Sunday, February 12, 2012

Don't Miss Kalifornia With Brad Pitt And David Duchovny

Kalifornia is a 1993 film starring Brad Pitt, David Duchovny, Juliette Lewis, and Michelle Forbes. Directed by Dominic Sena and written by Stephen Levy and Tim Metcalfe. When a journalist couple (Duchovny and Forbes) get an advance on a book about famous serial killers murder sites, they find themselves in a tough spot. They have to deliver the book. Having spent the money on living expenses and buying a classic Lincoln Continental, they need to find someone to go cross country with them and share the expenses. So Brian posts an ad on a college bulletin board. The only person to respond is Early (Pitt), a parole who has just lost his job at a mirror factory in Kentucky. His girlfriend Adele (Lewis), is a troubled teenager who believes everything and does everything Early tells her.


Upon the four setting out on the trip, Carrie takes an instant mistrust and dislike to Early. One of their first stops a gas station, a man is murdered in the rest room and his money is stolen. Carrie pleads with Brian her case about Early, but he assures her that she is wrong and that Early can't help how he acts because of the way he was probably raised and everything is all right.




The foursome checks into a motel for the night, and Early and Brian decide to go get some drinks and shoot pool in town, leaving the ladies behind. Adele confides to Carrie some stories about how crazy Early can be, which justifies Carrie's suspicions about him. At the bar, Brian gets harassed by a local and Early comes to the defense, and goes crazy beating the man to a pulp. Shocked by what he has witnessed, Brian starts to believe what Carrie has been trying to tell him. At their next stop for gas, Carrie sees a news report that there is a man hunt underway for Early who was seen on a video surveillance camera leaving the rest room of the murder.










Witnessing himself on TV, Early has to take control of everyone to avoid be caught. First a couple is terrorized during a stop, and then everyone is driven out to a abandon nuclear testing site. By this time, Early reveals that he can't stop the voices in his head and the bright lights he sees. He has finally gone off on the deep end. And he still has a gun. Can Brian and Carrie somehow escape so they are not killed also?



This is a great movie and in my personal top 10 list. You will be riveted from the beginning till the climatic end. Brad Pitt gives an academy award winning performance with his character. With an all-star cast, this is as good as it gets. High intensity with a great story and better yet, a totally believable story. Top rated by thousands of Internet reviewers. You would be hard pressed in 2009 to find a movie that even comes close to this one. They just don't make them like this anymore. Except perhaps Quentin Tarentino or the Cohn Brothers.




TIDBITS ABOUT THE MOVIE AND THE ACTORS


1- The locations where the serial killer events take place are related to the names of the actors. Lewiston Ranch Texas (Juliette Lewis), Forbes Tennessee (Michelle Forbes), Davidson Mine Nevada, (David Duchovny), and Bradbury Textile Warehouse Pennsylvania (Brad Pitt).


2- During the shooting of the movie, Early has a chipped tooth. Brad Pitt visited a dentist to have the tooth chipped for his role.


3- Michelle Forbes role as a photographer is a reference to the controversial photographer Andres Serrano, specifically his series "History of Sex" and "The Klan"(from the early 90's).



REVIEWS ON KALIFORNIA


Rolling Stone says "Kalifornia is a kinky game of murder and eroticism that is preposterous but never boring".


The New York Times says "Kalifornia is a tour of homicidal America".


Roger Ebert says "Kalifornia is terrifying and horrifying, and unflinchingly honest".


IMDb.com says "Kalifornia is a dark and disturbing psychological thriller".


Joan Ellis Reviews says "Kalifornia is a significant ordeal. It's significant because at least one of the four characters will make you squirm in recognition at some point, and it's an ordeal because it's sordid, squalid, and violent".


MICHELLE FORBES


While all the actors here are well known by everyone, Michelle Forbes may not be. Though she has appeared in movies and television since 1991, she was also in one of my favorite movies of all time. "Swimming With Sharks", a 1994 film which starred Kevin Spacey. A great movie. Forbes also appeared in an episode of Seinfeld in 1994. She is without a doubt a great actor. She is also one of my favorite actors.


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