Back in January, 2010, I was lucky enough to catch a viewing of the classic film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with David and we shared some words on the film and his work. It was a night I will never forget until the day I die.
Check out the David Hess Demo Reel:
As usual, it has been a while since my last review and this time I am going to make it up to you with three, count 'em - three mini reviews of the "David Hess trilogy" in chronological order:
Last House on the Left (1972)
Pretty Mari Collingwood (Sandra Cassel) lives out in the country with her parents, just turned 17 and with her friend, Phyllis they are going into town to see a concert and have a little fun. Krug, Sadie, Weasal and Jr. are criminals on the lam and are out to have a little fun as well. The two camps cross paths the baddies take the girls out to the woods to have some rape, humiliation and murder. Then, Krug (Hess) and company meet with car trouble and head to a nearby house to hideout for the night. The film then turns into a revenge film complete with some dumb, lighthearted moments to take some of the strain off because while one may argue their opinion of the film, most will agree that it is very stressful to watch.
The spunky, uplifting soundtrack was written and performed by Hess and gives the film a quirky personality even when all sorts of terrible things happen a few minutes later. There is also another song that is very somber and fitting for the scene of the film in which it plays. "Now You're All Alone" works very well in making the viewer come to a screeching halt from all of the intense torture that has just occurred and makes them reflect on how Mari has given up hope in being rescued.
Here's the song:
Hess' character, Krug is who really shines throughout the film by making us hate him as a vicious, sadistic man with the faintest bit of remorse (and I stress faintest). Although the other actors do fine jobs of not over-acting, (with the exception of the Sheriff and his sidekick) Hess has the charisma which cemented him as one of him as one of exploitation's greatest villians. This was Wes Craven's first film and while it wasn't necessarily scary, it was disturbing enough to make lots of waves as it was banned in the UK for twenty-two years.
I must say that I love this film because of its juxtaposition of lightheartedness, intimidation and the characters, especially Hess and Cassel who does her job well, making the viewer like her more than enough so they feel worse seeing terrible things happen to her. The violence and sex are obviously the exploited elements of this film and they work well with the comedic elements to make a perfect cult classic while making you think too.
4 1/2 Peace Signs (Out of 5)
Check Out the Trailer or BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT:
Pick up the Blu-ray or DVD at Amazon:
Hitch-Hike (A.K.A. Death Drive and The Naked Prey) (1977)
Hitch-hike is quickly becoming one of my favorite films of all time!
Alcoholic journalist, Walter Mancini (Franco Nero) and his wife Eve (Corinne Cleary) whose marriage is hanging by a thread are on a road trip to Los Angeles. If that isn't enough they end up doing something your mother probably told you never to do a hundred times: They pick up a hitchhiker, Adam Konitz (Hess). Now, you are probably thinking to yourself, "I know where this is going" but you don't (unless you've seen this before)! Konitz had just escaped a mental institution and stole two million dollars with some partners and now he wants the Mancinis to drive him to Mexico. Then Konitz's partners return, take control of the Mancini's car and head for Mexico. Konitz kills his partners and gets his original ride back and ends up raping Eve but not after Walter shoots him dead.
As usual, I won't spoil the ending because you really should be watching this instead of Real Steal, but I am going to say that I found it refreshingly unconventional for the type of film it has been up to this point. When Hollywood tries to make endings like this, they always fail because it ends up coming off as cheesy or unconvincing because there is no self-identification with the characters. In Hitch-hike, even though you may not be going through the same emotions of dealing with a failed marriage, there's still a likeable connection to the characters which therefore makes you more sympathetic to them.
Most Hollywood films of this nature have characters that I could care less about so then I am anticipating their hardships and even deaths while I feel dirty and vulnerable because I paid $10.50 to see it.
What I love about this movie is that Hess is playing the character he knows best but has a different quality that isn't as balls out, hardcore sadistic as Krug in Last House on the Left. He playfully taunts Walter and Eve as they drive, making the couple reflect on themselves and their marriage. Although you may like them to a degree, it's Hess who ends up looking like the more put together person in the car, helping you to forget that he is playing "the bad guy" except when he shows it physically.
Of the three films, this is the one I have only seen once but that number will quickly increase.
4 1/2 Whiskey Bottles (Out of 5)
Check Out the Trailer but Watch the Road:
Pick up the DVD at Amazon:
House on the Edge of the Park (1980)
House on the Edge of the Park is an interesting film that I have gotten many things out of multiple viewings. While it may not be the strongest of the Hess trilogy that does not mean it is a bad film.
Alex (Hess) drives around at night in New York City and spots a pretty girl in a car beside him. He chases her down, brutally rapes her and takes a locket from around her neck before strangling her to death. Later, Alex is about to "go boogie" with his friend, Ricky who works as a mechanic at a garage. A young rich yuppie couple, Tom and Lisa drive their car inside and complains of engine trouble. Ricky quickly finds and fixes the problem. Tom and Lisa are grateful and invite him and Alex with them to a party they are headed to.
What follows is one of the longest collections of scenes of constant abuse and humiliation by Alex and Ricky that can only really be rivaled by Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects. The stakes get higher as teenage neighbor, Cindy stops by to check on the party and is humiliated and cut all over her body by Alex.
Naturally, I won't reveal any more of the story since there isn't much to it, however there is a plot twist near the ending. While after suffering with these people for the last hour or so, the actual ending and resolution is a little drawn out but there is still much to think about in terms of similarities (if only a few) and differences between the upper and middle class. David Hess's performance is the only notable one here as everyone else isn't always as nonchalant at being terrified as he is terrifying.
Of course, Hess, who knows this role all too well is fantastic and yet there are a few differences for his character this time around, the thing about The House on the Edge of the Park is that you actually feel more sympathetic for Alex and Ricky up to a certain point, although that opinion may change a few times before the film is over.
This is also another film that may be hard to watch if you are offended and/or seriously disturbed by rape and sexual violence. I saw this film once when I was 13. A friend of mine knew it had a lot of female nudity and at that age I was intrigued, however now that the pubescent excitement of seeing naked women has faded into memory, now I see the underlining messages in House on the Edge of the Park when back then, when I was young, it was all about nudity.
3 1/2 Razors (Out of 5)
Join the Party and Check Out the Trailer:
Pick up the DVD at Amazon:
So there you have it: Three great films that showcase what "The Mad Hessian" at his best. There are other films David Hess has been in that are great so check out his filmography on IMDB.com and pick out some films that look interesting to you.
R.I.P. David - You will live on through the films and music which have undoubtedly made an impression on many people.
Myself and The Mad Hessian
1/16/10
