10 More Obscure Films You Must See
10. Heartless (dir. Philip Ridley, 2010) During the last article, I reviewed the Mick Travis trilogy and argued that Lindsay Anderson was a director whose work deserved wider recognition. The same is true for Philip Ridley, something of a renaissance man whose work ranges from the southern gothic fairy tale The Reflecting Skin to the bizarre post-apocalyptic play The Pitchfork Disney. Under the circumstances I would ideally recommend The Passion of Darkly Noon, a magnificent, mesmerising horror movie featuring an unrecognisable Brendan Fraser. But since that has never received a proper DVD release, well have to settle for Heartless in the meantime which in itself is a really great, macabre Faustian fairy tale.
Heartless stars Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) as Jamie, a gifted photographer who was born with a large heart-shaped birthmark on his face. After his mother and neighbour A.J. (Noel Clarke) are brutally murdered by gang members, he enters into a Faustian pact with the demonic Papa B. (Joseph Mawle): he will have his birthmark removed and happiness restored, if he commits occasional acts of vandalism to spread chaos. Jamie agrees, but soon the deal is altered so that he must kill the woman he loves Heartless is a superb retelling of Faust which ably straddles the gritty and fantastical think Michael Powell meets Kidulthood by way of Pans Labyrinth. Ridleys striking, beautiful visuals are matched only by the extent of the violence, with two instances of self-immolation and a murder scene that will send even seasoned horror fans curling in the foetal position. The film blends religious imagery and fairy tales with the macabre humour of Clive Barkers Candyman, and its final reveal is both terrifying and deeply sad. Three Men on a Blog review The Movie Hour podcast: #31
Heartless stars Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) as Jamie, a gifted photographer who was born with a large heart-shaped birthmark on his face. After his mother and neighbour A.J. (Noel Clarke) are brutally murdered by gang members, he enters into a Faustian pact with the demonic Papa B. (Joseph Mawle): he will have his birthmark removed and happiness restored, if he commits occasional acts of vandalism to spread chaos. Jamie agrees, but soon the deal is altered so that he must kill the woman he loves Heartless is a superb retelling of Faust which ably straddles the gritty and fantastical think Michael Powell meets Kidulthood by way of Pans Labyrinth. Ridleys striking, beautiful visuals are matched only by the extent of the violence, with two instances of self-immolation and a murder scene that will send even seasoned horror fans curling in the foetal position. The film blends religious imagery and fairy tales with the macabre humour of Clive Barkers Candyman, and its final reveal is both terrifying and deeply sad. Three Men on a Blog review The Movie Hour podcast: #31
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