Die Sache mit dem Feuer

I'm not sure if i liked this movie or disliked it quite honestly. Its something i'd long had on my back burner in terms of movies i'd long wanted to see but never actually got around to--this one being the only feature (that i'm aware of at least) directed by Medium (and Moonlight) creator Glenn David Caron which for me has long made it a curiosity at least. Factor in the fact that it was written by the creator of Breaking Bad (seriously) Vince Gillian and you have the recipe for an underrated cult film that has some out gone without a cult for too long now. Unfortunately the movie itself is kind of well i don't really know how to describe it---its kind of all over the place. Tonally i suppose its going for a bittersweet depressive somewhat American Gothic feel as these 2 wildly differing brothers vie for the affections of this woman--except that the woman has already made the choice of which brother she wants to be with at the beginning of the movie which makes the rest of the movie somewhat pointless if you think about it but never mind that.

These 2 brothers by the way can start fires with their minds---the more outlandish of the two of em played by a very over the top Dennis Quaid has run away and joined a traveling carnival...the other is a much more down to earth almost depressive keeps to himself kind of guy plaid by Arliss Howard (who would go on to play Capt. Push throughout Medium's run for whatever that's worth) He is what he thinks happily married to Debra Winger's somewhat pyromaniac like housewife--her character by the way never really makes much sense as written but that's OK...she's the woman who also happens to be considered the one who got away by cartoon like Dennis quaid and quaid almost completely randomly seems determined to get her back for well its never really explained why he suddenly decides he wants her back--he just does.

This is pretty much the entire film until the hour mark when it seems like Debra Winger and Dennis Quiad have re-ignited their passion driving an already somewhat depressive Arliss Howard into fits of acting out--basically it all ends up with the two brothers having a show down with one another where they end up igniting everything around them on fire---repeatedly. (the show down is pretty cool but is about as non-sensical as anything else that happens in the film)

Um yes this movie is supposed to be a whimsical one---as well as a slightly out there love story--arliss howard's character is a volunteer fireman and the other firemen in his unit have an acapella group which hits its peak with a rendition of "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" that is actually quite lovely within the context of the film. (that musical sequence by the way reminded me very strongly of John Turturo's "Romance And Cigarettes" a movie that this one could've been as good as if it had stuck to the whole characters expressing their misery thru song motif that one had.)

However the film itself really doesn't make a whole lot of sense--i suppose its kind of like what happens when a depressive fire-starter comes to grips with his demons and what happens when his pyromaniac wife starts experiencing a 7 year itch of her own--but even just with the characters alone--even if the screenplay does manage to justify the root cause of their current behavior---the film never quite resolves their dilemma---like even with that giant showdown and the forgiveness that the brothers somehow manage to achieve from one another after a lifetime of estrangement and bitterness between them--the movie never really explains why or how they come to such a truce with one another--they just do! or why Debra Winger decides which of the two brothers she wants, she just does! or why anything that's happened in the 110 or so minutes of screen time is supposed to be endearing--it just is!

Film is totally worth a watch tho--I mean I enjoyed it more then enough--it kept me engrossed in its outcome, and i thought the performances of the 2 brothers were solid enough to keep me slightly off course as to what the final outcome was going to be between the two of them--but as a whole i'm not so sure the thing hangs together so well--still its gotta be the only Firestarter Feuding Brothers movie out there right?

Here's a rare gem for those of you that haven't seen or most likely not even heard of this. During the 80s, Dennis Quaid was a hot commodity, but in the early 90s, Dennis Quaid disappeared from the scene. In 1993, he burst back onto the big screen with three movies, all of which unfortunately bombed. Two of those films I liked very much, and let me elaborate on one of them.

"Wilder Napalm" is a crazy flick about two brothers, Wallace (Quaid) and Wilder (Arliss Howard), whom are...fire starters: yes they have the power of pyrokinetics.

Wilder has decided not to use his power anymore (for anything not useful anyway) after a fatal incident during his youth, where he and his brother blew up an abandoned house which killed a man who was inside unbeknownest to them. Nowadays, Wilder is a firefighter and is married to the wacky Vida (Debra Winger), who is under house arrest for, guess what, arson (see the movie to understand this better). Wilder also hasn't spoken to Wallace in 5 years, because Wallace set his hair on fire during his bachelor party.

Wallace loves his pyro power and uses it for amusement. He also runs a Carnival and is the head clown. When the Carnival comes to Wilder's town, Wallace decides to reunite with his brother and also to see Vida, whom which Wallace has been in love with! Vida's house arrest sees its end, but Wilder is preoccupied. So, Wallace steps in and the fun begins. Brother vs. brother...fighting fire with fire!

Some great fireball throwing in this flick...eat your heart out, Drew Barrymore!

The film also has some really weird, yet funny elements, like Wilder's fire unit sings songs acapella during firefights and after wards. Jim Varney (globally known as 'Ernest') pops in as Wallace's redneck carnival buddy. "Wilder Napalm" is brilliantly shot...and cleverly put together...very off the wall and avant-guard.

Give this one a look...

This is one of my favorite quirky movies. I've seen it several times and always enjoy it. Good storyline and very good cast, especially Arliss Howard and Debra Winger. The fire effects are quite well-done (pardon the expression) also.

Tim Burton would have been impressed with the carefully crafted cinematography of this piece. The imagery and symbolism speak more than the narrative, and the music and transitions are superb. The movie stands by itself. Watch closely!

This movie took the Jerry Springer approach to super-human power. "Wilder Napalm" is the kind of theme-based movie that I love, addressing the idea that prodigies in America are defined either by their gifts or by attempts to hide them. At the same time, the movie points out that every prodigy is only human, and no more to be feared or worshipped than any other human being. This was a great comedy, fun and human with that slight satiric edge.