DISCO REVIEWED
“Disco” got shared with me awhile ago by a reader that wants me to rethink my stance on Patreon. I’m still not sold on Patreon as a platform, but who knows how 2018 will go? The film comes from The Cinema Snob aka Brad Jones. Like most of you, I check out The Cinema Snob every Monday while doing online tasks. I appreciate the deep cut genre stuff, but I understand the need to pander with the kid-friendly and major film coverage. It’s part of the game, people.
The film starts with the longest trailer for Disco Godfather that I’ve ever seen. Well, this comes after borrowing a Grindhouse feature presentation trailer that felt a bit passe. It was novel for about 2 years. Now, it just feels like a kid trying to set their movie up to fail. I know that I’m being petty, but aesthetic value keeps me going with these no-budget features. What followed was a steady stream of Disco tunes that played like an unintentional riff on the Pink Flamingos soundtrack.
After you finish enjoying the musical highlights that might keep this movie from ever hitting DVD, there is the story. Three sisters come together at a night club at various points in their lives. One is a bored and married. The other one is an agoraphobic and the youngest one is recklessly partnering up with a drug dealer. The typical melodrama markers are hit with the panache of John Badham trying to get out of directing Staying Alive.
When the movie gets past the Sisters grumbling at each other and eventually making up, I noticed something peculiar. The film plays like the Peanuts gang putting on a Disco-oriented take on They Shoot Horses, Don’t They. Yes, I compare all cinematic dancing melodrama to old Jane Fonda movies. After all, I realize that my audience age range is somewhere between old and old-as-shit. What’s the big takeaway?
Laura Luke turns in a wonderful performance as the youngest sister. What could’ve been a heavily botched role in a production like this becomes the story’s anchor. Whether it’s helping to make Doug Walker’s dance partner make sense or to strengthen the plight of the sisters…she just works. That being said, hold a casting call or just invite randoms onto set. The lack of depth in these scenes was visually boring. Who goes to a night club in a major metropolitan city where there’s only 20 people?
Also, was the movie shot in HD? The copy I saw barely registered above standard definition and I’m not sure if that was intentional. The lighting also goes wacky when they split locations. It’s not that garish until it becomes obvious that they’re shooting in someone’s house. Drop clothes and industrial lighting go a long way to making things look pretty. Yet, that’s where I have to step back.
Disco was obviously a labor of love between a film-making fiend and his friends. I used to dabble in stuff like this when I was younger until everyone split up across the country. Then, I got sucked into the incredibly nebbish world of “Internet Journalism”. Notice that the only thing I put emphasis on was the thing I enjoy mocking. You should always try to be honest in your fictions and truth.
Disco was a work of people having fun creating and being with each other. While I haven’t had the opportunity to see the rest of Brad Jones’ films, I would love the chance to check it out. I’m not sure why a reader sent me a copy of this film to check out. Was I supposed to hate it? I don’t hate it, I don’t like certain aspects of it…but I can say the same for The Last Jedi. The fact of the matter remains that a talented individual crafted a serviceable no-budget 70s crime-drama ensemble that doesn’t insult your intelligence.
Could it have used a better technical crew? Sure, but you take what you can get. That being said, everyone’s got a chubby friend that can stand still and hold a boom mic. If you’re interested in checking out Disco, then head over to: https://www.patreon.com/thecinemasnob
It’s going to cost you 20 dollars, but you’re supporting a rather fun internet content producer. You need to support content producers. If you don’t, all you’re going to have is crap like Wikia and fill-in-the-blank conglomerate shoveling nostalgia for 10 year old films down your throat.
FILM STATS
- Not Rated
- 1 hr and 20 mins
- Stoned Gremlin Productions