.

Elsewhere, two stoned lesbo teens attempt to run over psycho skinhead Caduceus - bad move, as this guy will soon want revenge. As we watch the simple mute Pricey go about her business you have a growing fear that something unpleasant is going to happen and you can be sure it will. This is just a touch of what 'Townies' is all about and I'm sure some of you will be reading this thinking 'where the hell does the comedy come in?' and I must admit that during the early part of the movie I was uneasily thinking that also. Well, let's be honest here, surely a film utilising the handicapped as its basis for humour is perhaps a questionable one but with 'Townies' you'll soon find that this is indeed done with little in the way of good taste but with hilariously black comedic success.

Potentially offensive but brilliantly realised and impressively executed, 'Townies' is one of the surprise black comedy finds of the year. Filmed in black and white and ladened with downbeat tasteless humour I'm sure someone will try making some sort of comparison with Kevin Smith's excellent 'Clerks' and while it does have a similar feel it's in style only as this is far blacker than anything Smith would dare put together. The film impressed me wholly, not only is the script daring to push some boundaries but it's well filmed (more so considering the budget) and the small very much unknown cast deliver a convincing performance - unknown that is apart from the show stealing performance by Toby Radloff as witless Dickie, who some informed readers will know from his previous uber geek appearances on MTV USA. But obviously the real star of the show has to go to writer/producer/director Wayne Alan Harold for delivering such a delightfully twisted slice of deviant fun!

So, a great film but how about Tempe's 'special edition' DVD release? First off, I have to send thanks to Tempe for releasing this in the first place, it's a film that I'll happily recommend to any of my chums that have the same taste (or lack of) in black humour. But as always I digress, the print on show is decent enough considering that it's print source is likely from a video master that has been cleaned up somewhat. Like wise the audio track is clear and audible throughout (perhaps from some canny post production), and you've got some nice repeat viewing pleasure not only from the film itself but a great audio commentary with creator Wayne Harold, super geek Toby Radloff and fellow cast members P Craig Russell and Jay Geldhof which is full of fun titbits and much hilarity.

Now for the other main extra features - first off there's 17 minutes of out takes and bloopers which are funny as hell and includes Radloff's very own 'safe sex' public announcement for all you necrophiliacs out there. Then Radloff pops up again for his own interview segment as 'Toby Radloff - Genuine Nerd' where he discusses amongst other things 'the nerd for the new millennium' and the Radloff appreciation rounds off with three short web segments where Radloff rambles merrily about things that mean something, well to him anyway! I'm sure with this release Radloff's geek following will very soon grow.

Also on offer here is an old short film by 'Townies' creator Harold called 'Payback is a Bitch' in which a group of college frat' boys abduct a young female, bind her and repeatedly rape her for their gratification. This 18 minute shocker kicks off horrifying great guns but as the finale approaches switches tempo and feels like two different film makers were involved - still well worth viewing for a peek into these guys earlier work.

From the old to the new next with a very short preview clip of Harold's next movie (also featuring Radloff 'Abberation Boulevard' which will be the acid test to see if 'Townies' is a one off triumph or the shape of things to come. And in addition to a fun colour stills gallery and a couple of great fun 'easter eggs' that I'll not discuss here so you can find them for yourself!

Sure it's not a horror film as such, but 'Townies' is a thoroughly entertaining if perhaps tastelessly questionable low budget treat and Tempe's special edition DVD certainly fits the special bill. If you think you wont be offended then certainly check this one out - I loved it!

Review by Alan Simpson