Anamorph (2010)
Starring: Willem Defoe, Scott Speedman, Clea DuVall
Plot: Five years have passed. Detective Stan is now a teacher. He brought down one of the biggest serial killers known as Uncle Eddie, soon the past comes back to haunt him and the city and most of all the police as new bodies pile up
My Review and Thoughts:
Stan is an alcoholic. Five years have passed since the case that brought him to his knees, catching a serial killer known as Uncle Eddie. Now in the present, he is just a teaching detective but soon murders happen in the same manner that were the victims of Uncle Eddie.
Stan is called back in on the case and joins with a new detective, a rookie named Carl. The old cases are brought back up as the clues at the new crime scenes are artistically arranged that brings back the reality of Uncle Eddie and soon questions arise.
This stars one of my favorite actors of all time. A truly underrated actor who has starred in some of my favorite movies such as Mississippi Burning, The Last Temptation of Christ, Platoon, Anti-Christ. Every performance he does is a stunning performance. Defoe is a brilliant and amazing artistic emotional thought-provoking actor and he plays the character of Stan brilliantly.
This is a nice gritty crime serial killer flick that leaves mystery and suspense running rampant. It leaves you guessing with bodies piled up, each murder is like an artistic masterpiece framed and captured as if painted by a sculptor or an artist. The serial killer uses images, artwork in his creations of arranging his victims. Serial Killer Uncle Eddie did it and now this serial killer who some believe to be a copycat, some believe that maybe Eddie was not captured. The deep thick plot bring a darker sinister approach to the story.
I like all the little cameo's, all the little split moment actors, you have Mick Foley a.k.a. Mankind from the wrestling world and something interesting to know is you have Paul Lazar who played the bug man Pilcher in Silence of the Lambs who plays the medical examiner in this one. This also has Peter Stormare who acted in two of my favorite movies playing Gaear Grimsrud in Fargo and playing Dino Velvet in 8MM. Do you know he has acted in over 130 parts, amazing. Plus he stared as John Abruzzi in one of my favorite shows Prison Break. This also stars another very underrated actor Don Harvey who has played in some great films such as A Thin Red Line, Casualties of War and I feel he has never been given the starring push he deserves. Also a little cameo by Debbie Harry a.k.a. Blondie.
Stan Is haunted, he drinks and his mind is controlled by the horror of the past and now its all eating at him again. He blames himself for Uncle Eddies last victim. Now his new partner the new rookie detective thinks its all a game and so Stan has to deal with him, but one of Stan's problems is dealing with people.
The killings of each new victim is captured artistically in posed pictures giving gruesome disturbing moments in the film. Slowly Stan grows deeper into his compulsive obsessive research and solving tactics. The killer thinks the murders are artistic masterpieces of blood and flesh.
This is an amazing little serial killer suspense mystery film that seems to have went under the radar, sadly it's underrated. I think it's a brilliant serial killer film, very graphic, very disturbing, very Silence of the Lambs and Seven type of feel to it.
I highly recommend this dark serial killer film, great acting story and suspense. One thing I have to say is the end was very strange and confusing and almost seemed to add a supernatural element to it or at least a different type of mind trip. The ending reminded me of something David Lynch would do, adding something strange or artistically confusing and strange. Don't let this turn you off because this is a powerful little crime drama suspense mystery that will linger with you.