Bruce LaBruce's Otto; or Up With Dead People
Alrighty then, I'm posting my review here for you zombie lovers so that none of you go and make the mistake of renting this film when you are ill prepared. If you don't really know who Bruce LaBruce is folks then you need to do your research or simply heed my warning to any and all folks that are even marginally against man on man action and if you are a full blown homophobe then don't do it. This film is simply not for you nor is it for the regular zombie genre lovers. Highly arty and very gay make up the atmosphere in this film so its just not for everybody. Here's my review, take it for what it is, I just don't want to see a slew of complaints on netflix review site about how damned gay it is and why didn't it come with a warning? lol
Well Otto; or Up With Dead People is a slightly surreal experience. It kind of looks like a gay Brazil (as in the movie) on steroids. It also comes with the commentary of a gay ZA: Zombies Annonymous but even the commentary is on steroids. Here's the only time I'm going to say this in my review, this borders on gay porn people, so you have been duly warned. If you are homophobic or not, but simply cannot watch gay love scenes even though they are zombies, then don't queue this. This is not your typical zombie film. It is very good though but not for everybody. Jey Crisfar as Otto puts out an amazing performance in my opinion. He's perfect as the young zombie man having an existential crisis. Katharina Klewinghaus totally deserves mention as well as the slightly pretentious, underground filmmaker. Her film, Up With Dead People seemlessly slides along inside the film of Otto's life as an undead. This wasn't nearly as campy or funny as I thought it was going to be. Surprise, surprise Mr. LaBruce. I didn't find all that much humor though some of Katharina's commentary can be darkly humorous. I mostly felt sad during this movie. Otto's character tugged on my heartstings and that is due to the compelling performance from Crisfar. If it's grue you are looking for in your gay cinema then you've got it here in spades. There are some really gruesome scenes in this film and they are incredibly artfully done along with the gore looking really good. Love is the backbone of this movie and it underscores all that goes on here which to me gave this movie its heart. This film is beautiful in an odd way and the look of it is probably ten times its budget. I will forever be pulling for Otto in his undead state. His character will stick in my mind I think for a while. Mr. LaBruce has done his job and did it well. Thanks for a little something different.
Well Otto; or Up With Dead People is a slightly surreal experience. It kind of looks like a gay Brazil (as in the movie) on steroids. It also comes with the commentary of a gay ZA: Zombies Annonymous but even the commentary is on steroids. Here's the only time I'm going to say this in my review, this borders on gay porn people, so you have been duly warned. If you are homophobic or not, but simply cannot watch gay love scenes even though they are zombies, then don't queue this. This is not your typical zombie film. It is very good though but not for everybody. Jey Crisfar as Otto puts out an amazing performance in my opinion. He's perfect as the young zombie man having an existential crisis. Katharina Klewinghaus totally deserves mention as well as the slightly pretentious, underground filmmaker. Her film, Up With Dead People seemlessly slides along inside the film of Otto's life as an undead. This wasn't nearly as campy or funny as I thought it was going to be. Surprise, surprise Mr. LaBruce. I didn't find all that much humor though some of Katharina's commentary can be darkly humorous. I mostly felt sad during this movie. Otto's character tugged on my heartstings and that is due to the compelling performance from Crisfar. If it's grue you are looking for in your gay cinema then you've got it here in spades. There are some really gruesome scenes in this film and they are incredibly artfully done along with the gore looking really good. Love is the backbone of this movie and it underscores all that goes on here which to me gave this movie its heart. This film is beautiful in an odd way and the look of it is probably ten times its budget. I will forever be pulling for Otto in his undead state. His character will stick in my mind I think for a while. Mr. LaBruce has done his job and did it well. Thanks for a little something different.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jimmy and Carla H. well mostly Jimmy on -
well damn, with this and whatever movie it is that carla put up on the number one slot, looks like i'm gettin' all kindsa gay movies to watch this time around...oh well.
