The Greasy Strangler

Last updated

The Greasy Strangler
The Greasy Strangler poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jim Hosking
Written by
  • Toby Harvard
  • Jim Hosking
Produced by
Starring
  • Michael St. Michaels
  • Sky Elobar
  • Elizabeth De Razzo
  • Gil Gex
  • Abdoulaye NGom
  • Holland MacFallister
CinematographyMårten Tedin
Edited byMark Burnett
Music by Andrew Hung
Production
companies
Distributed by FilmRise (United States) Picture House Entertainment (United Kingdom)
Release dates
  • January 22, 2016 (2016-01-22)(Sundance)
  • October 7, 2016 (2016-10-07)(United States)
Running time
93 minutes [1] [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$45,878 [3]

The Greasy Strangler is a 2016 American black comedy horror film directed by Jim Hosking, and written by Hosking and Toby Harvard. The film stars Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo, Gil Gex, Abdoulaye NGom and Holland MacFallister. The film was released on October 7, 2016, by FilmRise.

Contents

Plot

Ronnie, a pathological liar who fabricates stories about disco groups like the Bee Gees, runs a disco-themed walking location tour in his town, alongside his son Brayden, who aspires to be a space fantasy author. Ronnie allows Brayden to live with him, seemingly because Brayden prepares excessively greasy food for him. Ronnie asserts that Brayden drove his mother away, though truthfully, she left Ronnie for a fitness expert named Ricky Prickles.

At night, Ronnie completely covers himself in grease and strangles residents of the town, soon becoming dubbed "The Greasy Strangler". After his killings, he cleans himself of the grease by standing in a car wash run by a blind man named Paul. During one of the walking tours, Brayden meets a woman named Janet, and they begin a romantic relationship. One night, Ronnie strangles a hot dog vendor he had gotten in an argument with earlier, causing his eyes to pop out of his head, which Ronnie cooks and eats.

One night, Brayden and Janet have sex. Ronnie attempts to seduce her the next morning before he kills Oinker, Brayden's best friend. He later takes Janet out to a discotheque, threatening to evict Brayden if he does not allow him to. There, Ronnie attempts to kiss Janet, but she resists, saying that she may be in love with Brayden. Despite this, the pair inexplicably have sex. They mock Brayden when he runs from the house in despair. This later leads to a heated argument between Ronnie and Brayden.

Brayden then professes his love to Janet. Ronnie overhears this before going to the car wash to strangle and decapitate Paul. The next morning, Brayden calls a detective named Jody and reports that Ronnie may be the Greasy Strangler. Jody - who is actually Ronnie in disguise - visits the house the next day, and Brayden and Janet show him a spot of oil left behind on the carpet as evidence that Ronnie is the Greasy Strangler. Jody concludes that the oil is meaningless circumstantial evidence, and demands that they end all inquiries about Ronnie having committed the murders.

That night, Janet declares her mutual love for Brayden, and they decide to get married. Ronnie, hiding under the bed, reveals himself, claiming Janet as his lover and evicting Brayden. Janet replies that Brayden can live with her. Ronnie covers himself in grease, slaps Brayden, and drags Janet out of the house with him. Brayden covers himself in grease as well and follows the two to a movie theatre, where Ronnie is strangling Janet. Brayden, upon seeing this, opts to strangle her instead. Her eyes pop out of her head, which both he and Ronnie consume while watching the movie.

The next day, on a beach, Ronnie reveals that he secretly cares for Brayden, despite his annoyance with him. They bond over, in hindsight, their disgust with Janet. They cover themselves in grease and head to a forest where they murder Ricky Prickles. In a surreal turn of events, they then witness themselves being executed by firing squad, watching as confetti and champagne explode from their heads. They venture deeper into the forest, still covered in grease, and primally shake wooden spears at the camera.

Cast

Release

The Greasy Strangler premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2016. [2] The film was released on October 7, 2016, by FilmRise. [4]

Critical reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. As of June 2020, it has a 63% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 52 reviews, with an average score of 5.59/10. The site's consensus states: "The Greasy Strangler definitely isn't for everyone, but filmgoers in step with its off-kilter stride are in store for a singular cinematic experience." [5] On Metacritic, the film has a 58 out of 100 rating, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [6]

Jordan Hoffman, film critic of the British newspaper The Guardian , described the film as "the relentless monstrosity of a film is rife with fetishized cellulite, disgusting food and firehose penises. It's not for everyone – but perhaps it should be", in a four-star review that highlighted and praised the film’s bizarreness. [7]

Peter Bradshaw, also of The Guardian, described the film as providing "uncompromising yuckiness" as well as laughs, in a three-star review. [8]

