A BLIND BARGAIN, directed by Paul Bunnell, came across my desk and I immediately had to take a bite. The film stars Crispin Glover (Back to the Future, Charlie’s Angels) alongside Jake Horowitz (Bones and All). What sparked my interest most was the fact that the film reimagines the long-lost 1922 Lon Chaney silent horror film of the same name. That’s not something you see every day, even from most modern independent films, which this most certainly is.
Of course, I had to do some digging before watching the movie. Lon Chaney was a massive influence during the Silent film era despite passing away at the tragically young age of 47. Called “The Man of a Thousand Faces” his most iconic roles were The Phantom of the Opera (1923), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1925), among many others. His son Lon Chaney Jr. would go on to have an amazing career as well, most notably playing The Wolfman (1941). While Lon Chaney’s legacy is tied to horror films and innovations in makeup, A BLIND BARGAIN is a movie he made that is lost to time. Despite this fact, the filmmakers went on to reimagine it and bring it to life, creating a unique experience that is one part new feature and one part cinematic phoenix rising from the ashes.
So we are left with a question. Does A BLIND BARGAIN succeed in resurrecting this forgotten piece of horror history? Let’s dive in to find out!
OFFICIAL SHORT SYNOPSIS:
Reimagining the lost 1922 Lon Chaney silent film of the same name, a desperate young man strikes a dark deal with an unhinged doctor, unknowingly offering up his mother as a subject for the twisted experiments of a morally ambiguous physician seeking to reverse the aging process. However, he soon realizes that he failed to read the fine print and that every bargain has a price. Things at the Gruder Institute are far more sinister than he ever imagined in this evocative psychological thriller—a stylized throwback to 1970.
As discussed, Jake Horowitz plays that desperate young man, Dominic Fontaine, and Crispin Glover plays the twisted Dr. Gruder. Horowitz is a standout, putting in plenty of work as this tortured, confused lead, a veteran struggling with addiction. Glover, as the twisted Dr. Gruder, is a joy to watch, as always. A seasoned veteran, he plays a muted performance that glimmers with flashes of brilliance, madness, and passion.
Paul Bunnell directed this movie, and manages to create a delightfully weird and obtuse atmosphere that is a welcome deviation from modern cookie cutter filmmaking. The movie evokes the 1960s and 1970s filmmaking traditions that inspired its look and atmosphere, and feels very Hollywood in a way that Hollywood itself has forgotten at best, or willfully left behind at worst.
Fans of John Waters’ Hairspray or strange, forgotten cult cinema will likely find a lot to enjoy here. The same goes for viewers who miss old-school filmmaking with tangible textures and personality.
The rest of the cast is up to par, with actors such as Jed Rowen as Logos and Rob Mayes as Vincent leaning into their roles as tortured or just plain mean thugs. Even the supporting cast like Claudia MacLeod as the red-headed Stephanie adds flavor. Annalisa Cochrane also gives a standout performance as Young Joy Fontaine, and Amy Wright plays a great older double, kind and sweet.
Other highlights include the psychedelic special effects, costumes, and set designs that immerse you in this world and make it fun to look at.
While the movie is fun and a great throwback, it may not be for everyone. At times, some performances feel intentionally muted, with dialogue delivered in a restrained, almost detached manner, but this is one of those movies that is about style. Like the classic movies it is a love letter to, if you are in the mood for it, it will hit the right notes and make you smile, or guffaw in surprise. In other words, if you love oddball, hard to find films, made on real cameras, then this is the movie for you.
A Blind Bargain is in theatres right now, and worth watching!