Editorials
Time to Revisit… ‘Joshua’
The latest in my series taking a look at under-appreciated genre films puts the spotlight on George Ratliff’s evil-child flick Joshua, a 2007 indie that was unceremoniously dumped into 150 theaters by Fox Searchlight before quietly hitting the DVD market. As opposed to 2009’s similar Orphan, which enjoyed an illustrious wide release and considerable marketing push from Warner Bros., Joshua has been unjustly relegated to “also-ran” status despite the fact that it’s every bit as effective as its bigger-budgeted counterpart.
Take a trip with me now as I compare and contrast the two killer-tyke flicks (both starring Vera Farmiga!) and make a case for Joshua as a more than worthy entry in the enduring “bad seed” sub-genre that deserves a revisit.
Beloved Favorite: Orphan (2009)
Number of votes on IMDB: 32,949
The Plot: The 9-year-old adopted daughter of a suburban couple who recently lost a baby begins exhibiting sociopathic behavior.
Why it’s so celebrated: Ok, perhaps “celebrated” isn’t exactly the right adjective for Orphan (it’s a bit too early to make that pronouncement for a film that’s less than two years old), but it’s certainly well-liked by many horror fans and managed to rack up a decent $42 million at the domestic box-office and another $13 million or so in DVD sales. While it doesn’t hurt that the film was heavily-hyped by Warner Bros., it’s nevertheless a very good “evil child” flick, slickly executed by House of Wax director Jaume Collet-Serra and well-acted by leads Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard and newcomer Isabelle Fuhrman as the sadistic Esther. It’s also admired by hardcore horror buffs for not holding back on the violence, featuring as it does a couple of pretty nifty kills.
Why it’s time to back-burner it for awhile: I’m actually glad that Orphan got as much attention as it did – it’s a good film that more or less fulfilled the promise that Collet-Serra had earlier shown with his House of Wax remake. But with its big-budget studio marketing push, glossy production values and release in nearly 3,000 theaters, the film already had its moment in the sun. And besides, there’s another “demon-seed” movie starring Vera Farmiga that also deserves a little attention…
Underappreciated Also-Ran: Joshua (2007)
Number of votes on IMDB: 5,614
The Plot: The 9-year-old son of a big-city couple who recently welcomed a new baby begins exhibiting sociopathic behavior.
Why it’s not so celebrated: Unlike Orphan, Joshua is imbued with an art house sensibility that doesn’t make it a natural fit for mainstream audiences. Made independently by director George Ratliff and premiering at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, the film was picked up for a reported $4 million by Fox Searchlight, which then proceeded to dump it into 150 theaters or so before tossing it off onto DVD. While the film does have its fans and garnered generally positive reviews on release, it disappeared from theaters so quickly one could be forgiven for mistaking it as a direct-to-video title.
Why it deserves a revisiting: Joshua is a genuinely disturbing, understated gem that plays like a cerebral cousin of the more traditional Orphan (which, despite that nifty third-act twist, hits on all the standard tropes in its first 90 minutes). While the latter film essentially functions as a high-gloss rollercoaster ride, Joshua is a low-register mood piece that switches out Orphan‘s conventional histrionics for a deep sense of unease. The acting is first-rate, with newcomer Jacob Kogan giving a solid performance as the oddly-formal child prodigy with designs on his post-partum mother’s fragile state of mind. As his hapless parents, Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga create a devastating portrait of a well-to-do couple saddled with the taboo conundrum of feeling no real affection for their android-like son. Ratliff saturates the film with an atmosphere of almost suffocating anxiety, best exemplified in a disturbing piano recital scene that ends with Joshua’s eerily atonal rendition of childhood classic Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. The supremely eerie final scene will stay with you for days.
New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features one random pick as well as four selections reflecting the month of May 2024.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a self-loathing serial killer, a violinist’s murderous ghost, and a postmodern vamp flick.
Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973)
Pictured: Ted Bessell and Sian Barbara Allen in Scream, Pretty Peggy.
Directed by Gordon Hessler.
The TV-movie Scream, Pretty Peggy first aired as part of ABC Movie of the Week. Bette Davis plays the mother of a reclusive sculptor (Ted Bessell), and after the previous housekeeper goes missing, a local college student (Sian Barbara Allen) fills the position. Little does she know, though, the young employee’s predecessor was murdered — and the killer is still on the loose.
