Beyond The Grave: A Supernatural Post-Apocalyptic Spaghetti Western Road Movie
One of the first things viewers may note about the genre defying Brazilian supernatural horror is how lovingly it is shot. The stunning cinematography belies the low-budget roots of this film from director Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro, that took the writer, producer, director a full six years to bring to the screen. Described as "supernatural road movie", it is so much more, and pays homage to the director's obvious love of independent and cult cinema from around the world. The opening minutes are shot like a cross between the opening of a Sergio Leone spaghetti western and an Italian giallo movie. A story of "not-so-good" versus evil, the movie takes viewers on road trip through a post-apocalyptic world, where reality bends like the twists and turns of the road. A world of magic and supernatural powers exists alongside wandering zombies, desperate survivors and a mysterious serial-killer known as the Dark Rider. Who is being hunted down by an equally mysterious and vengeful man in black, known only as The Officer.
|
Our anti-hero stalks the barren landscape like a cross between Clint Eastwood's a-man-with-no-name and Dirty Harry, dressed like he just stepped out of From Dusk Til Dawn. Like his young travelling companions Shooter and Nina, we never warm to him, we're always wary of him, but none-the-less we follow him on his journey into Hell.
Director Pinheiro says that his journey to create Beyond The Grave was one of ups and downs. The self financed film, "forged in friendship", is a mesmerising roller coaster ride in slow motion. It takes its time to reveal each new layer of the increasingly mad world that Pinheiro has carefully crafted. I've seen the film described as Brazilian Grindhouse, but that is doing the film an injustice. It can't be simply categorised as either this genre or that, as Pinheiro himself describes it as "world cinema". And in many ways it is exactly that, borrowing from and influenced by a whole array of styles and genres from around the world. Bringing something fresh and intriguing, that you can't quite put your finger on, Beyond The Grave will likely require multiple viewings. One thing that it is, it's a movie made in the tradition of 1970s and 1980s b-movies. Which is a rare thing to achieve these days. Many film-makers with a minimal budget and a camera have tried and failed to make movies that come close to those classic b-movies. Somehow Beyond The Grave carries it off. It's not perfect, but b-movies aren't supposed to be. And that's why we love them. |
|
If I was to level a criticism at Beyond The Grave, is that at times it style over substance. Yet at the same time, the mere fact that it is filmed with such cautious stylish care carries you through to the very end. Will it become a cult classic? Only time will tell. What this film certainly does do, is turn people's attention to an often underrated Brazilian film industry. Pinheiro if nothing else has sparked our interest, and fans of independent and world cinema may well be re-evaluating the current state of film production coming out of Brasil.
Since its international release on the film festival circuit in 2011, Beyond The Grave has been nominated for and won many awards, and generally well received by film fans around the world. |
|