Faust: Love of the Damned (film)

Last updated
Faust: Love of the Damned
Faust-Love-of-the-Damned.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Brian Yuzna
Screenplay by David Quinn
Miguel Tejada-Flores
Based on Faust (comics)
by Tim Vigil and David Quinn
Produced byTed Chalmers
Carlos Fernández
Julio Fernández
Antonio González
Bea Morillas
Miguel Torrente
Brian Yuzna
Starring Mark Frost
Isabel Brook
Jennifer Rope
Jeffrey Combs
Andrew Divoff
Cinematography Jacques Haitkin
Edited byLuis de la Madrid
Music byXavier Capellas
Production
company
Castelao Producciones [1]
Release date
Running time
96 minutes
CountrySpain [1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million [3]

Faust: Love of the Damned is a 2000 Spanish English-language superhero horror film directed by Brian Yuzna. It is adapted from a screenplay by David Quinn and Miguel Tejada-Flores based on the comic book of the same name by Tim Vigil and David Quinn. It was produced by Ted Chalmers, Carlos, Julio and Antonio Fernández, Bea Morillas, Miguel Torrente and Brian Yuzna. It premiered at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival on 12 October 2000.

Contents

The film, which was the first of nine to be produced by Filmax's Fantastic Factory label, won the award for Best Special Effects at the 2000 Catalan International Film Festival in Sitges, Spain. [4]

Plot

Arriving to a crime scene, officer Dan Margolies (Jeffrey Combs) investigates a brutal scene of several mutilated bodies. He is attacked by an assailant wearing metal gauntlets with long, claw-like blades. The assassin almost kills Margolies but stops after seeing a woman in the shadows. After taking him to a psychiatric hospital, Margolies meets Doctor Jade De Camp, who believes she can help the patient. De Camp observes the patient staring at a death metal CD after attempting to use musical therapy on him. She plays the CD, driving the patient into a rage but recovering his memory.

The assailant reveals his name to be John Jaspers (Mark Frost). John sold his soul to the mysterious M (as for Mephistopheles) (Andrew Divoff) in order to avenge the death of his girlfriend, Blue (Jennifer Rope), who was murdered by a gangster. M gives John the clawed gauntlets and warns him that he will regret their deal in the future. John, using his new weapons, kills the gangster and his men. However, John learns he now has become M's slave and cannot break the contract he signed in exchange for the gauntlets and power.

De Camp does not believe John's story and continues trying to treat him. Later, De Camp presents her findings to Margolies, who researches M and the secret society that he belongs to called The Hand. Back at the hospital, John is taken by M's henchmen who drug him and throw him in an empty grave. John is buried alive and De Camp is taken by M. John finds himself in Hell where he is attacked by a skeleton. After decapitating the skeleton and retrieving his gauntlets, John escapes the grave. A shadow of his body changing is seen on the overhead tombstone which has the inscribed name 'Faust'.

Before De Camp is taken away, John – now transformed into the devil Faust – arrives, killing the men and saving De Camp. A survivor from the attack returns to M's mansion to inform him of what happened, but is seduced and killed by M's wife Claire. De Camp returns home after talking with Margolies, who has gotten closer to finding out M's true motives and work with various people over the years. While home, De Camp finds out John is there and seeking her help to stop the bloodlust he feels. However, when she mentions police outside, John becomes angered and transforms into Faust upon realizing that the police are working for M.

Faust kills the police and chases after the fleeing De Camp. He corners her on a subway and begs her to come with him. The police chief, working for M, also arrives to take De Camp. Faust cuts the subway train in half and rescues De Camp from the police. Faust takes her to his old apartment where the two start to have sex, but stop when De Camp begins screaming. She tells John that she was raped as a child but cannot remember the man's face, instead only being able to remember smooth, amorphous features. The two embrace and rest. Back at M's mansion, the police chief interrupts M's meeting to reprimand him for not telling about John's power. Margolies, hiding in the house, witnesses M kill the chief. M discovers Margolies shortly after.

