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LIVING DEATH (2006) Director: Erin Berry. Hacktors: Kristy Swanson, Greg Byrk, Josh Peace. Rating/5: The lowdown: This nicely-made low-budgeter has reportedly fallen foul of the BBFC of late, perhaps due to its S&M leanings. Apart from that, it's basically a love triangle thriller with added violence - and not bad at all. Victor (Byrk) is a perverse rich guy whose marriage to Elizabeth (Swanson) has all but collapsed. He likes torturing young ladies in his attic, while she likes having an affair and plotting to kill him... Good points: Living Death may be a fairly simple tale, but it does at least attempt a spin on the classic love triangle format. It's well-shot and the production values probably belie the money actually spent on it. While the acting's pretty good, one of the real strengths lie in a witty script, which prevents the proceedings from becoming quite as serious as they might otherwise have been. It's also great to see that director Berry avoided the chance to make Living Death a slicker, more commercial thriller - instead opting for some pretty full-on gore at times. You also don't see a medieval rack employed very often in the average horror flick... Bad points: Sympathetic characters are not at a premium here. The only person who doesn't done much wrong is one of Victor's crippled victims, but she's not presented as a central concern. Apart from that, Living Death scrubs up well as a fun little movie. DVD Details: A fair few, including an entertaining behind-the-scenes feature interviews a wisecrackin' Berry and all the principal cast - although the editor really should've trimmed everyone describing the basic plot... Overall: A surprisingly solid horror flick, with good performances and a couple of moments that'll really make you wince. Well worth a rent. Release Date: Out now on Region 1 DVD. No sign of a UK release as yet. [Check it out at Amazon US] [Reviews Menu] [Home] © Copyright Slasherama 2002-present