Bugcrush

The short story that BUGCRUSH is based on was originally written by the artist/filmmaker Scott Treleaven (not Steve). The story, which is also entitled 'Bugcrush', originally appeared in the horror anthology 'QUEER FEAR 2', edited by horror writer/essayist Michael Rowe, and was published by Arsenal Pulp Press (2003). The film follows the story very accurately, creating the same kind of lingering threat of sexual violence/fulfillment, and using a lot of the stilted, crushed-out teen dialog that made the story so effective. Although he's mostly known as a visual artist, Treleaven also wrote, and directed, the cult films QUEERCORE (1996), and THE SALIVATION ARMY (2002), as well as a number of other scripts and stories.

I saw Bugcrush this evening as a part of the Palm Springs Short Film Festival. It was the final movie in the series of gay shorts, with the other movies (for the most part) being funny & interesting. This was the last movie - and was dark, disturbing, grotesque, and bizarre. Perhaps if I was prepared for a creepy, scary movie I would have enjoyed it - but I gasped in all the same parts that the rest of the sold-out gay crowd did. When the Q&A's came at the end, more than half the crowd got up and left, saying things like "Let's get out of here, so I don't have to hear anything about Bugcrush." Of the eight movies shown, Bugcrush was the most memorable - but not in a good way. If that was the point of the movie - it succeeded.

I watched 'bugcrush' last night and had such mixed feelings about it. I went online tonight and tried to find the short story by Scott Treleaven. It was one of the gay horror stories in Queer Fear 2 published in 2003. I was surprised by a few of the overly negative comments posted here. Yes, I was a little shocked and disturbed by the ending of the story, but it was a horror story. How many horror stories have we seen using the same seductions and with the same outcome. As a gay man I must have a thicker skin than most. I was spellbound by the direction. The acting was good and sometimes better than good. I had to re-watch the ending several times to come to grips with what just happen. Looking back in the story I realized that the author/director had warned us several times of the coming doom. How many of us have been lured by the danger in the quest for fulfillment. A lesson for all who take the risk with expectations of delight.

Dark. bitter. chilling. a film about dark side of an age. not surprising. only admirable precise. the characters are well known. the atmosphere - created in inspired manner. the loner guy - reflection of the viewer in many cases. because each of us is defined by questions. and expectations. short - a solide film. not a lesson. not a pledge. only a precise, honest portrait. about fascination and secrets, need to be accepted and the answer who is not exactly a reasonable one.

This film was disturbing. Plain disturbing. The short starts clear- it centers around a gay teen who is fascinated and/or obsessed with the new kid at school. The beginning was comprehensible enough, and I was interested in it. But then it began to get weird. About 3/4 through, it began to get disgusting, and I mean disgusting. The film was continually inconsistent (an oxy moron, i know) it shifted from romance to drugs to sex to drugs again, and I began to lose track of what was going on. Another issue: There was barely any plot, any that was at least recognizable, and I was extremely confused by the end. pretty pointless.

Something positive about the film- although it was really confusing (which should have shattered my interest in the movie) it managed to keep my attention. The fact that it shifted from story to story continuously was not great in terms of what expectations a film should live up to, but it still managed to keep me (i suppose the correct term is) absorbed the entire time, with the exception of during pointless intervals filled with bad dialogue. Another good thing about the film was the acting. It wasn't excellent, but the actors were able to play the parts well even though they weren't written well.

Over all, I wouldn't exactly recommend it. It's a chore to understand it, though it was interesting. It was disturbing, and did have a couple WTF moments. It had no clear plot and the writing wasn't good, but I can't completely discourage anyone from watching it because it's not on that level of terrible.