Image Entertainment has
selected May 21 as the DVD debut date for writer/director Kevin Barker’s
chilling backwoods tale, Last Kind Words.
Inspired by Geeshie
Wiley’s spring of 1930 folk-blues recording, “Last Kind Word Blues,”
which is filled with lyrical images of death, ghostly references and a love
that transcends time (and perhaps even physical boundaries — that is left to
the listener to decide and debate).
Wiley concludes her mournful tune with …
“The Mississippi
river,
you know it's deep and wide
I can stand right here,
see my face from the
other side
What you do to me baby
it never gets outta’ me
I may not see you
after I cross the deep
blue sea.”
Now that the atmosphere
for Last
Kind Words has been set, we begin with Eli (Spencer Daniels — as Tyler
in the Crash television series, plus such films as The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Star Trek, etc.), a newbie to these
rural parts of Kentucky where his father and mother have returned to work a
farm. It is familiar turf to them, but
details are left a little vague on that subject.
Eli is a true, wide-eyed
innocent, so it comes as quite the shock to him when a local beauty — a nearby
neighbor — named Amanda (Alexia Fast — Jack Reacher) takes a fancy to
him. It seems as if she is playfully seducing him …
and he is an easy conquest.
 |
| Alexia Fast and Spencer Daniels star in Last Kind Words (on DVD May 21) |
Also on the farm is a man
named Waylon (another amazing performance by Brad Dourif), who sort of acts as
the “Greek Chorus” as events unfold. He
gives the viewer clues as what is going on (quick with the folklore) and ominously
warns Eli to steer clear of the spooky woods, which of course is a place he
will need to explore. Waylon has his
share of secrets.
The alluring Amanda also
sets boundaries, which at first seem silly, but quickly take on a deeper meaning
when Eli goes where he has been warned not to go. What he finds hanging in the woods would
give anyone nightmares.
Last Kind Words is a near flawlessly delivered ghost story —
Southern Gothic in its telling — that will have you ducking for cover and
hiding your eyes as things literally go bump in the night!
The film worked the
festival circuit, including the Atlanta Film Fest and the Brooklyn
International Film Festival, to some nice reviews during 2012. With the May 21 street date for the DVD, Image
has three full months to beat the promotional drums for this one.
No word from Image
Entertainment just yet as to bonus goodies that might be included on the DVD
release.
To download this week's
complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report
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