Well Deserved Praise

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

This is one of those films that make me like independent horror films over mainstream Hollywood ones. Chainsaw Sally has a very simple premise. A young girl and her brother witness the brutal murder of their parents but their father (played by the great Gunnar Hansen) hands out his own brand of justice prior to dying courtesy of his trusty chainsaw. So the very young older sister raises her younger brother away from the eyes of society. Jump forward to the present and we see the grown up Sally, by day a normal librarian but by night a one woman avenging angel. Her brother is a stay home dress up kind of guy (he is neither gay nor a cross dressing person but a guy who was raised by a young girl who didn't know any other way to dress him). He keeps the house pretty while Sally saves them from evil developers, cops, and the occasional moron who didn't shut up in the library. The movies boasts great cameos from Gunnar and HG Lewis who plays the hardware store owner Mr. Gordon(take a wild guess who is his best customer for power tools). I heard about this film at least 2 years prior to it's release and have to say that it lived up to the hype. Shot and acted very well, it is a model for other independent film makers to follow. Don't over due it. Stay true to your story and let the characters take you on a great journey. I can't wait to see what Forbidden Films comes up with next.

OK - I know it is not a great movie (not really even a good one) but I have to admit that I LOVED this flick! There is something charming about a mild mannered librarian with an almost super-hero, goth, chainsaw wielding alter ego with a transvestite little brother. My friends and I laughed throughout the entire thing - and kept making comments like, "...if she were our local librarian - we'd totally hang out!" I also really enjoyed the music. We were all ready to absolutely hate (love/hate relationship) this movie, but by the end - we all had to admit that we liked it. I think I'm planning on a purchase so I can see it again!

This movie is wonderful not only for the original murder scenes, but for the well developed relationship between Sally and Ruby. You can almost find yourself saying, "if I was in that situation, I'd do the same thing". There is also the "superhero" element - needing to chose between one world and the other and setting your priorities. This movie has a great feel and a wonderful flow. As Sally goes through her day and visits the different places that make up her world, you can sense the change in her mood. April Burril makes these changes seamlessly.Hats off to JimmyO and April. This is a movie that will be around for a long time to come. As this movie nods in the direction of TCM, someday others will be watching a new horror flick and find themselves thinking back on Sally...

As a big fan of horror and independent movies, I have been looking forward to Chainsaw Sally, there are cameos by both Hershell Gordon Lewis and Gunnar Hansen. They are more of small roles, but, not big enough that I want to discard the cameo title.- However, this movie carries it's own and the cameos are just a fun element thrown in for fun. That Gunnar Hansen, is Sallys father is more of a tribute to the old Texas chainsaw than a name, to draw audiences in -also, because even to this day, it is surprisingly few who actually know who Gunnar Hansen is. (weird) I definitely think we have a new cult icon on our hands here with Chainsaw Sally, she speaks both to punk, and goths alike, and she blends the style adding lots of blood.This was only the first movie, and I bet that with the sequel, she will have planted herself much more firmly into many other peoples minds. The idea is simple but, April has a style of her own that adds a lot to the character, she is not just another pretty face. The acting is in the vein of Tempes films, Mark Redfield reminding of James L. Edwards. The only main flaw, is the sound, sometimes the dialogue drowns out behind sound effects, or just seems as if the microphone was too far away. Making small films myself, I know this can be a tricky problem. While I mentioned there is blood in the movie (and plenty of it) it is surprisingly gore free for i's genre. (independent horror) This was a conscious decision made by the director; to get the point across, without showing too many graphic deaths.- this method especially works with ascene involving a razor, and a sparkler. it's both fun and gross. If you are abig fan of independent horror, or just want to see something new, I definitely suggest you go see Chainsaw Sally.