Margolies calls De Camp to meet at M's home. However, it is revealed that he has betrayed her and allied with M. M plans to use De Camp to lure John for a demonic ritual he intends to conduct. M is betrayed, however, when Claire has his doctor give him a poisoned syringe of medicine. M kills the doctor for his disloyalty before collapsing. Claire shoots M in the head with a shotgun and tortures De Camp in extreme sadomasochistic fashion. De Camp becomes corrupted, while M is revealed to still be alive and begins preparing for the ritual.

John returns to the bridge where he first met M and sees a vision of De Camp in danger. He rushes to her aid and crashes The Hand's ritual as Faust, but cannot hurt M because of their contract. Defeated, he turns back into John when the traumatized De Camp rejects him for M. M proceeds with the ritual, killing Claire by removing a snake from her stomach and letting it slither into Margolies' mouth. Margolies dies and a gate to Hell is opened. M rapes De Camp in order to humiliate John, but her childhood trauma snaps her back to full awareness and she is able to remember that it was her father who had assaulted her. M summons a demon from the gate to Hell which proceeds to burn all of his followers to death. De Camp knocks M unconscious and frees John, who kills the demon as Faust.

M tortures John, but De Camp offers her firstborn child to him in exchange for John's freedom from their contract and his soul returned. M agrees and burns the contract, but in doing so John loses his powers and his earlier injuries begin to take effect. De Camp then reveals to M that her childhood rape had left unable to conceive. Now free, John stands up and fatally stabs M, but succumbs to his wounds while De Camp mourns over his body.

Cast

Release

Faust: Love of the Damned premiered at Sitges Film Festival on 12 October 2000. [2] It was released theatrically in late October 2000. [5]

Trimark released it on DVD in 2001, [6] and Mosaic released a DVD in the UK in January 2002. [7] Arrow Video re-released the DVD on 18 April 2011, containing several special features. [8]

Reception

AllMovie's review of the film was mixed, writing "Check your brain at the door and eat up this grisly eye candy." [9] Jonathan Holland of Variety described it as "entertaining in a voyeuristic way but also as corny, crude and excessive as they come." [10] Gareth Jones of Dread Central rated it 2/5 stars and called it "utter, utter trash" that is a guilty pleasure. [11] Bloody Disgusting rated it 4/5 stars and wrote that it was much better than expected, though cheesy and corny in spots. [12] Patrick Naugle of DVD Verdict called it "low budget horror slop with lots of T&A" of interest mostly to Yuzna fans. [6]

Soundtrack

Faust: Love of the Damned: Music from and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2001
Genre
Label
Producer Michelle van Arendonk (executive)

The film's soundtrack was released through Roadrunner Records and featured songs by heavy metal artists. Machine Head's "Take My Scars" was used as the film's theme song, playing over the film's opening credits. The band's song "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" is also featured in the film, but not on the soundtrack. Other songs included in the film but not the soundtrack are "Remanufacture" by Fear Factory, "Lady Bird" by Baby Fox, "Def Beat" by Junkie XL, and "Breed Apart" by Sepultura.

Track listing
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Replica" Fear Factory 3:56
2."Loco" Coal Chamber 4:15
3."Colas de Rata" ("Rat Tails") Brujeria 1:32
4."Old Earth" Sepultura 4:28
5."Everyone I Love Is Dead" Type O Negative 6:11
6."Take My Scars" Machine Head 4:24
7."By the River" Vision of Disorder feat. Phil Anselmo of Pantera 3:36
8."Chopped in Half" Obituary 3:43
9."From the Cradle to Enslave" Cradle of Filth 6:37
10."Bleed" Soulfly feat. Fred Durst and DJ Lethal of Limp Bizkit 4:07
11."Nothing's Clear" Ill Niño 3:22
12."Asthmatic" Spineshank 3:34
13."Choke"Sepultura3:36
14."Everything Is Untrue" Amen 4:19
15."Babe" Glassjaw 1:43
16."For Fuck's Sake" Nailbomb 5:44
17."Bible Basher" Deicide 2:23
18."Sex and Violence" Carnivore 3:51
19."Timelessness"Fear Factory4:08

