KatieBird: Certifiable Crazy Person Movie Review Try to imagine what the child of a serial killer would be like. How would they grow up? Now try to imagine a fourth generation serial killer. That is KatieBird. Her father Merl was a killer because he said it was a part of him. It was also a part of his father and his grandfather. Now it is a part of KatieBird. But Katie's father didn't rub his hobbies in her face. He was a loving father and seemingly normal. As a matter of fact, he was very careful in his attempts to conceal his sinister deeds until he thought she could "appreciate it." That day came when she got her heart broken by a classmate. Then Merl decided she was ready to uncover the truth. For the truth lies underneath the mask of skin that we all wear. He revealed her gruesome legacy and gently walked her through the course. She discovered her love of the art of killing with her first victim and continued on her own. Her father believed we should walk our own paths and didn't want to influence her choices. Ritter weaves KatieBird's tale with gleeful brutality. The riveting performances of Helene Udy as adult KatieBird and Taylor M. Dooley as the troubled teen are simultaneously touching and twisted. Gore hounds will enjoy the visceral torture scenes and psycho killer buffs will want to add this inventive vixen to their must watch list. My only complaint with this film lies within the director's style. I have never been a fan of the trend of split screens and Ritter's use of this technique is extremely heavy handed. At times it was like trying to watch scrambled porn. Surprisingly though, I got used to it after a while. At first I thought it was merely in the beginning, but when I came to terms with the fact that it was there to stay I was able to get past it. The story itself is so compelling that I couldn't stop watching if I wanted to. Perhaps Ritter used this technique in an attempt to tone down the violence. The shame actually lies in the fact that the fantastic special effects are harder to see. Still, it is worth a look if you don't have too much difficulty with this style of filmmaking. Or maybe you could get past it like I did. One word of warning, though. I wouldn't attempt to watch this flick on a small television. You would likely miss way too much of the good stuff. Horror Bob's Review Wow, talk about a great film! I have always been able to sit though even the most boring of serial killer films. I usually enjoy the whole psychological aspect of their lives, how they came to be, etc... This film however takes the cake. Now I might get heat for this, but I don't care. I thought this film was better than Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. There I said it!!! It's a hell of a lot more interesting, and has more of that edge of your seat feel to it. I mean Katie Bird, She's crazy.
The film is shot in a split screen style, with slow wipes that go from one shot to the next. Now yes you might find it to be annoying, but in fact this style of filmmaking only makes the film that much more suspenseful. It's misdirection really screws with your psyche, very much like a Hitchcock film.
"Katie Bird" is a story that chronicles the life of a female serial killer simply known as Katie Bird. The film cuts between an older Katie Bird, telling her life story to her doctor/lover or whatever he was., and cuts to her story of becoming a serial killer from her first kill on... Now what makes her different is that her father was also a serial killer, and did in fact train his daughter to be just like him. Keeping it in the family so to speak. However Katie Bird is a different kind of serial killer as she likes to feel the pain of her victims by self mutilating herself, however in a way that she won't kill herself but more or less just likes to feel the pain similar to what her victims are feeling. She likes pulling people's teeth out too.
"Katie Bird" is an independent film, and contrary to what most people think about all indie films having their flaws, I for one think "Katie Bird" was shot and edited just as good as any Hollywood feature. The script is great and very well written. I mean you can tell by watching the film that the script was very thought out and that it was not rushed. Like most indie scripts, the filmmakers usually write one draft and are eager to shoot the film. "Katie Bird" I'm sure was done the right way, and was proofread over and over again until every little detail was perfect, and that my friends is what the script is, nothing but top notch. The character development is unbelievable, I'm one of those people that can care less about the plot, I need good characters to satisfy my film needs. This film gave me that, and while I might not be able to relate to these characters, I really enjoyed the story they were telling.
As far as acting goes, I can honestly say that I have never in my life seen such great acting in an indie slasher flick before. I mean, What a great casting job. These actors looked as if they really were the people they were playing in the film. I don't know what the rehearsal schedule was like for this film, but I think Justin Paul Ritter's job as a great and talented director shows big time here. It is nothing short of great and amazing filmmaking.
In terms of special effects, there is not much in terms of large scale gore. I mean we get some good make-up effects, but there is more of a "Less is More" thing going on in this film. We get a lot of blood but the really bad stuff is done off screen, leaving the fear up to your imagination. However there is a "Hellraiser" like face peel towards the end of the flick.
