Deadly Blows
- 1971
- 52m
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Lives up to its title
Generally acting as producer on (mostly) Tom De Simone's gay hardcore flicks, Nicholas Grippo (alias "Max Blue") makes a rare foray into the director's seat with DEADLY BLOWS. Given the fly-by-night nature of so much early XXX, it's not implausible to assume he may have assisted on other productions credited solely to Tom, but, as Nick's only official (known) directorial effort, BLOWS makes a strong case he should've taken charge more often.
Playing almost like a gay B-side to hetero softcore spookies like TERROR AT ORGY CASTLE, BLOWS is streamlined in the extreme, telling the tale of a cursed young man haunting a dilapidated SoCal Spanish Colonial. Perpetually dressed in overalls, the young guy receives a series of visitors: first a young artist who wants to draw the house but offers to draw him instead; a hippie type looking for a handout; and finally the first guy's roommate, trying to find his missing friend. In each case, forlorn sex is the word of the day, followed by, in all likelihood, the vicious murder of the interloper. Completely devoid of sync sound, the narrative is stitched together out of classical organ tracks like Toccata & Fugue and the wistful musings of our handsome hero. Existentially adrift, he says he has no idea why he kills and speaks with longing about his desire for connection.
A real triumph of less-is-more aesthetic, the film features a bare minimum of locations (1) and actors (4), but nevertheless achieves a striking effect through its carefully selected music, practiced cinematography, and delicate scripting. It's an absolute model for making the most out of the least, and Grippo pulls it off with aplomb. If the film has any major drawback, it's the open-endedness of its conclusion, with things just sort of petering out. Nevertheless, one could make the argument it's reflective of a certain malaise in the newly-liberated gay '70s, with the community's freshly-minted wham-bam-thank-you-man lifestyle carrying a certain surface-level thrill but ultimately proving hollow at its core. If this is what Grippo's going for, it's still relatable, with the current glut of dating and hookup apps only exacerbating matters. And if he's going for something else, well, whatever it is, he channels it marvelously through this chilly but beautiful slice of SoCal gothic.
Playing almost like a gay B-side to hetero softcore spookies like TERROR AT ORGY CASTLE, BLOWS is streamlined in the extreme, telling the tale of a cursed young man haunting a dilapidated SoCal Spanish Colonial. Perpetually dressed in overalls, the young guy receives a series of visitors: first a young artist who wants to draw the house but offers to draw him instead; a hippie type looking for a handout; and finally the first guy's roommate, trying to find his missing friend. In each case, forlorn sex is the word of the day, followed by, in all likelihood, the vicious murder of the interloper. Completely devoid of sync sound, the narrative is stitched together out of classical organ tracks like Toccata & Fugue and the wistful musings of our handsome hero. Existentially adrift, he says he has no idea why he kills and speaks with longing about his desire for connection.
A real triumph of less-is-more aesthetic, the film features a bare minimum of locations (1) and actors (4), but nevertheless achieves a striking effect through its carefully selected music, practiced cinematography, and delicate scripting. It's an absolute model for making the most out of the least, and Grippo pulls it off with aplomb. If the film has any major drawback, it's the open-endedness of its conclusion, with things just sort of petering out. Nevertheless, one could make the argument it's reflective of a certain malaise in the newly-liberated gay '70s, with the community's freshly-minted wham-bam-thank-you-man lifestyle carrying a certain surface-level thrill but ultimately proving hollow at its core. If this is what Grippo's going for, it's still relatable, with the current glut of dating and hookup apps only exacerbating matters. And if he's going for something else, well, whatever it is, he channels it marvelously through this chilly but beautiful slice of SoCal gothic.
helpful•10
- Davian_X
- Nov 2, 2023
Details
- Runtime52 minutes
- Color
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