Related Research Articles

<i>Beyond Re-Animator</i> 2003 horror film

Beyond Re-Animator is a 2003 Spanish-American horror film directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs, Jason Barry, Elsa Pataky, Simón Andreu and Santiago Segura. It is the third and final installment in the Re-Animator film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Vigil</span> American comics artist

Timothy B. Vigil is an American comic book artist known for horror works, including the series Faust, which Vigil co-created with writer David Quinn. The book's main storyline, Faust: Love of the Damned, was adapted by director Brian Yuzna as the 2001 film of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Divoff</span> American actor and producer (born 1955)

Andrew Daniel Divoff is an American actor and producer. Divoff has played many villains in film and on television, including drug cartel leaders, terrorists, and organized crime bosses, though he is best known for playing the evil Djinn/Nathaniel Demerest in the first two Wishmaster films. Other noteworthy film and television roles include the villains Luis Cali in Toy Soldiers, Cherry Ganz in Another 48 Hrs., Ernesto Mendoza in A Low Down Dirty Shame, Boris Bazylev in Air Force One, M in Faust: Love of the Damned, Ivan Sarnoff in CSI: Miami, Mikhail Bakunin in Lost, and Karakurt in The Blacklist.

<i>The Last Horror Film</i> 1982 film by David Winters

The Last Horror Film is a 1982 American horror comedy film directed by David Winters and starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. Its plot follows a delusional middle-aged New York City taxi driver who, fixated on the idea of being a film director, visits the Cannes Film Festival where he begins stalking an actress he is obsessed with.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Yuzna</span> American film director

Brian Yuzna is an American producer, director, and writer. He is best known for his work in the science fiction and horror film genres. Yuzna began his career as a producer for several films by director Stuart Gordon, such as Re-Animator (1985) and From Beyond (1986), before making his directorial debut with the satirical body horror film Society (1989).

<i>Where Danger Lives</i> 1950 film by John Farrow

Where Danger Lives is a 1950 American film noir thriller directed by John Farrow and starring Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue and Claude Rains.

<i>From Beyond</i> (film) 1986 film by Stuart Gordon

From Beyond is a 1986 American science-fiction body horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, loosely based on the short story of the same name by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written by Dennis Paoli, Gordon and Brian Yuzna, and stars Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Ken Foree and Ted Sorel.

<i>Bloody Murder</i> 2000 American film

Bloody Murder is a 2000 American slasher film directed by Ralph E. Portillo and written by John R. Stevenson. It stars Jessica Morris, Crystalle Ford, Peter Guillemette, and Patrick Cavanaugh. The plot follows a group of counselors working at a summer camp, where a masked assailant begins a murder spree. The film was released direct-to-video.

<i>The Nameless</i> (film) 1999 Spanish film

The Nameless is a 1999 Spanish horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró in his directorial debut, and starring Emma Vilarasau, Karra Elejalde, and Tristán Ulloa. Based on the 1981 horror novel of the same name by English writer Ramsey Campbell, it follows a mother who receives a phone call from her believed-deceased daughter five years after her apparent occult-related ritualized murder, uncovering a nefarious cult preoccupied with the metaphysical aspects of corruption and evil.

<i>Rec</i> (film) 2007 film by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza

Rec is a 2007 Spanish found footage horror film co-written and directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. The film stars Manuela Velasco as a reporter who, with her cameraman, accompany a group of firefighters on an emergency call to an apartment building to discover an infection spreading inside, with the building being sealed up and all occupants ordered to follow a strict quarantine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faust (comics)</span> American series of comics by David Quinn & Tim Vigil

Faust is the lead superhero character and title of a collective series of comic books by Tim Vigil (art) and playwright David Quinn (stories), released by American publishers Northstar Publishing, Avatar Press, and principally by Vigil and Quinn's own Rebel Studios.

