Greasy Strangler, The (2016)
Gareth Jones
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Starring Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo, Gil Gex
Directed by Jim Hosking
Screened at Mayhem 2016
Father and son duo Big Ronnie (St. Michaels) and Brayden (Elobar) are an oddball couple. Living together, they spend most of their spare time hanging around the house in their underwear, arguing nonsensically and calling each other a “bullshit artist” at the slightest sign of fallacy.
For the day job, they run a horribly low quality – and completely devoid of customer service – disco-themed walking tour of their LA neighbourhood, fuelled by Big Ronnie’s reluctance to let go of his ’70s heyday. When a woman named Janet (De Razzo) attends a tour and subsequently begins a relationship with Brayden, an offbeat love triangle takes form as Big Ronnie moves in to scupper his son’s chances at happiness.
Meanwhile, a serial killer is roaming the streets at night – naked from head to toe and caked in congealing grease, he strangles victims until their eyes pop out and punches faces into the back of their skulls when challenged. Could Big Ronnie – who has an angry predilection for foods cooked in (and bathed in) a stomach-churning amount of grease – be the titular stalker?
Well… he certainly seems to like bringing up the possibility in conversation any time he can.
Almost defying description, The Greasy Strangler is quite possibly the greatest cinematic oddity of 2016. Repugnant, infantile, frequently confounding but consistently hilarious, the comparisons to the work of John Waters that have been thrown around are certainly apt. It’s a film that relishes in its own wacked-out nature – completely aware of what it’s doing and completely unconcerned with whether or not you dig it.
Cartoonish, over-the-top gore and violence springs up occasionally with a distinctly Henenlotter vibe, and the frequent toilet humour – not to mention entirely unappealing nudity and some of the most hideous, angry-looking prosthetic penises you’re likely to ever see – is delivered with an oddball nonchalance you’ll either love or hate.
This same attitude extends to the performances, which are a hoot across the board. From the simple-minded Brayden to the perpetually irritated Big Ronnie and even Ronnie’s blind best friend, Big Paul (Gex), everyone’s having a blast with what’s asked of them. Nothing is particularly deep – this is a film whose crazy world, characters and internal thought process are all painted with a broad brush.
Yet amongst all of the outlandish behaviour, gag-inducing imagery and toilet humour, it still manages to pull together a colourful and appealing story of father and son – a teetering relationship between two men who are so alike they’ve become polar opposites, the only possible outcome being a deepening bond or total destruction.
Whichever way it goes, The Greasy Strangler makes getting there a blast. It does suffer from some slight repetition when the strangler’s activities ramp up mid-game, but Hosking thankfully pulls it back in moving form before it can become unfocused to the point of off-putting.
Unhinged and unbridled, The Greasy Strangler most certainly won’t be to everyone’s tastes. John Waters meets mumblecore meets “South Park” meets something else entirely… if it rubs you the right way, it’s going to work its greasy fingers right into your heart. If it doesn’t gel with your sensibilities, you’re going to hate it.
Oh, and Andrew Hung’s score is a phenomenally catchy electronic mish-mash that stands out entirely by itself amongst the on-screen madness. If you’re susceptible to earworms, don’t say you weren’t warned.
In fact, that about sums up the whole thing: Don’t say you weren’t warned.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
