Gimme Skelter Review

Written by: moviemaven   

Fans of Scott Phillips will be overjoyed to discover that the writer/ director has done it again with Gimme Skelter. Phillips has shown us before that a huge budget is not necessary to get the point across. If you enjoyed The Stink of Flesh, then this next venture will prove he is no one-trick pony. Prepare yourself to dive back into the roiling pit of depravity that is his vivid imagination.

Think about what would happen if Charles Manson had an illegitimate son hell-bent on getting Daddy's attention the only way he knows how...with the brutal slaughter of an entire town one house at a time. Talk about dysfunctional families. I was intrigued by this idea and even more so when I learned who was responsible for it. I expected to be impressed and I was.

A couple of the characters are a little stiff but for the most part they are alive and well. This film is darkly funny as well as disturbing. And the majority of the actors pull it off without a hitch...except for those hilarious moments you will find in the outtakes track. Most notable are the exchanges between our lead, Todd (Mark Chavez) and his buddy, Chris (Robert Paul Medrano). They gave me a chuckle more than once. Also look for an impressive and natural performance from everyone's favorite Leatherface, Gunnar Hansen. Fans of Phillip's first film will recognize many, many faces. I love when directors find actors they love working with and do it repeatedly. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Don't go looking for a super polished production with fancy effects. You won't find it. But you will find a film with heart (and entrails) that tackles gore the old fashioned way. And if you know Phillips, you know he doesn't skimp. One scene in particular had me squirming and hiding behind my hands. I won't give it away, but it does involve a hand. I'll just leave it at that.

You can also expect his signature use of bizarre sexual fetish to knock you on the kinky bone. So if you did not enjoy The Stink of Flesh you may not be able to get into this, though it is not nearly as extreme. But I see Phillips as a visionary whose talent will continue to grow as will his fanbase.

I would also like to give a nod to the soundtrack involving some amazing indie bands. They capture the raw grindhouse feel quite well and enhance the viewing experience like any soundtrack should.