<i>Long Weekend</i> (1978 film) 1978 Australian psychological thriller film by Colin Eggleston

Long Weekend is an Australian psychological thriller film shot in 1977 and first shown in 1978. The film was directed by Colin Eggleston and stars John Hargreaves and Briony Behets.

<i>Arachnid</i> (film) 2001 Spanish film

Arachnid is a 2001 Spanish action-adventure natural-horror film directed by Jack Sholder. The film centers on a group of plane crash survivors who has to survive the attacks of a giant alien spider. The film stars Alex Reid, Chris Potter, Rocqueford Allen, Robert Vicencio and José Sancho. It was the second film under the Fantastic Factory Label, created by Brian Yuzna and Julio Fernandez in Spain. The film received negative reviews.

<i>Sleep Tight</i> (film) 2011 Spanish film

Sleep Tight is a 2011 Spanish psychological thriller film directed by Jaume Balagueró from a screenplay by Alberto Marini which stars Luis Tosar alongside Marta Etura. In the film, César (Tosar), a concierge of an apartment building, is unable to reach happiness no matter what happens to him, and he has a goal to make the tenants upset. Clara (Etura) proves to César that making her upset is harder than he expected and things turn to a twisted event when her boyfriend Marcos visits her. Sleep Tight was considered one of the most anticipated films to be premiered at the 44th Sitges Film Festival.

Víctor Garcia is a Spanish film director best known for his award-winning short film El ciclo and the 2007 American horror film Return to House on Haunted Hill.

<i>Deep in the Woods</i> 2000 French film

Deep in the Woods is a 2000 French slasher film directed by Lionel Delplanque. The film is about a troupe of five young actors who are hired to perform at a remote chateau for Baron Axel De Ferson when they find out that a madman is on the loose murdering people.

<i>The Kitchen</i> (2019 film) Film by Andrea Berloff

The Kitchen is a 2019 American crime film written and directed by Andrea Berloff in her directorial debut. It is based on the DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss as the wives of Irish American mobsters who take over organized crime operations in New York's Hell's Kitchen in the late 1970s, after the FBI arrests their husbands. The film also features Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d'Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Common, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.

<i>Cross the Line</i> 2020 film by David Victori

Cross the Line is a 2020 Spanish thriller film directed by David Victori. It stars Mario Casas alongside Milena Smit and Elisabeth Larena.

<i>Benny Loves You</i> Film by Karl Holt

Benny Loves You is a 2019 British horror comedy film directed, written, and produced by Karl Holt. It stars Claire Cartwright, George Collie, James Parsons, David Wayman, Lydia Hourihan and Holt himself. The film premiered at the Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre on November 21, 2019.

<i>Irati</i> (film) 2022 film

Irati is a 2022 Basque-language Spanish-French epic fantasy adventure film directed by Paul Urkijo Alijo which stars Eneko Sagardoy alongside Edurne Azkarate and Itziar Ituño, among others.

References

  1. 1 2 "FAUST (2001)". British Film Institute . Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "'Gein' grabs top kudos at Sitges fest". Variety . 18 October 2000. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Jones, Alan (April 2001). "Faust". Cinefantastique . Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ↑ "filmax International". filmaxinternational.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Frater, Patrick (24 October 2000). "Filmax seeks partners for Fantastic fare". Screen Daily . Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  6. 1 2 Naugle, Patrick (5 October 2001). "Faust: Love Of The Damned". DVD Verdict . Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  7. ↑ Mackie, Rob (10 January 2002). "This week's video releases". The Guardian . Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Hurtado, J. (18 February 2011). "Arrow Video Preps FANTASTIC FACTORY PRESENTS For April". Twitch Film . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  9. ↑ McClain, Buzz. "Faust: Love of the Damned (2001)". AllMovie . Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Holland, Jonathan (22 February 2001). "Review: 'Faust: Love of the Damned'". Variety . Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Jones, Gareth (27 April 2011). "Fantastic Factory Presents (UK DVD Set)". Dread Central . Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "Faust: Love Of The Damned". Bloody Disgusting . 22 October 2004. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.