Quiet Nights of Blood and Pain is the new film from underground director Andy Copp (Atrocity Circle, Mutilation Man). This time he's tackling a problem facing many Americans; the damaging effects of the Iraq war.
FILM- William is home from the war; only to his damaged mind, he still has a job to do. He was involved in numerous tortures and interrogations, and brings these wartime practices back to US soil; disposing of anyone he sees as "un-American" Adrienne is another veteran home, only the war has affected her differently. She suffers from post traumatic stress, and is basically a shell of what she once was. The two meet coincidentally when muggers attack her outside a veterans center, and then things really spiral out of control.
Williams kills in this movie are very politically charged. From the opening scene, where he leaves two victims posed as if they were prisoners from Abu Ghraib, I knew this film wouldn't play nice with the issue of torture; I was right. From car batteries to water boarding, William leaves a bloody trail. I really like how Copp didn't make this sleazy. I mean sure the budget (or lack of) makes it look slightly amateurish; but the way he executes the final product makes it seem less like a crazy veteran's rampage (like Forced Entry), but more like Combat Shock in some ways . I really enjoyed this film; from the political plot, to the brutal and gruesome kills. Well done Mr. Copp. 8/10.
PICTURE/ AUDIO- This is the only place the film falters. As with most indie films, the budget goes into the gore, not the equipment. The film looks pretty bright in some places, and you can tell that it has that home grown quality to it. While I like this style, I think this film would have felt more genuine, and less amateur if it was filmed with a slightly better camera. However, that is not even something to worry about, just a personal opinion; and won't affect your viewing experience at all. 7/10. The audio fades in and out at times, but nothing too horribly bad. It doesn't go from soft to ear blasting, nor does it go from loud to almost silent; just a slight difference. You won't sit there with the remote changing the volume every five minutes, you'll just have to listen a little harder in some places. 7/10.
EXTRAS- Each DVD comes with a promo for Copp's new film and a business card. DVD extras include original trailer, trailers for other Copp films, behind the scenes, and the Syndrome Exhibit: The Art of Andrew Copp. The extras are a nice companion to this very intriguing and original underground film. 8/10.
You can order this from www.massacrevideo.com or www.coppfilms.com.
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