KILLER JOE v NO WAY OUT

KILLER JOE v NO WAY OUT

Now there is a book out there called 'Never Eat Alone'.
I've heard about it, a road to riches novel about how it's imperative for people to do the simple things socially. I can't bring myself to read it; I like to eat my dinner whilst simultaneously trawling the iTunes website for cool trailers. I am willing to eat in the company of others but they must be willing to eat in silence whilst I complete this process.
I think there should be a book called 'Never Watch a Movie Hungover Alone."
Because I was in a terrible way watching NO WAY OUT last Sunday afternoon.

NO WAY OUT (available on BBC iPlayer now)

Its amazing how I forgot about how the last two minutes completely turns the entire storyline of this film on its head. In this political crime thriller, Kevin Costner is fronting an investigation to winkle out a russian spy, whom we are told is guilty of murdering this Susan chick played by Sean Young. (Remember her? Crikey I heard a terrible story that she was last seen trying to get in Elton Johns star-studded oscar show after party. But she wasn't considered A-list enough so subsequently got told to do one. She then begged fellow attendee's to sneak her in. Oh the humanity).

Also a little Sean Young fact, she was down to play Vicky Vale in the first Elfman Batman. (I refuse to call it Burton's, Nicholson's or Keaton's Batman as Elfman's score is by far the best thing in that film).
But she fell off a horse and broke her arm and in stepped Kim Basinger. Who probably had no trouble getting into Elton's party.

Anyway, Sean Young gets them out in this, right before Gene Hackman gives her a right hook, sending her flying off a balcony to instant death. This is all in the trailer, so no spoilers. Even so, the film is about 20 years old so it shouldn't really matter. So does this all sound familiar? Yes it's pretty much the exact same thing that happens to Gene Hackman in Absolute Power, only we don't have Clint Eastwood having a good old perv through a double sided mirror.

Anyway my favourite thing in this film, apart from the last crazy two minutes, is how creepy and gay Will Patton is. He slimes around the whole film playing a cover up side kick to Gene Hackman. And when he's not brown nosing him, he's shooting guys in wheelchairs. (Hey it's all in the trailer). He should be in every film. Remember how much you liked him in Gone in Sixty Seconds? No? What about as Bruce Willis's buddy in Armageddon? He was the one yelling to Colonel Willy Sharp to give his buddy 'ONE MORE MINUTE!!' (Willy Sharp by the way, best cock based name in any film yet.) Will Patton has got some range.

A few days before I rented KILLER JOE from blockbusters. I waited in line with the empty case. The guy behind the counter clocks me (we are on nodding terms in Tesco's, Barnado's Subway and every other shop we seem to similarly frequent) slips me the DVD and request that I pay for it on my return. It was like that scene in Goodfellas where Ray Liotta's wife gets to go to the front of the queue to pay for her groceries. Only I'm better than her, I don't have to pay at all. Of course I get the stinkeye from everyone else in the shop but I don't care, I've got my film and my Jellybabies and I'm off to the Cyprus Fish Bar for a bag of chips and a battered sausage. My friday routine is sad, isolated, yet thoroughly enjoyable if you happen to be me.

The film was fantastic. It boasts being the most violent film of the year, but that really is only the last ten minutes. I used to avoid Matthew MacConaughey like the fucking clap, EDTV was just beyond shit. But he is so good in this film he even has his own theme tune, that sounds uncannily like Dazed and Confused. Which by the way, he was in! Coincidence? Yeah probably.
But it's a cool looking film by one of my favourite directors William Friedkin. He did The Exorcist of course and if you want to know why everyone looked shit scared in that film it's because he used to walk around the set with a shot gun, every now and then he's slap his actors in the face and then call 'ACTION'. It's true. Go back and watch the scene at the end where one of the Jesuits is crying over the body of a dead priest. Those are real tears.

Especially as there were no decent horror films released for Halloween watch THE EXORCIST, not KILLER JOE, or NO WAY OUT.