Indican Pictures has
lined up a beauty for the first week of August.
This would be actor-turned-director Michael Crabtree’s aptly titled
horror entry, Freaks (street date on DVD will be Aug. 7).
We use the word “horror,”
but that really doesn’t do justice to Crabtree’s bizarre tale of jealousy,
strange behavior and murder. O.K. then,
Freaks,
is a murder thriller … but that isn’t quite true either. It is something of a noirish thriller, populated by eccentric people … and bad things
happen.
It is important to note
that Michael Crabtree has been a working actor for the past 35 years. His credits include Tender Mercies, Murphy’s
Romance, The Alamo, A Texas Funeral and Dancer,
Texas Pop. 81, … some 55 roles in all.
So along the way he gathered experience, contacts and friends.
All of this is reflected
in this indie production from a “first-time” director. We’ve all seen indie films where the
filmmaker is learning as he or she goes … it can be painful. That’s not the case here. First class technical aspects — with
cinematography by Alan Lefebvre and editing by Steven Baker — are coupled with an outstanding cast. You simply don’t put something like Freaks
together with these aspects without years of experience, contacts and friends.
Mike Turner (Matthew
Tompkins — Sicario, Nightmare Box, Phobia, Spilt Milk, etc.) has been “on
the road” for sometime, but now he is returning home. From the backstory we have a few hints as to
where Mike has been and what might be wrong with him. He’s been under a doctor’s care for a
condition. While the “condition” may or
may not be the underlying problem, Mike also suffers from a rare malady called hyperthymestic
syndrome — he can literally remember every detail in his life, day-by-day,
minute-by-minute.
His brother, Matt (played
by veteran voice actor Chuck Huber), had a horrible accident and is wheelchair
bound. He lives with his wife, Gracie
(Angela Chase) and mother (Gail Cronauer) … plenty of history with Gracie and
Mike, which adds to the tension of the prodigal son’s return.
Finally, if this little
happy home setting wasn’t enough to make your skin crawl, the Turner’s own a
local antiques warehouse, which is run by the “third son” (not really related,
but damned if he doesn’t fit right it), Orvis (Jonathan Brooks — The
Retrieval, The Playroom, Phobia, etc.), who isn’t quite right, but he
reads Mike like an open book!
Mike is sinister, creepy
and primed for an explosion. Mix in a
strange household and an even stranger family business and you have all the
stuff for … well, Freaks! Enjoy, come
Aug. 7 … mark it on your home entertainment viewing calendar.
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