Search - Curse (1999) on DVD

Superb Independent Black Comedy

CreepyT | Colorado, United States | 05/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Frida (Amy Laughlin) is a relatively normal girl who works and lives in New York, except she's only that. "Normal." Nothing about her really makes her stand out in a crowd, or particularly in New York's dating scene. When her friend and neighbor decides to give her a makeover, Frida ends up getting much more than she bargained for. While shopping for slinky lingerie, she gets bitten by another woman, and after that things change drastically for Frida. Her dates appear to be going better, until she wakes up in the morning to find herself covered in blood with no memory of how it got there. Frida blames her blackouts and the blood on PMS and her period. But when a severed arm shows up in her bed as well, can she continue to write these coincidences off as mere "women's troubles?" To complicate things, two detectives are hot on her trail, connecting her with each of the victims. One of them wants to persue her as a suspect while the other wants to date her himself. Will Frida's life ever be the same?This movie is a great example of a well-made independent film, and black comedy. Don't be mistaken! In no way is this a horror film. Rather, this film pays homage to other great werewolf films of the past. In addition, "The Curse" is a hilarious satire that turns lycanthropy into a metaphor for menstruation (similar to "Ginger Snaps" in that respect).Amy Laughlin does a great job of portraying the trials and tribulations one goes through when adjusting to a new and strange lifestyle. You will find yourself laughing hysterically as you watch her waking in pools of blood, getting rid of bodies and body parts, and trying to explain her situation to her somewhat skeptical best friend. The fact that this is a low budget film with no effects doesn't detract from the quality of the film in any way, shape, or form. Great films need not have huge budgets. The script and cinematography are spectacular, and while some of the minor characters can be irritating, the major roles are performed quite well.The extras on the DVD are quite interesting, as they explain making an independent film on a low budget. Overall a great value for those who can appreciate excellent movies that don't have million dollar budgets! Highly recommended!"

Smart and Original

CreepyT | 07/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hip indie black comedy/horror film. Really good performances from an exciting new cast (I didn't recognize any of the actors). The lead actress, Amy Laughlin, is bound to be a big star one day -- very natural with a commanding presence. She convincingly makes the transformation the script requires of her character. I saw this film with my girlfriend, and she fell in love with the lead actor Mike Dooly.The script is witty and fun -- it doesn't rely on "jokes" or sitcom humor -- but instead gets its black comedy from situations and scenes. I'm not sure why the film is being marketed as a horror film because it's really so much more than that. It's more like a sophisticated indie black comedy shot on a ultra-low budget. But don't get me wrong -- there's blood and gore, but that's not what this film's about.What really makes this DVD standout are the two audio commentaries. One is a "straight" commentary in which the Writer-Director and Producer actually take the commentary seriously and give great details on the making of the film (I was surprised to hear this was shot on 16mm -- it looks like 35mm). The other commentary (which I've now listened to three times) was basically a "What Not to Do When Making a No-Budget Indie Film" (though it's not marketed that way on the cover). The advice in this commentary alone is worth the price of the DVD. Once again, the Writer-Director and Producer tell you what mistakes they made while making this no-budget film. Their honesty is refreshing and an inspiration to anyone who plans to shoot a no-budget feature."

Fresh take on an old theme

TD | NY, NY | 07/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"AWESOME! Finally, some creativity. This movie is a cool, modern "horror" flick. It's got it all-a good storyline, great photography and shots of NYC and well thought out editing. I highly recommend this movie--it's very entertaining."

Fun indie romantic-comedy

TD | 07/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Definitely worth a look! I thoroughly enjoyed this original take on the werewolf genre. It's not as much a horror film as a dark romantic-comedy about the NY dating scene. Some really witty observations and hilarious scenes. The acting was really good -- especially the lead characters. The film looks much better than other low-budget indie films -- it has a real style to it. Look for "homages" to some of the great directors and some tongue-in-cheek werewolf jokes. The DVD offers two interesting commentaries by the director and producer. I learned more from listening to their commentaries than I did in my film classes in college!"