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Permalink Reply by Headcheese on -
Oh and uh Jimmy? There's intestines baby! Lots of intestines! Nice!
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Permalink Reply by Headcheese on
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Well if Carla likes gay films Jimmy, she'll like Otto. I liked it, it's zombies, you have to. I don't give a rat's ass if they are gay zombies. They are zombies! lol
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Permalink Reply by Eclipsed on -
Thanks for the Review HeadCheese. Always awesome to read your thoughts.
As long its good I'll watch it.. People have been buzzing about it, so what the heck I'll watch it.
Gay Zombies on YouTube (Humorous).
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Permalink Reply by JP on -
Oh shit, that was hilarious!!
I saw Otto this weekend, and while it was NOTHING near what I was expecting, I really really enjoyed it. Something very different from the norm.
Great review HeadCheese, you really nailed it.
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Permalink Reply by Headcheese on
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I love that, it's hilarious! Just take note, there is some major male nudity (full frontal) in Otto. Also quite a bit of actual male love scenes. Frankly what I'm trying to do with my warnings not that you guys would do this but if you go and look on Otto's netflix page, well here they come. The onslaught of stupid whiney, complainy reviews about how we didn't know this was gay porn, netflix should have better warnings for these movies, netflix shouldn't even carry this movie because it's gay porn. It's happening now and it really pisses me off. It's just flat out annoying when people rent a movie that says it's gay in the plot summary or about gay or blah, blah, blah and then all they can do is complain and that nobody told them. They write stuff like "we turned this off after ten minutes because we didn't know it was gay and this movie is awful, terrible, yadda yadda!" WHATEVER!
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Permalink Reply by Jimmy and Carla H. well mostly Jimmy on
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...most of the wifes friends are gay, so now maybe people will watch a movie with me. 'Dawns too slow, 28 days is too scary (but that cillian is tre cute)' ...get so sick of that.
J
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Permalink Reply by Headcheese on
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Haha! That's what all the gays say! It's true. They're right though, Cillian is tre' cute.
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Permalink Reply by Jimmy and Carla H. well mostly Jimmy on
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well, alright, OTTO, I finally got to watch it, it's been sittin in front of the old DVD player forever now, I really liked it. I'm not familiar with any other bruce la bruce films, don't know if i'd be interested either if they didn't have anything to do with the undead, but this one is great. If you look past the gay elements, and just think of 'gay' and 'zombie' as more of a metaphor for 'outcast' it's great, and i could really identify with it...again, if you look past the 'gay zombie' element, and focus on the 'outcast element'...not that there's anything wrong with that.
It's really a lot of fun. It's one of those 'movie-within-a-movie' deals. the 'otto' portions are a disafected young man who really may, or may not be undead, and 'up with dead people' is a crazy ladies bourgousie socio-political gay zombie movie, both intertwine. I really like her silent movie girlfriend.
...as far as the gay porn angle goes, I hate to say it, but some of the whiners out there may be a little bit right. A zombie bites open the belly of an attractive german man so he can get in some 'gut fuckin'. literally. and twice i noticed penile oral penetration. I'm jaded as fuck so i don't care, but some might find it a little shocking.
But isn't that what zombie movies are for? pushing boundries and pushing buttons? Watch it.
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Permalink Reply by Headcheese on
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Yay! Jimmy! Good for you! I really thought Otto was a pretty special zombie movie! I mean really, has anyone ever seen zombie wound penetration? Fantastic and the gore was right on imo. I don't think you will enjoy or need to be interested in any other LaBruce films. None of them are zombie related and they are gay films so since you're not gay, I don't really see any interest for you. This however was a pretty good film and I'm with you on the whiners. Seriously if you can't take your mind off of the gay aspect and just enjoy it for what it is then you really shouldn't bother trying to watch it. Me? I seriously enjoyed everything about this film, the look, the gore, the creativity and the originality. It really is unique and very reflective.
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