Amuse Me

Amuse Me comes across as an experiment in filmmaking. The movie is essentially a pair of 45min long rape scenes. It's shot in a pornographic manner, including prolonged shots of the women's genitals, but with very limited sexual activity actually happening. There's a creepy clown kidnapper, but he's more interested in fondling them than brutalizing them. There are a few very long ultra-slow-motion sequences during which nothing substantial happens. There is a crotch shot lasting a few minutes - just the woman laying there, making few movements, with the camera moving around while focused on her vulva. The women are nude, stationary, and unemotional for much of the movie.

Even the abuse of the women is presented unusually, with the first rape not fully "consummated" for 40min. You'd expect that this footage would be unbearably brutal to go on so long; but it's not, the clown is playing with her more than anything. In the meantime, the camera captures as many different angles of her breasts and vulva as possible, in a manner that somehow doesn't come across as erotic.

It's a not-quite-pornographic non-porno that is almost 90 straight minutes of nudity, presented in a horror setting with horror themes, with a "twist" near the end you'd find in a horror movie...but structured nothing like most horror movies.

The only reason I gave it three stars instead of one is because I appreciate Bill's other work. I know he's trying to do something with this film, beyond capturing prolonged graphic nudity. What that is, you'll have to ask him.

I'm convinced a high school student with a smartphone and mild editing skills could've done better-at least they'd have the sense to include a plot. Or characters. Or literally anything resembling a reason to keep watching. Instead, what we got was sheer torture: long, aimless scenes that test your patience and your will to stay awake.

There were moments where it veered so awkwardly into oversexualized territory, it felt like it wanted to be an artsy porn flick but forgot the "artsy" part somewhere along the way.

Final verdict? Avoid unless you're conducting a study on how not to make a movie. Or if you enjoy cinematic pain. Either way, bring snacks-you'll need the distraction.

I will give Bill Zebub credit, I have never seen a movie quite like this. But the end result, to be frank, it's not necessarily a good thing.

It consists of Zebub as a clown, drugging rather attractive young ladies, and, uh, using them as sexual playthings in his basement. Reminiscent of a porn movie in its graphic depiction of the ladies, as well as unwavering leering shots, but sexual content is limited to some light groping, dirty talk, and implied sex acts (Zebub insists his movies are not meant to be pornographic, and only someone dumb would think that!). To this film's detriment, neither woman (yes, there are TWO victims in 90 minutes) act even remotely threatened, and even trying to hold back laughter at times. I would say the range of emotions the ladies display goes from slightly uncomfortable, to calm, to calmly complying, to kind of enjoying it! Again, not sure what he's going for in this movie.

There is a twist at the end, to at least throw the audience a bone, in a way to make you think there was an actual story here. Really, it's two nice looking ladies with good bodies who are very naked throughout. (Both women appear on the DVD box, again to Zebub's credit, for not pulling a bait and switch so many of these types of movies do). I would be remiss if I didn't mention the seemingly endless slow-motion shots. They will try your patience, and serve one sole purpose: To pad out the running time due to this film's total lack of content! No exaggeration.

Hey, nice cover!