On a side note, the music in this film really adds to the uneasiness of this film. I believe that the music is what really gives you that feeling in the pit of your stomach. It's what makes each scene that much better.
Overall, expect to see this film on my top ten list of 2005, which I'll be posting at the end of this month. (Jan. 2006) "Katie Bird" is nothing short of being the best serial killer film ever made.
- Horror Bob KatieBird: Certifiable Crazy Person Review by Brian Harris
All of us have our quirks. Everybody has a hobby or mental illness that sets them apart from the herd. Some people dig films about vomit, some get off on films about animal torture. I’m intrigued by serial killers. I try and pick up any and all serial killer films when I come across them. The subject matter is thought provoking even when the films themselves aren’t. When I came across KatieBird: Certifiable Crazy Person, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It looked low budget so my “Spidey-Sense” almost blew my head off my shoulders. Am I just going to get a Saw rip-off? Will I be forced to watch another Hannibal Lecter wannabe? Is this going to be just another exercise in ultra-gory special effects? I was wrong. I was dead wrong. The film slaps us dead in the jaw when KatieBird, played by Helene Udy of My Bloody Valentine, The Dead Zone and Pin, brings her psychiatrist, Dr. Richardson (Todd Gordon), to her crib, smashes a vase over his head, ties him up and rapes him. Yeah, SHE rapes HIM. She begins to regale him with the tale of her evolution as a killer and where and when it all began. We’re then introduced to a little KatieBird (Nicole Jarvis) and Merl “Daddy” Wilkins (Lee Perkins of Shadows of the Dead). He’s a gruff, Midwestern type that warns KatieBird away from the barn. He tells her she’s just not ready for what’s inside. The film flashes forward and KatieBird (Taylor M. Dooley) is now a teen and Daddy finds her crying over the loss of a boy named Kevin (Jun Hee Lee). He believes she’s ready for what’s inside the barn and the life lessons he has to teach her. This is how she’s introduced to her Father…the serial killer. KatieBird and Daddy head out in search of this particular boy in order to bring him back to the barn. Course, Merl feels this is something KatieBird has to do alone so she sets out to lure the boy into an orchard; teasing him with her naked body. Like all men with their brains in their pants…he follows complaining the whole time. When he finally finds her, she’s waiting, goodies exposed…hammer ready. We begin to flash back and forth in time as KatieBird is taught by her Father how to select her prey, keep her cool and torture her victims. In the present day, KatieBird continues to torture and rape Dr. Richardson. She’s interested in seeing his true face. The truth behind that face isn’t pretty. I really don’t want to go on too much further because KatieBird is just a film that has to be seen to be fully appreciated and understood. It is, by far, one of my favorite films. You’ll find this film in my Top Ten Horror list…every time. Writer/director Justin Paul Ritter gives us a truly interesting character, he doesn’t shy away from the violence surrounding KatieBird’s actions either. Not only does KatieBird torture and kill, she needs to be hurt by her victims in the process. I took this as some kind of justification in KatieBird’s mind over the horrible things she’s doing. That, or…she simply “gets off” on it. KatieBird: Certifiable Crazy Person doesn’t play out like other films. We’re given a series of multi-angle frames that are constantly moving and multiplying. Ritter uses these frames to convey his characters emotions and psychological state and he does so effectively. There are times when you can literally SEE a characters psyche splinter. I found the frames to be extremely interesting. They didn’t detract from my “enjoyment” of this film in the slightest bit. The acting was just spectacular. There’s not a thing I can say about the acting. Ritter delivers big budget acting in a low budget film. I was especially impressed with Lee Perkins performance. He had this very low key Midwestern feel that’s just hard to explain. Taylor M. Dooley also gave her all and was truly an interesting character, as did Helene Udy. Both women have created a terrifying being. The soundtrack was solid, the demonic whispering voices that we hear when we see Perkins on the screen is downright disturbing. The torture and special FX were done extremely well. This film is certainly not for the casual viewer. KatieBird is an unflinching look into the creation of a serial killer and her downward spiral of self-destruction. To say this film is nihilistic would be an understatement. Heretic Films DVD release is phenomenal. It’s packed with extras, comes packaged in a foil embossed slipcase and the first run of DVDs even include a free CD soundtrack! If you’re a serial killer fan, buy this. I know some of you trust my judgment and I’m telling you, this is one of those “buy before watching” kinds of cinema. Don’t expect to see this on cable anytime soon. Justin Paul Ritter is a force to be reckoned with. Not only has the man proven he can make a movie but he can undoubtedly make monsters.
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