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Ligeia
Film Threat // Unrated // May 25, 2004
List Price: $19.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie
I consider myself to be a supporter of independent films and some of my all-time favorite movies were made on shoe-string budgets by a group of friends. But, doesn't anyone make good independent films anymore? It would appear that the home-video revolution has given the green-light to any yahoo with a video camera to go out and make a movie and call it art. Ligeia joins this list of shot-on-video head-scratchers.
In Ligeia, Kieran (Martin T. Davis) and Rowena (Bronwyn Knox) are an unhappily married couple. Kieran is having an affair with their friend Kelly (Masha Sapron). Rowena is delighted when her old boyfriend Bobby (Yvette Lenhart) calls her from out of the blue, but is shocked to learn that Bobby has undergone a sex-change operation...but this doesn't stop Rowena from jumping into bed with her old flame. Seeking to further spice-up their marriage, Kieran and Rowena give each other permission to swing with Kelly and her husband Bill (Ronald Dettore), but this doesn't really pan out. Soon, Kelly becomes frustrated with her secret relationship with Kieran and devises a murderous plan that will allow them to be together. But, as with most devious plans, there are many complications.
Ligeia is very loosely based on the short story "Ligeia" by Edgar Allen Poe, but one would have to be very familiar with that tale to see the similarities. That story deals with a man who is convinced that his current wife (also named Rowena) embodies (is possessed by?) the spirit of his long-dead love Ligeia. To be quite honest, nothing like that really happens in Ligeia, but it is implied. But, allying itself with classic literature can't save this hapless mess of a movie.
Ligeia is a classic example of a film which has no idea what it wants to be. (Ironically, this fact is pointed out in the film's trailer.) The movie offers some jokes, but they aren't funny. There are several sex scenes in the film, but they all feature actors who are still wearing their underwear. (I don't know. Maybe this is a fetish that I'm not aware of.) The "I'm tired of having an affair, what can we do to really be together?" plot is incredibly tired and hackneyed. The characters are stereotypes and have no depth at all. By the time the "plot twists" arrive, only the bravest/bored viewers will still be watching the movie. Ligeia is further hampered by the bad acting in the film, especially that of Knox (who steps on the lines of others) and a police detective, played by Robert Graham, who brings out every cop cliche in the book. Writer/director Dave Lawler may not have any sort of handle on interesting storytelling, but the movie does contain at least 2 clever shots, so he must receive some credit for that. Boring, tired, and pointless, Ligeia is one of those indie films which makes me wish that those involved had saved their money for another project down the road.
Video
Ligeia haunts DVD courtesy of Film Threat DVD. The movie has been letterboxed at 1.66:1 and the transfer is not anamorphic. Ligeia was shot using a Canon Optura digital video camcorder, but on this DVD, it looks as if it were shot using a webcam. The amount of pixellation on the image is staggering, to the point that when anyone moves, they look as if they are made out of Legos. The pixellation is mixed with a general blurriness, and one feels as if they are watching Ligeia through a shower curtain. There are many night-time scenes which are bathed totally in blue or red, which turn the characters into black blobs. I kept waiting for "Live from Baghdad" to appear at the bottom of the screen during these shots. Maybe I've gotten spoiled by the pristine studio DVDs that I usually watch, but this disc is no better than watching streaming video.
Audio
The Ligeia DVD contains a dual-channel stereo audio track. An noticeable level of hissing is evident on the track, and is very distracting at times. The dialogue is audible for the most part, but there are a few scenes where the dialogue sounds dubbed and is somewhat distorted. The stereo effects are OK, but the two-channel separation sounds too deliberate at times, with all of the sound effects coming from one side and the dialogue coming from the other.
Extras
The DVD contains three extras. We start with an audio commentary from writer/director Dave Lawler, star/producer Bronwyn Knox, and editor Scott Malley. This is an informative talk, as this trio talks about everything from locations to casting to production to the story to bed-bugs. They do talk about the low-budget nature of the project and how everyone involved contributed in some way. Next, we have a full-frame trailer which features rapid flashes from the film accompanied by questions like "Is it art? Is it funny?" (The answer is "no" to all of the questions. Finally, there is a photo gallery made up of production and behind-the-scenes photos. This gallery is better than most, as the pictures have detailed captions.
Ligeia is one of those rare movies which I can't recommend from anyone. Poe fans need not be fooled by the title, and those seeking the titillation promised by the DVD box will be disappointed. And the horrendous transfer is the final nail in Ligeia's coffin.
