Loving Polly

This is a top-tier amateur film. It tells an effectively horrific horror story with extreme limitations. You can tell they were working with whatever equipment the filmmakers could afford. John Theissen Jr. (the director, actor, writer, and composer) was only twenty-one when he made this film. To tackle this subject matter at such a young age has me concerned about the young man. Also, the fact that he had numerous roles in the making of this film is wild to me. His original score is effective in a way that it is haunting and tragic. HIS PERFORMANCE! His performance as The Wolf is absolutely horrific and is the best part of this movie. This isn't a movie to watch more than once but it will stick with me for a long while.

When the film ended I just sat there...stunned. Nothing about this movie was traditional. From the first 10 minutes you expect some traditional horror film but the way this film changes at its half way point, I was shook. It was so intense and graphic that at multiple points I had to stop the film. My girlfriend got physically sick. If the subjects in this film trigger you, I highly recommend you don't watch. It's so ultra-violent. It's an underground experimental horror flick that refuses to hold back. The performances are some of the best I've ever seen. John Theissen Jr. Is freaking nuts! As great and as bold as the film was, I don't know if I can ever see one of his films again if it's as nearly violent as this one. I sincerely mean all of this in the best way possible. Bravo! I hope people see this film as a true horror film rather than something that was only made for shock factor. It reminds me of the song writing of Kurt Cobain.

This movie is cruel and dirty. To compare this film to anything i'd compare it to a kid experimenting with a dying animal in the backyard. It's a messed up film. That's all I can really say. Is it a film I can watch again? HELL NO! Am I glad I endured it? HELL YES! Imagine trying to find a cheap horror movie and you come across something that is so far beyond anything you have ever seen. It's like one of those movies that gets talked about online that is like a personal achievement to sit through. It's a devastating story and it may try to hard at times to push your emotions for what it is. Aside the bit of pretentiousness with its trauma its effective at being something really evil and disturbing.

I've seen many disturbing thriller and horror films in my time but, this...this was a wild one. What sets this film apart from a film like The Cannibal Holocaust is that it's legitimately a great film rather than being a film that's only purpose is shock factor and there is plenty of shocking things that happen in this film. Loving Polly's filmmaking is more in common with a film such as, Come and See, in which it perfectly shows the fear and pain of the characters. That's what makes Loving Polly and Come and See feel so disturbing and so real! A large part of that is due to the performances of these practically no name actors. The painfully devastating performance that Catalina Natale delivers as Polly added so much haunt to my viewing of the film by the end of it all! I also have to mention how insane and unique John Theissen Jr.'s wild man performance was. He was absolutely a terrifying mad man in this film! It was shocking to find out that he not only acted and directed the film but, was cinematography and the writer of the film as well. Where Loving Polly falls flat is it's editing at times. The concert scene feels unfinished and is a bit distracting to what's going on. Another minor problem I'm conflicted with is that I felt as if there should've been more. Where I'm conflicted is that I also kinda liked how simple the movie really was. The simplicity makes it feel more realistic and less Hollywood-ish. Maybe keep it simple but have more. My problems aside, it really was great, disturbing and violent, but great. Definitely not for everyone, probably not most people actually. If you're ever in the mood for something really horrifying, than I highly recommend Loving Polly! Also I can't believe the director is so young! Great job!

My new favorite thing to do with friends is to log on to Amazon and find really obscure horror films to watch. Last night we decided to continue our weekly tradition and came upon Loving Polly. We went in completely blind, not knowing anything about the film, director, or actors. Usually this tradition we have is a hit or miss and about 25 mins into the film we really could not believe what we stumbled upon. Loving Polly is by no means your average by the book horror film. This was waayyyy different than anything I could've imagined. It was brutal, unpredictable, and most of all terrifying. To say this movie was disturbing is putting it lightly. I don't want to spoil anything but I can assure you, you'll feel like you're immersed in a nightmare. The acting, direction, and cinematography is top notch for a film that doesn't have a large budget at all! All that aside I did feel that the beginning felt a bit messy but when it finds it's footing, it is wild in the best way possible. Also the original music was terrifying!