KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person (DVD)
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The idea of "The family that slays together, stays together" is nothing new — from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Frailty and many movies between and since, a kid being groomed by its parents to kill is always a creepy one.
That's the premise of KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person, and it's somewhat unique since the murderer is a murderess. Young KatieBird (Taylor M. Dooley) first kills a neighborhood boy who's spurned her for another girl. First, she stuns him in the forest with a rock, then needs daddy's help to carry her prey home. Merl "Daddy" Wilkins (Lee Perkins) proudly oversees KatieBird's first killing, which she does with slow, torturous relish in the family barn. No detail is spared in this unrated indie.
The movie flips back and forth between KatieBird's early years to the present (with the title character being played by Helene Udy), where we see she is still up to her old tricks. Now, she's doing what a lot of people have surely fantasized about: Killing her boss (Todd Gordon)!
KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person has the feel of a 1970s horror film, complete with Brian de
The acting is good (not one person goes over the top), as is the music, sets, props, horror make-ups and everything that goes with the bloody messes. What's not so good is the cinematography, and (at times) the script which can't quite sustain the movie's 100 minute running time.
The DVD includes the soundtrack CD, plus several ghoulish goodies. First up is a featurette, "Movies, Not Excuses", hosted by writer/director Justin Paul Ritter. He talks to the viewer, assuming we're all wannabes; while his words are motivational, his demeanor seems condescending. This approach was somewhat off-putting, but as a reviewer who watches some 10 DVDs a week to review, I have to admire that at least it's a different approach. This is not your standard EPK dreck, and I am sure hardcore fans of KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person, fledgling filmmakers and wannabes of all ilk, will appreciate the scads of production information as well as the personal touch from Ritter.
The DVD commentary is from Ritter and three of his actors (Helene Uddy, Taylor M. Dooley, Lee Perkins) is very interesting and informative (and fun, considering the subject matter) but unfortunately the DVD doesn't have any subtitles so it's hard to follow both the film and the commentary at the same time (captions are also helpful for those who like to run on the treadmill while viewing — and let's not forget their real purpose… hearing-impaired people like horror movies, too!).
There's also a mini featurette on the "Makeup of KatieBird", plus liner notes and several Easter Eggs.
While KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person didn't quite hold my interest, I can definitely see that it will enjoy a core cult audience. If you like indie horror films, the psyches of serial killers, and slow scenes of torture, then this is the flick for you.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson