SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE (2011)
Label: Anchor Bay Entertainment
The Film: I love me some Kevin Corrigan, from Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990) on thru to TV's Grounded for Life and dark-comedies like Superbad (2007) and Pineapple Express (2007), the guy just adds value to any endeavor and I was just as pleased as punch to see him in a starring role. In Jack Perez's indie-slasher Some Guy Who Kills People (2011) Corrigan plays an awkward outsider employed at anl ice cream parlor alongside his loyal friend friend Irv whom is played by Leo Fitzpatrick whom you may recall as "Telly" from the still super-disturbing film Kids (1995). Ken's just been released from the loony-bin and is trying to get back on his feet, unfortunately he lives with his mother Ruth (Karen Black, Burnt Offerings) who's more than just a little bit nagging. It's not too hard to see where some of Ken's insanity might have come from. Not helping with his mental well-being is a ridiculous ice cream costume he wears during catered events - if I was forced to wear that monstrosity I might think about killing a few folks too.
It turns out Ken is a pretty gifted comic artists. When he isn't laying in bed staring intently at the ceiling he spends his time scrawling macabre images of death into a sketchbook. Throughout the film we get flashback to Ken being bullied in high-school - it's more than bullying though - it's torture at the hands of kids back in high-school. Obviously this trauma has left an indelible mark on his fragile psyche. In fact it seems he's knocking off this former tormentors and displaying their corpses in bizarrely staged poses. The deaths aren't particularly elaborate or ingenuous but they're effective nonetheless - we get a hatchet to the head, a machete decapitation, a throat slashed and a brutal stabbing - not too gory but bloody as Hell.
There's an unexpected introduction of Ken's estranged daughter coming into his life - a child even his own mother was unaware of until she shows up on the doorstep. Amy (Ariel Gade, Dark Water) is a precocious 11-year old who decides to spend time with her father against her mother's wishes after arguing with her and her Jesus-freak boyfriend. It's an awkward transition for the socially inept Ken but he tries his best. There are a surprising number of tender moments between the damaged father and daughter - they're good for reach other but when she observes daddy's night-time activities it strains the relationship to say the least. Also figuring into the film are a quirky sheriff (Barry Bostwick, The Rocky Horror Picture Show) who's dating Ken's nutty mom and Lucy Davis (Shaun of the Dead) as a not-too-annoying a love interest.
The films has a great cast too with solid performances from start to finish, it's a bit quirky from time to time but appropriate for the material which goes right back to the script which is spot-on witty and darkly comedic - a great blend of genre film-making. The gore leaves a bit to be desired but it's definitely an entertaining character study of a wounded psyche laced with some sharp dark humor.
Special features on the disc include the short The Fifth (2007) which inspired the film and stars Sam Lloyd of TV's Scrubs as a an unemployed serial-killer whose nighttime activities put the damper on poker night, fun stuff. We also get a theatrical trailer, an audio commentary and a 'Making of' featurette which includes a brief video interview with executive producer John Landis (American Werewolf in London) who was originally slated to direct the film before dropping it to direct his passion-project Burke and Hare (2010) starring Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg.
Special Features:
Region Code: 1 NTSC
Rating: R
Duration: 97 Min.Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Duration: 97 Min.Video: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Director: Jack Perez
Cast: Kevin Corrigan, Barry Bostwick, Karen Black, Ariel Glade, Lucy Davis
Synopsis: At first glance, Ken Boyd (Kevin Corrigan, TV's Fringe) may seem like an average comic enthusiast, living with his mother (Karen Black, Trilogy of Terror) and working to make ends meet as an underpaid, underappreciated ice cream parlor attendant. But Ken has a dirty little secret: he fantasizes about killing people. After being released from a stay in the loony bin, for severe mental trauma suffered when he was beaten and tortured by a gang of high school thugs, Ken’s repressed anger suddenly reaches a boiling point. With gleeful enthusiasm Ken hunts down his tormentors, one by one, and exacts his bloody revenge.
