Deadbeat at Dawn

This is a particular dangerous movie for teenage boys to watch as it'll likely result in them squandering whatever industrial potential in favor of pursuing a lifetime in the arts. Jim Van Bebber somehow, with 80's technology, was able to write, direct, make special effects, choreograph the martial arts, and star-in this mini-masterpiece shot on a micro-budget.

Heavily inspired by a handful of films including THE WARRIORS and CLOCKWORK ORANGE, the film doesn't star anyone you would recognize and is set in a decaying rustbelt city Dayton, Ohio where you'll probably never go. It lacks the familiarity of Hollywood productions, or even of B-movies, and has an unrelenting ugly crudeness to it (including the acting and sound quality). It makes up for these numerous shortcomings though by being so insanely energetic and outrageous. Van Bebber's performance never wavers and his cinematographer Mike King does an excellent job capturing the fight scenes and urban blight.

This film has a lot of goofy scenes and nonsequiters but gives you the impression of some kind of underlying genius behind the whole affair. I think it's kind of a shame that Van Bebber never was able to make a big, mainstream film but then again I'm sure he would not have done well in the studio system. He comes off as something of an obsessive Orson Welles-type cinema savant who unfortunately peaked early, though his short films are even more expertly crafted.

The handmade, rough-around-the-edges quality of the film, coupled with its high entertainment value could easily inspire anyone watching the film to want to get their friends together and make a similar film. It makes the process look both fun and accessible, and personally I can say it heavily impacted my decision to get into the business (for better or worse).

If you liked playing Double Dragon on your Nintendo, you will love this movie! It's about the kind of blokes you'd have in the video game but now it's just about as psycho crazy and atmospheric as Abel Ferrara's Driller Killer. A street-brawler kid quits his gang to live with his girl, but off course it's not that easy to turn his back on the gang.. It's a very simple plot, but it has a certain style and intensity that make up for that lack of complexity. The style, to compare, is a bit between Driller Killer and Richard Kern's short films (The Hardcore Collection). A sometimes psychotic montage with lots of stylish and semi-shocking images and great action scenes with intense gore and a haunting musical score. Or maybe it was just really good weed. Who knows..

Goose (Jim Van Bebber), leader of tough Ohio street gang The Ravens, has only just renounced his violent lifestyle when his girlfriend Christy is brutally killed by members of rival gang The Spiders. Goose vows to avenge her murder, but finds himself caught in a self-destructive spiral of hatred and despair that leads him to attempt suicide. However, just as he is about to blow his brains out, Goose is confronted by Keith (Ric Walker), the current leader of The Ravens, who wishes to recruit him for an armoured car heist; the only problem is that The Ravens have since joined forces with The Spiders and Goose isn't about to forgive and forget...

Written, edited, directed by and starring Van Bebber, who also provides the film's stunts and make-up effects, Deadbeat at Dawn is a marvel of independent movie-making, one that belies its meagre budget by successfully pulling off several gruelling and very bloody set-pieces and quite a few dangerous looking action scenes, with the final 10 minutes or so going all out to shock with its brutal violence and a gruelling sense of nihilism. Where many an 80s horror/action flick ladled on the cheeze, Van Bebber goes for the full-on, gritty exploitation vibe and for the most part he succeeds, his film feeling suitably grubby and depressing throughout with vivid coloured lighting and retro kaleidoscopic scene transitions really adding to that authentic grind-house feel.

While some of the acting is admittedly a bit wobbly (the guy who plays Goose's father wins my award for funniest performance of the film) and the fight scenes aren't always totally convincing, it's easy to forgive these shortcomings when considering the almost negligible budget and Van Bebber's relative inexperience behind the camera (he was only twenty four at the time of the film's release); what he has managed to do for minimal money is most impressive indeed and his enthusiasm for the project shines through on every grimy, filth-ridden frame, especially those where he is putting his life on the line for his art.

This film could change your life. A friend introduced me to this movie a couple weeks ago, and not a conscious hour has gone by that I have not thought of it. If this seems remotely like your type of film (low-budget action gore) then you MUST see this. It immediately became one of my all time favorites. The cover does not do it justice. Think 'Mad Max' meets 'Polyester' meets 'Cannibal Apocalypse'... and you're sort of on the right track. Really, it's like nothing you've ever seen. I have never reviewed any films on IMDb before, with this movie I felt I had no other choice but to shout it's praises to anyone who will listen. It deserves to be legendary. Prepare to have your mind blown away.

It's not hard to see why Jim Van Bebber's grimy expose of gang related turmoil has become such a cherished cult favourite; The film delivers equal dosages of OTT violence, blood letting, action and some highly commendable amateur stunt work and this all wrapped up in a grim and nihilistic tale of retribution. Of course, many independent films comprise and follow similar themes; However, this one further raises the bar with its incredibly bleak depiction of sheer hopelessness as experienced by our protagonist and those around him. The scenes featuring our hero returning home to his father and his obvious shock and disgust at the mental deterioration experienced by said parent are surprisingly powerful - far more so than one would expect from a film of this ilk.

Having said that, ultimately what really will stick with the viewer is the incredible ultra-violence on display; The finale especially is a suitably nasty affair and lets just say, the outcome pretty much negates the possibility of a direct sequel........

Given what Bebber gave us here with this diamond in the rough, it's even more of a shame that he never fulfilled his obvious potential by moving on to bigger things......oh well, even if he were to only be remembered for this effort, it's a heck of a reputation.