Araki’s tenth film, ‘Kaboom‘ will be one of Cannes 2010’s Midnight screenings, and looks to be the continuation of the director’s artistic and philosophical manifesto. The film deals with the sexual awakening of group of college students, though somewhat confusingly bills itself as a science fiction, seemingly moving away from Araki’s usual generic monotony.

The best synopsis Ive found floating around the net has the film billed in this rather intriguing manner:

A hyper-stylized ‘Twin Peaks’ for the Coachella Generation, featuring a gorgeous, super hot young cast, ’Kaboom’ is a wild and sex-drenched horror-comedy thriller that tells the story of Smith (Thomas Dekker), an ambisexual 18-year-old college freshman who stumbles upon a monstrous conspiracy in a seemingly idyllic Southern California seaside town…

Smith’s everyday life in the dorms – hanging out with his arty, sarcastic best friend Stella, hooking up with a beautiful free spirit named London, lusting for his gorgeous but dim surfer roommate Thor – all gets turned upside-down after one fateful, terrifying night. Tripping on some hallucinogenic cookies he ate at a party, Smith is convinced he’s witnessed the gruesome murder of an enigmatic Red Haired Girl who has been haunting his dreams.

How could you not be tickled by that plot?!

Reasons to be Excited

- The plot sounds brilliant, even for movie fans not yet familiar with Araki’s work, but there is one factor more than any that excites me: I have to confess I love drug movies. Not because I’m a drug user (other than the odd hundred glasses of delicious beer, I’m pretty vanilla these days), but because I am always very interested in how film-makers present mind-altered states. Araki’s ‘Smiley Face’ is a beautifully funny look at the effects of marijuana, without the usual glamour or hipness (it is far more a comic tragedy, looking at how much of a fool you become when youre high), while last year’s festival entrant ‘Taking Woodstock‘ has an immaculate portrayal of acid taking and ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ brilliantly jumps from one drug experience to another.

- Araki is somewhat of an indie star-maker, having cast both Rose McGowan and Denise Richards in his work, as well as offering arguably 2010’s hottest talent-to-be Joseph Gordon-Levitt one of his first roles coming out of ‘3rd Rock From the Sun’ in ‘Mysterious Skin’. What price on Thomas Dekker becoming a far more familiar face (and not becoming just another victim of the new ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’), or the wonderfully named Juno Temple landing more plum roles after being one of the best things about ‘Atonement‘?

- With any luck, Araki might rescue James Duval from the DVD Bargain Bin. Once an absolute darling of indie cinema (most famously he played Frank in ‘Donnie Darko‘), and something of a muse for Araki, having starred in ‘Totally Fucked Up’, ‘The Doom Generation’ and ‘Nowhere’, Duval now seems to pick film roles with absolutely no prejudice (hence his forthcoming role in the abysmally, but also shockingly irresistibly named cannibal horror ‘Mondo Holocausto!’ Hopefully his renewed association with Araki will halt the madness.

- Last year’s midnight slot showing- ‘Drag Me to Hell‘ was just brilliant. Not only was the film an absolute Raimi-shaped triumph, the midnight slot gave it something extra that the subsequent showings would undoubtedly have missed out on. Here’s to ‘Kaboom’ channelling the ambience of the time-slot and making good on its potential.

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By admin • May 05, 2010 • News & Articles • Comments: 0

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