Synopsis: At first glance, Ken Boyd (Kevin Corrigan, TV's Fringe) may seem like an average comic enthusiast, living with his mother (Karen Black, Trilogy of Terror) and working to make ends meet as an underpaid, underappreciated ice cream parlor attendant. But Ken has a dirty little secret: he fantasizes about killing people. After being released from a stay in the loony bin, for severe mental trauma suffered when he was beaten and tortured by a gang of high school thugs, Ken’s repressed anger suddenly reaches a boiling point. With gleeful enthusiasm Ken hunts down his tormentors, one by one, and exacts his bloody revenge.
The Film: I love me some Kevin Corrigan, from Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990) on thru to TV's Grounded for Life and dark-comedies like Superbad (2007) and Pineapple Express (2007), the guy just adds value to any endeavor and I was just as pleased as punch to see him in a starring role. In Jack Perez's indie-slasher Some Guy Who Kills People (2011) Corrigan plays an awkward outsider employed at anl ice cream parlor alongside his loyal friend friend Irv whom is played by Leo Fitzpatrick whom you may recall as "Telly" from the still super-disturbing film Kids (1995). Ken's just been released from the loony-bin and is trying to get back on his feet, unfortunately he lives with his mother Ruth (Karen Black, Burnt Offerings) who's more than just a little bit nagging. It's not too hard to see where some of Ken's insanity might have come from. Not helping with his mental well-being is a ridiculous ice cream costume he wears during catered events - if I was forced to wear that monstrosity I might think about killing a few folks too.
It turns out Ken is a pretty gifted comic artists. When he isn't laying in bed staring intently at the ceiling he spends his time scrawling macabre images of death into a sketchbook. Throughout the film we get flashback to Ken being bullied in high-school - it's more than bullying though - it's torture at the hands of kids back in high-school. Obviously this trauma has left an indelible mark on his fragile psyche. In fact it seems he's knocking off this former tormentors and displaying their corpses in bizarrely staged poses. The deaths aren't particularly elaborate or ingenuous but they're effective nonetheless - we get a hatchet to the head, a machete decapitation, a throat slashed and a brutal stabbing - not too gory but bloody as Hell.
There's an unexpected introduction of Ken's estranged daughter coming into his life - a child even his own mother was unaware of until she shows up on the doorstep. Amy (Ariel Gade, Dark Water) is a precocious 11-year old who decides to spend time with her father against her mother's wishes after arguing with her and her Jesus-freak boyfriend. It's an awkward transition for the socially inept Ken but he tries his best. There are a surprising number of tender moments between the damaged father and daughter - they're good for reach other but when she observes daddy's night-time activities it strains the relationship to say the least. Also figuring into the film are a quirky sheriff (Barry Bostwick, The Rocky Horror Picture Show) who's dating Ken's nutty mom and Lucy Davis (Shaun of the Dead) as a not-too-annoying a love interest.
The films has a great cast too with solid performances from start to finish, it's a bit quirky from time to time but appropriate for the material which goes right back to the script which is spot-on witty and darkly comedic - a great blend of genre film-making. The gore leaves a bit to be desired but it's definitely an entertaining character study of a wounded psyche laced with some sharp dark humor.
Special features on the disc include the short The Fifth (2007) which inspired the film and stars Sam Lloyd of TV's Scrubs as a an unemployed serial-killer whose nighttime activities put the damper on poker night, fun stuff. We also get a theatrical trailer, an audio commentary and a 'Making of' featurette which includes a brief video interview with executive producer John Landis (American Werewolf in London) who was originally slated to direct the film before dropping it to direct his passion-project Burke and Hare (2010) starring Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg.
Special Features:
- Audio commentary with co-producer/director Jack Perez and writer/producer Ryan Levine
- Short Film, "The Fifth," That Inspired The Feature (12:36) 16:9
- Making Of Featurette (13:06) 16:9
- Trailer
Verdict: This was quite a fun watch, it's not necessarily what I was expecting but that's not a bad thing either- the unexpected is nice from time to time and especially when it stars the awesome Kevin Corrigan, this is a rental at the very least. 3.5 Outta 5
- Making Of Featurette (13:06) 16:9
- Trailer
Verdict: This was quite a fun watch, it's not necessarily what I was expecting but that's not a bad thing either- the unexpected is nice from time to time and especially when it stars the awesome Kevin Corrigan, this is a rental at the very least. 3.5 Outta 5