I consider myself to be a supporter of independent films and some of my all-time favorite movies were made on shoe-string budgets by a group of friends. But, doesn't anyone make good independent films anymore? It would appear that the home-video revolution has given the green-light to any yahoo with a video camera to go out and make a movie and call it art. Ligeia joins this list of shot-on-video head-scratchers.
In Ligeia, Kieran (Martin T. Davis) and Rowena (Bronwyn Knox) are an unhappily married couple. Kieran is having an affair with their friend Kelly (Masha Sapron). Rowena is delighted when her old boyfriend Bobby (Yvette Lenhart) calls her from out of the blue, but is shocked to learn that Bobby has undergone a sex-change operation...but this doesn't stop Rowena from jumping into bed with her old flame. Seeking to further spice-up their marriage, Kieran and Rowena give each other permission to swing with Kelly and her husband Bill (Ronald Dettore), but this doesn't really pan out. Soon, Kelly becomes frustrated with her secret relationship with Kieran and devises a murderous plan that will allow them to be together. But, as with most devious plans, there are many complications.
Ligeia is very loosely based on the short story "Ligeia" by Edgar Allen Poe, but one would have to be very familiar with that tale to see the similarities. That story deals with a man who is convinced that his current wife (also named Rowena) embodies (is possessed by?) the spirit of his long-dead love Ligeia. To be quite honest, nothing like that really happens in Ligeia, but it is implied. But, allying itself with classic literature can't save this hapless mess of a movie.
Ligeia is a classic example of a film which has no idea what it wants to be. (Ironically, this fact is pointed out in the film's trailer.) The movie offers some jokes, but they aren't funny. There are several sex scenes in the film, but they all feature actors who are still wearing their underwear. (I don't know. Maybe this is a fetish that I'm not aware of.) The "I'm tired of having an affair, what can we do to really be together?" plot is incredibly tired and hackneyed. The characters are stereotypes and have no depth at all. By the time the "plot twists" arrive, only the bravest/bored viewers will still be watching the movie. Ligeia is further hampered by the bad acting in the film, especially that of Knox (who steps on the lines of others) and a police detective, played by Robert Graham, who brings out every cop cliche in the book. Writer/director Dave Lawler may not have any sort of handle on interesting storytelling, but the movie does contain at least 2 clever shots, so he must receive some credit for that. Boring, tired, and pointless, Ligeia is one of those indie films which makes me wish that those involved had saved their money for another project down the road.
Video
Ligeia haunts DVD courtesy of Film Threat DVD. The movie has been letterboxed at 1.66:1 and the transfer is not anamorphic. Ligeia was shot using a Canon Optura digital video camcorder, but on this DVD, it looks as if it were shot using a webcam. The amount of pixellation on the image is staggering, to the point that when anyone moves, they look as if they are made out of Legos. The pixellation is mixed with a general blurriness, and one feels as if they are watching Ligeia through a shower curtain. There are many night-time scenes which are bathed totally in blue or red, which turn the characters into black blobs. I kept waiting for "Live from Baghdad" to appear at the bottom of the screen during these shots. Maybe I've gotten spoiled by the pristine studio DVDs that I usually watch, but this disc is no better than watching streaming video.
Audio
The Ligeia DVD contains a dual-channel stereo audio track. An noticeable level of hissing is evident on the track, and is very distracting at times. The dialogue is audible for the most part, but there are a few scenes where the dialogue sounds dubbed and is somewhat distorted. The stereo effects are OK, but the two-channel separation sounds too deliberate at times, with all of the sound effects coming from one side and the dialogue coming from the other.
Extras
The DVD contains three extras. We start with an audio commentary from writer/director Dave Lawler, star/producer Bronwyn Knox, and editor Scott Malley. This is an informative talk, as this trio talks about everything from locations to casting to production to the story to bed-bugs. They do talk about the low-budget nature of the project and how everyone involved contributed in some way. Next, we have a full-frame trailer which features rapid flashes from the film accompanied by questions like "Is it art? Is it funny?" (The answer is "no" to all of the questions. Finally, there is a photo gallery made up of production and behind-the-scenes photos. This gallery is better than most, as the pictures have detailed captions.
Ligeia is one of those rare movies which I can't recommend from anyone. Poe fans need not be fooled by the title, and those seeking the titillation promised by the DVD box will be disappointed. And the horrendous transfer is the final nail in Ligeia's coffin.
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