In contrast, Wendy Ide of the Guardian’s sister paper The Observer gave it zero stars, stating “there’s nothing to this relentlessly inane horror comedy once you get past all the genitals”and describing it as “Like an early John Waters movie but without the sophistication”. [9] More than seven years after the original review, in a column of critics reappraising their zero-star reviews, Ide doubled down on her scathing criticism: “I probably could have tolerated […] all the artless, attention-seeking gross-out antics and the barely veiled contempt for the characters and the audience – if the film wasn’t also so thuddingly tedious.” [10]

James Franco wrote an article about The Greasy Strangler for his 'James Franco's Movie Column' in Indiewire: "Fake Penises Aren't the Only Funny Thing About The Greasy Strangler." [11]

The Greasy Strangler won The Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards 2017. [12]

The Greasy Strangler won Best Comedy at The Empire Magazine Film Awards 2017. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mamet</span> American playwright, filmmaker, and author (born 1947)

David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, filmmaker, and author.

<i>Man Bites Dog</i> (film) 1992 Belgian black comedy crime mockumentary

Man Bites Dog is a 1992 French-language Belgian black comedy crime mockumentary film written, produced and directed by Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel and Benoît Poelvoorde, who are also the film's co-editor, cinematographer and lead actor respectively.

<i>Baby Boy</i> (film) 2001 film directed by John Singleton

Baby Boy is a 2001 American coming-of-age hood drama film directed, written and produced by John Singleton, and starring Tyrese Gibson, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames, Omar Gooding, A.J. Johnson and Taraji P. Henson. The film follows Joseph "Jody" Summers (Gibson), a 20-year-old bike mechanic as he lives and learns in his everyday life in the hood of Los Angeles.

<i>Grease</i> (film) 1978 musical romantic comedy film by Randal Kleiser

Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser from a screenplay by Bronté Woodard and an adaptation by co-producer Allan Carr, based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson, who develop an attraction for each other during a summer romance.

<i>Menace II Society</i> 1993 film by the Hughes Brothers

Menace II Society is a 1993 American teen crime drama film directed by the Hughes Brothers in their directorial debut. Set in the Watts and Crenshaw neighborhoods of Los Angeles, the film follows the life of Caine Lawson and his close friends. It gained notoriety for its scenes of violence, profanity, and drug-related content, and also received critical acclaim for the performances of Turner, Jada Pinkett, and Larenz Tate, the direction, and its realistic portrayal of urban violence and powerful underlying messages.

<i>Sleepaway Camp</i> 1983 American slasher film

Sleepaway Camp is a 1983 American slasher film written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, and starring Felissa Rose, Katherine Kamhi, Paul DeAngelo, Mike Kellin, and Christopher Collet. The original entry in the Sleepaway Camp film series, it focuses on serial killings which occur at a summer camp for teenagers.

<i>I Am Curious (Yellow)</i> 1967 Swedish erotic drama film by Vilgot Sjöman

I Am Curious (Yellow) (Swedish: Jag är nyfiken – en film i gult, meaning "I Am Curious: A Film in Yellow") is a 1967 Swedish erotic drama film written and directed by Vilgot Sjöman, starring Sjöman and Lena Nyman. It is a companion film to 1968's I Am Curious (Blue); the two were initially intended to be one 3+1⁄2 hour film.

<i>Cemetery Man</i> 1994 Italian comedy horror film

Cemetery Man is a 1994 comedy horror film directed by Michele Soavi and starring Rupert Everett, François Hadji-Lazaro and Anna Falchi. It was produced by Tilde Corsi, Gianni Romoli and Soavi and based on the novel Dellamorte Dellamore by Tiziano Sclavi. Everett plays a beleaguered caretaker of a small Italian cemetery, who searches for love while defending himself from dead people who keep rising again. It is an international co-production between Italy, France, and Germany.

<i>Bad Moon</i> 1996 Canadian-American horror film

Bad Moon is a 1996 Canadian-American horror film written and directed by Eric Red, and produced by James G. Robinson. The film is about a mother and son who are threatened by her brother, who struggles to overcome the curse of lycanthropy. It stars Michael Paré, Mariel Hemingway and Mason Gamble.

<i>Tightrope</i> (film) 1984 film by Richard Tuggle

Tightrope is a 1984 American neo-noir psychological mystery crime action thriller film directed and written by Richard Tuggle and produced by and starring Clint Eastwood.

<i>Cliffords Really Big Movie</i> 2004 American film

Clifford's Really Big Movie is a 2004 American animated adventure comedy film based on the PBS Kids TV series Clifford the Big Red Dog, itself an adaptation of the book series of the same name by Norman Bridwell. This film was directed by Robert Ramirez, produced by Scholastic Entertainment and Big Red Dog Productions, and originally released to theaters for a limited time by Warner Bros. Pictures on February 20, 2004.

