2004
Reviewed By-Sean Patrick Dolan Director: Jon Keeyes Cast: Trent Haaga, Brandy Little, Hayden Tweedie, Kimberly Grant
Source:EI/Shock-O-Rama Cinema DVD (R1 NTSC)The Rosenblads, Charles (Trent Haaga) and Deborah (Brandy Little) are a typical, upper middle class couple. They’ve been married about a dozen years, have a young daughter named Becky, and are finding that the magic between them has faded. They bicker constantly- Charles complains about Deborah’s mood swings and temper while Deborah resents Charles’ condescending attitude and need to be in control. Jon Keeyes’ SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE, is about the final night of the Rosenblad’s marriage.
The final straw in this marriage is a miscommunication over a small dinner party. Debra had forgotten that they were having another couple over that evening and was tired from working all day. She is angry when Charles refuses to call the dinner off. Charles, in turn, takes this to mean that he will "entertain" the guests himself this time. So far this sounds like a Woody Allen flick, right? Think again. When Debra comes down stairs from their daughter’s room, the guests are already dead- Charles poisoned them. The problem is, the Rosenblads are serial killers and have been partners in this activity their entire marriage. Debra is angry that Charles acted without her. She is further enraged when she goes down to their basement "torture room" and finds one of their two female hostages missing- Charles admits that he butchered her and then used her in the meat sauce for the spaghetti. That’s right, they are also cannibals.
This begins an argument that lasts long into the night, waking the couple’s daughter, Becky, and summoning the police to respond to reports of a domestic disturbance. But it isn’t long before Becky is soothed back to sleep and the police are convinced to leave, allowing Debra and Charles to continue their increasingly more violent quarrel. Expect a shocking and violent conclusion, because neither of these two deadly spouses will back down from a fight . . . .SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE is a film that is, in Keeyes’ own words, a very low budget enterprise shot on an equally tight schedule. The story, written by Debbie Rochon, of two psychotic lovers fighting in their home over the time span of one evening was selected to provide the most dramatic plot possible under these circumstances. The "twist"- that the couple are serial killers- is revealed right off the bat, as suspense was not the game plan here. Neither was an overkill of blood and gore, as evidenced by the fact that the majority of the special effects budget went to the impressive torture room, which is only featured in two key scenes. However, these comments should not be taken as criticism. The production values of this film, which was shot on high definition video, belie its humble budget. It features strong visuals and sophisticated direction. For example, Keeyes’, a self admitted fan of Brian DePalma’s work, shot many scenes in "split di-opter". As mentioned above, when the special effects team was called upon, they provided impressive results.
In addition, SUBURBAN NGHTMARE, is a very effective psychodrama that is engaging, tempered with moments of black humor but never crossing the line into cheesiness- even in later scenes in which Charles and Debra’s fighting becomes progressively more physical and, finally, downright homicidal. The plot is advanced not only by Charles and Debra’s dialogue, but by flashbacks of happier times and scenes in which the couple talk one-on-one with their daughter Becky. The viewer sees that this final marital spat was preceded by years of discontent- as would be the case in any "normal" relationship. We are progressively initiated into the darker side of both spouses’ psyches, as sexual deviance within- and without- the marriage as well as the possible molestation of Becky by Charles are introduced. A bleak psychological study of this nature cannot be pulled off without a strong cast of actors but, fortunately, the entire cast of SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE is superb in this film. Debra, who gets the most screen-time, is played by Brandy Little, an alumnus of Keeyes’ two previous films (AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, HALLOW’S END). Trent Haaga, who portrays Charles, is most known for comedic roles in Troma features such as TERROR FIRMER. He proves here he is an actor with significantly more range. Hayden Tweedie portrays the doomed child Becky, and is definitely a cut above other child actors who usually just muck up otherwise decent films. Kimberly Grant, who has very brief roles as a captive in the torture room, is excellent in a character role that few would want to tackle. SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE is a film that restores a critic’s confidence that there are still independent directors out there making quality work and that the term "B-flick" should probably be retired because all it means in this era is "low budget". An excellent film by any standard.
I reviewed a screener provided by Shock-O-Rama Cinema. This 2004 Region 1 DVD release is loaded with extras. To start off, there is a full audio commentary track with director Jon Keeyes. But the main attraction in the extras department is a series of five excellent "mini-documentaries" on the making of the film. Each one is 5-10 minutes long and covers a subject such as set design, character development and motivation, art direction and photography, and relations between the cast and crew. Director Keyes does most of the talking, but the actors and other key players also are given a voice. The disc also includes three short films: Rob Fitz’s "Lost Face", and Daniel Sergio De La Vega’s "Deep Dream" and The Last Supper". Also included is a Keeyes directed music video, "Don’t Wake Becky", performed by the band Eden Automatic. Rounding out the extras are trailers for several other Shock-O-Rama releases, including THE SCREAMING DEAD starring regular Misty Mundae, several weblinks, and an amusing Easter egg.
Story: 4.0 Bitch Slaps DVD Extras: 5.0 Bitch Slaps Picture/Audio: 5.0 Bitch Slaps Overall DVD: 4.5 Bitch Slaps For more info on this title and on more Shock-O-Rama films.
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