The Gingerdead Man

"The Gingerdead Man" has a promising plot, and thinking that it would be similar to such gems as "Jack Frost", I decided to rent it from Netflix. My rental would have been better used elsewhere.

So, here's the plot. Gary Busey, playing a psychotic killer guy, gets sent to the electric chair because of one girl's testimony. See, this girl's brother and father were killed by Psycho Busey, and because Busey didn't kill her, the girl testified against her.

Well, one night, the said girl is making a gingerbread cookie in her little bakery (that looks so rundown from the front that you wonder why anyone would ever go in there) and somehow the cookie comes to life. Now if you read the plot line on the Netflix sleeve, it says that Psycho Busey's ashes found their way into the cookie. Apparently if you cook ashes in an oven, they come back to life in the form of whatever they're in. But you don't go into movies about killer cookies looking for plot lines.

Unfortunately, "The Gingerdead Man" doesn't have anything to offer. Sure, there's Gary Busey in cookie form, and he's good for a few laughs, but the VAST majority of the movie is just filler. The 60-minute running time (does that really qualify this as a real movie?) seems like 2 hours, because most of the movie is just people running around the bakery going "what is that thing", "I think it's Gary Busey", and "well, let's run away". Except they don't run away, even if they could have easily just tore out of the bakery and ran to safety.

Ultimately, the killer cookie plot can't save this dull, horrible movie that looked like it was made for $20. Seriously, I could make this movie. It isn't even the low budget that does it in, it's the fact that the movie is just dull, it has no even somewhat cool kills and there's just not enough killer cookie goodness. I was expecting a "so bad it's good" movie, but I just got a really, really bad movie that wasn't even unintentionally funny. Disappointment.

I have been a huge fan of Charles Band and his entire body work as both a producer and director for many years now. If I were to delve into specifics, my first experience of a Charles Band production was the 'Gremlins'in disguise movie that Luca Bercovici directed 'Ghoulies' of course it was until I later watched 'Trancers' that I truly became a devotee of the great man's output.

However that said, it comes as a grave disappointment to have to say, that with the fall of Empire pictures, and the lack of consistency with Full Moon Pictures, and all the other divisions within the same outfit, this latest movie, arrives as something of a major disappointment.

I'll be honest, I have watched every movie good or bad, that has carried Charles Band's name on it. Whether it was a Tim Kincaid movie or even a David Decoteau movie in disguise.

It must be said though that the fan's patience is really wearing a bit thin, when it comes to this latest exercise in pint sized terror.

A novel idea though this is, is seems slightly undercooked in every way. I can always remember vividly, that to cut down on film costs, when Empire Pictures had they're studio in Rome, they used to film the movies using one set, such gems like 'Dolls' 'From Beyond' why even the mighty 'Celler Dweller' was a one set wonder.

The same applies to this movie, yes it's set in a bakery, the movie itself takes place during a nigh-time shift.

As the movie begins we witness the actions of Gary Busey crazed psycho going gun happy in a local Texan diner, then we flash forward to just another day down amongst the cream buns.

I have to say, although the lack of budget was a major factor, the lack of any real acting talent and any real gusto to the script made me pay attention.

I can only imagine, that whatever funds Charles Band raised for this movie, a small some went towards the special effects and the vast majority went straight into Gary Busey back pocket.

I found it stranger that the writing partnership of William Butler and Domonic Muir should write this script using aliases, that being said, so too did Don Mancini when he also penned 'Celler Dweller' but looked which way Mancini's career went and by the looks of it the same can be said of Butler and Muir.

The ending of this movie suggests a sequel, although I'm sure we will see the 'Gingerdead Man' doll long before we see such a dreaded beast as a follow up to this miserable exercise.

My two stars are awarded basically for the presence of Band's name and that of Busey's

With a title like that, and the premise being a walking/talking/killing cookie, I think most viewers will picture this movie being a (black) comedy. And it could have worked - I thought that the original "Jack Frost" movie, about a killer snowman, worked. But in this case, NOTHING works. The movie is really cheap, looking like a backyard production made in the 1980s and shelved for twenty years without any restoration. There's also a minimalist feel, with barely enough props and scenery, all looking very unconvincing. Gary Busey just seems to be going through the motions, with the scene he actually appears in as well as voicing the killer cookie. The supporting cast comes across as even worse, if that's possible, not helped by a script that makes them the stupidest characters I've seen in a movie for a long time. And even though the movie barely lasts 60 minutes (not counting the s-l-o-w closing credits), it goes by at such a slow pace that it feels endless. This movie actually has spawned two sequels, making me conclude that it was even cheaper than I thought, since I can't see most people liking this movie.

This man turns into an indescribable mess everything he touches. And "The Gingerdead Man" is the proof. The proof that Band finally lost it. He no longer makes movies, he unmakes them. He demolishes, maims, mauls, distorts, destroys and deforms everything that a movie is. How can this be a movie: it has NO logical plot, in fact, it has no plot at all, it has NO acting, even Busey's acting was shameful, it has NOTHING that makes it a movie. And what genre is it anyway? Comedy? Horror (I doubt it)? Sci-Fi? Trash? Garbage? I tell you: it is a new genre that Band invented: WASTED TIME: LIFE-SUCKING BRAINWASHING ULTRA DULL SENSELESS NOTHINGNESS. People will enjoy Band's movies when he will stop making them. But I cannot blame him anymore, the man is just making a living, hell, at least he made something out of him. But seriously, Charles, if you're reading this, for the love of God, stop. Please, stop. It is enough. You tried and you failed. You are no director, you are no writer. Stick to producing, doll-making or whatever you do. Don't destroy young minds. Don't waste your and our time. And leave Gary Busey alone.

The problem with this video cheapie isn't necessarily the concept. Sure the concept is cheesy and all but the film itself should abide by the rules of a good cheesy movie. Instead half of this film focuses on a teenage love triangle in bakery one scary night. It's like watching a soap opera called 'General Bakery'. The biggest plot hole here is that everyone stays inside the friggin bakery and lets a Gingerbread Man chase them around! No one ever thinks to get out or go get help when someone is hurt. Also there is no explanation whatsoever as to who the guy with the black cape was that brought the gingerbread dough to the bakery (I'm supposing it was Darth Vader). Of course it takes a little blood mixed with this dough to make an evil gingerbread man, so it just so happens someone cuts their finger while getting out the dough and viola! Vader knew it would happen.

The first couple of scenes with the Gingerdead Man made me laugh. I think it's funny to see Busey in gingerbread man form. It's just weird. But there isn't enough of him and the good stuff that makes a good cheesy straight to video flick.

The problem with this film is that it isn't fun enough. They tried to be a little too serious at times with the love story and the attempt at humor, especially the one guy acting like a superhero-ninja wannabe, can be particularly painful to watch.

I love Charles Band, his movies in the late 80's and early 90's have and still entertain me greatly, but this stuff coming out lately just ain't what it used to be.