<i>Gumby: The Movie</i> 1995 film by Art Clokey

Gumby: The Movie is a 1995 American stop-motion surrealist claymation adventure comedy film featuring Gumby. The film is dedicated to Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Negga</span> Irish actress (born 1981)

Ruth Negga is an Irish actress known for her roles in the AMC television series Preacher (2016–2019) and the film Loving (2016). For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in the latter, Negga received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. For her Broadway debut as Lady Macbeth in a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth in 2022, she earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

<i>Observe and Report</i> 2009 American film

Observe and Report is a 2009 American crime comedy film written and directed by Jody Hill and starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, and Ray Liotta. It follows a mentally unstable vigilante mall cop who attempts to join the police academy and pursues a flasher tormenting female visitors to the mall where he works. It was released on April 10, 2009, and grossed $27 million.

<i>Hachi: A Dogs Tale</i> 2009 drama film directed by Lasse Hallström

Hachi: A Dog's Tale is a 2009 American drama film and a remake of Kaneto Shindo's 1987 Japanese film Hachikō Monogatari. The original film told the true story of the Akita dog named Hachikō who lived in Japan 1923–1935. Hachi: A Dog's Tale is an updated American adaptation based on the Japanese film. This version, which places it in a modern American context, was directed by Lasse Hallström, written by Stephen P. Lindsey and Kaneto Shindo, and produced by Richard Gere, Bill Johnson and Vicki Shigekuni Wong. The film stars Gere, Joan Allen, Sarah Roemer, Jason Alexander, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa.

<i>Three Colours: Red</i> 1994 film by Krzysztof Kieślowski

Three Colours: Red is a 1994 drama film co-written, produced and directed by Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski. It is the final installment of the Three Colours trilogy, which examines the French Revolutionary ideals; it is preceded by Blue and White. Kieślowski had announced that this would be his final film, planning to retire claiming to be through with filmmaking; he would die suddenly less than two years later. Red is about fraternity, which it examines by showing characters whose lives gradually become closely interconnected, with bonds forming between two characters who appear to have little in common.

<i>Another Year</i> (film) 2010 film by Mike Leigh

Another Year is a 2010 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. It stars Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, and Ruth Sheen. It follows a year in the life of an older couple who have been happily married for a long time, making them an anomaly among their friends and family members.

<i>Spring Breakers</i> 2012 comedy film directed by Harmony Korine

Spring Breakers is a 2012 American crime comedy film written and directed by Harmony Korine and starring James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, and Gucci Mane. Gomez, Hudgens, Benson, and Korine portray four college-aged girls who go on spring break in St. Petersburg, Florida and meet an eccentric local drug dealer (Franco) who helps them in a time of desperation, and their eventual descent into a world of drugs, crime, and violence.

<i>Lisa Frankenstein</i> 2024 film by Zelda Williams

Lisa Frankenstein is a 2024 American comedy horror film directed by Zelda Williams, in her feature-length directorial debut, and written by Diablo Cody. The film stars Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, and Carla Gugino. The plot follows a misunderstood teenage girl, Lisa, who meets and develops a relationship with a reanimated Victorian-era corpse. Cody stated that Lisa Frankenstein is set in the same fictional universe as Jennifer's Body (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sky Elobar</span> American actor

Sky Elobar is an American actor. He is best known for playing Big Brayden in the absurdist horror film The Greasy Strangler and his other collaborations with director, Jim Hosking.

References

  1. ↑ "The Greasy Strangler (18)". British Board of Film Classification . September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Dennis Harvey (January 23, 2016). "'The Greasy Strangler' Review: Somehow Both Disgusting and Tedious". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ "The Greasy Strangler (2016)". Box Office Mojo. October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  4. ↑ Liz Calvario (June 8, 2016). "New The Greasy Strangler Teaser Trailer & Release Date Announced". IndieWire. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Greasy Strangler (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster . Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  6. ↑ "The Greasy Strangler reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  7. ↑ Hoffman, Jordan (January 23, 2016). "The Greasy Strangler review – a playful oasis of filth and depravity". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  8. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (October 6, 2016). "The Greasy Strangler review – a grossout comic smack in the face". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  9. ↑ Ide, Wendy (October 9, 2016). "The Greasy Strangler review – tiresome shock tactics". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  10. ↑ Mangan, Lucy; Nicholson, Rebecca; Petridis, Alexis; Ide, Wendy; Pidd, Helen (May 23, 2024). "'I wanted to scrape it from my eyeballs': critics on their zero-star savagings". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  11. ↑ Franco, James (October 7, 2016). "James Franco's Movie Column: Fake Penises Aren't the Only Funny Thing About 'The Greasy Strangler'". IndieWire. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  12. ↑ "British Independent Film Awards 2016: the winners in full". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Three Empire Awards 2017: Rogue One, Tom Hiddleston And Patrick Stewart Win Big". Empire. March 19, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
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.