Admittedly, Scream, Pretty Peggy isn’t difficult to figure out; its inspiration is obvious. However, Bette Davis’ overstated performance and the son character’s macabre artwork are enough to stay tuned and learn who’s behind the killings.
Scream, Pretty Peggy is now available on physical media from Kino Lorber. Perhaps watch the movie with your own mother this Mother’s Day (May 12).
Paganini Horror (1989)
Pictured: The ghostly killer in Paganini Horror.
Directed by Luigi Cozzi.
For National Buy a Musical Instrument Day (May 22), check out this absurd Italian entry in the subgenre of cursed music horror. A rock band unleashes hell when they unknowingly use a satanic piece of music composed by Niccolò Paganini, the violinist who was rumored to have made a Faustian deal.
Even though Paganini Horror is hardly deemed a standout of Italian Horror, and the movie indeed drags itself toward the finish line, there are some bright spots worth focusing on. For instance: Donald Pleasence. If that’s not enough, the very ’80s aesthetic helps gloss over the flaws in Daria Nicolodi‘s uneven script.
Paganini Horror is now on physical media from Severin Films and is also streaming on SCREAMBOX.
Nadja (1994)
Pictured: Suzy Amis Cameron and Karl Geary in Nadja.
Directed by Michael Almereyda.
These vampires may or may not cast a reflection, but they sure do love to reflect. David Lynch executive-produced as well as briefly appeared in the film, which Roger Ebert succinctly described as “Deadpan Noir” in his review. This tale of revenge and philosophical pondering begins with the vampiric namesake (Suzy Amis Cameron) seducing the daughter (Galaxy Craze) of Van Helsing after he killed Nadja’s father, Dracula. From there a war erupts between the two sides, all while taking place in modern NYC.
Nadja is quite slow but also just strange, stylish and creative enough to keep your attention. In addition, the trip hop soundtrack is easy on the ears, and Peter Fonda plays a memorable Van Helsing. Overall, this is a unique and artsy approach to vampire horror.
Nadja is now streaming on Freevee.
The Bone Snatcher (2003)
Pictured: Scott Bairstow, Warrick Grier and Rachel Shelley in ‘The Bone Snatcher’.
Directed by Jason Wulfsohn.
For National Sunscreen Day (May 27), dig up the monster movie The Bone Snatcher. It will take more than a high SPF to protect the sunburned characters here; they are stuck in a South African desert with a bizarre monster called the Esikhulu.
The best things about The Bone Snatcher are its setting and the creature. This beast, which is brought to life on screen using a combination of practical and digital effects, sports a ghastly design to go with its unnerving ability to animate skeletons. Something else this movie has going for it is a refusal to show the monster too often; that way there is less chance of becoming desensitized to the Esikhulu. Ultimately, this has nothing on John Carpenter’s The Thing, however, those more forgiving fans of Syfy-ish creature-features should be satisfied.
The Bone Snatcher is currently streaming on Tubi.
#1 Serial Killer (2013)
Pictured: Jason Tobin in #1 Serial Killer.
Directed by Stanley Yung.
May is AAPIM, and the subversive #1 Serial Killer (originally titled Chink) is relevant when discussing the “Invisible Asian” notion. Acknowledging the irony, Stanley Yung’s movie has gone widely unnoticed despite its potent take on race and identity.
Jason Tobin (Warrior) delivers a compelling performance as the vile protagonist here. The self-hating, Ted Bundy-admiring character discriminates against other Asians after years of mistreatment and disregard, and that growing rage finally manifests as cathartic violence.
#1 Serial Killer is currently available at digital retailers like Apple.
No genre is as prolific as horror, so it’s understandable that movies fall through the cracks all the time. That is where this recurring column, Deep Cuts Rising, comes in. Each installment of this series will spotlight several unsung or obscure movies from the past — some from way back when, and others from not so long ago — that could use more attention.
‘Infested’ Review – One of the Best Spiders Attack Horror Movies in Years
‘The King Tide’: An Island Town Rots with Moral Decay in Canadian Folk Horror Fable [Review]
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TWO New ‘Evil Dead’ Movies Now in the Works; Sébastien Vaniček & Francis Galluppi Directing
5 Deep Cut Horror Movies to Seek Out in May 2024
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