It's not very often that you'll hear me say that I'm speechless after watching a film for Monsters at Play, it should be a rare experience indeed. One of those rare experiences is now, because I am utterly fucking speechless after checking out a copy of Damon Packard's epic film of mammoth proportions Reflections of Evil. Speechless because of all of the utter disdain I've been hearing people have had for this film ever since it landed on my desk here at Monster Headquarters. Speechless because I don't know what these people have been smoking, because if Reflections of Evil is one thing and one thing only... that would be fucking brilliant, plain and simple.

I may have noted in the past that certain films were difficult to talk about because of either their complexity (or more often than not because of their lack thereof). Reflections of Evil falls into the category of complex, and one of the easiest ways I can describe it is to say that it's reminiscent of earlier works from David Lynch. Only the truly adventurous and open-minded viewers will be ultimately rewarded. Everyone else will toss the film aside as pure and utter crap made by a talent less hack. You know what? I wouldn't expect anymore from these people. These are the same people who'll revisit Reflections of Evil 15 years from now and proclaim its genius. Well, I'm here to tell you the real story NOW, not 15 years from now, so deal with it!

Linear story? Not really. What we have here is something that appears to be so off the wall and random that it's evident that there's no way in hell it could have been that random. My description of this film, no matter how utterly clever, could never do the experience of this films audio and visuals any justice. Right now you're probably saying to yourself, "Lawrence, I get it you dug the flick, but tell me... what's it about, why is it so great? What the fuck happens in this film?" All I can say is check it out for yourself. What I am gonna try to do is give you some snippets of what happens so bear this all in mind. There really is no beginning, no middle and no end (the film's finale which isn't much of a finale to begin with is labeled "to be continued..."). The actual experience of watching this fine and unique film cannot be summed up in a 1000 word review, even on Monsters at Play.

The film itself begins with an introduction by Tony Curtis (yup you heard right), with some clever and hilarious dubbing Mr. Curtis proclaims the genius of Damon Packard. The rest of the film is filled with odd scenes including that of a man (Damon Packard) roaming the streets trying to hock these cheap watches, stopping periodically to watch people fight, sometimes fight himself and eat, eat, eat (cakes, pies and sometimes marshmallow peeps). The sight of watching this man eat a cake with those exagerrated sound effects is an unforgettable one at best. He winds up home in a spectacularly effective scene raiding a hellish fridge and avoiding a nightmarish old lady... Geez, as I write this I realize how fucking stupid it all sounds. But it's not, believe me. With a shooting style that can best be described as a cross between that of Eraserhead and Tetsuo, this film comes across as a virtual visual feast. Heads slammed against sidewalks, gratuitous vomiting and some of the oddest characters you have ever seen, guaranteed. Time shifts from present to the past to a trippy hippie breakdown. Now let me stop here and tell you a bit more on how it was actually filmed. Reflections of Evil is a combination of 16mm, Super 8 and Digital Video. Sound was re recorded after the fact and the newly created audio track is quite aggressive (that's all voices, effects and music that have been laid over the film). Mixed within the actual footage shot for the film itself are vintage movie clips, TV show clips and commercials... are ya still with me here? There are some incredible set pieces that no matter how hard I try, I just couldn't make you understand how spectacular of a vision it actually is. Much of the finale takes place at Universal Studios with Mr. Packard running from the "authorities" if you will and taking an acid trip of a ride on the ET experience. Oh, and did I mention the scenes of a "young Mr. Spielberg on set", unbelievable to say the least. I dare you to count the audio and video copyright infringements to be found within. I double dog dare you!

Now, this is not a perfect film by any means. Because of Packard's impromptu filmmaking style, some scenes do go on a bit too long. The film itself runs a whopping 135 minutes, but oddly enough remains a fascinating view throughout (if you have a lack of patience you may have to hit the FF button a few times, we forgive you in advance). It's evident that this man has some truly raw filmmaking talent, so rare to find these days. Somebody give Mr. Packard the millions he so deserves to make the film that he truly wants to make. Apparently this film can be found on street corners etc. around the LA area I believe. Or, you can order this film online for a scant 10 bucks. Worth every penny.

Video quality varies considering the multiple sources, but it's generally all for effect anyway. This is a cleanly authored disc with no visible artifacting. Audio is presented in an extremely impressive (and aggressive) stereo surround track. The re created audio track was impressively put together. Dogs barking or mismatched voices, even cupcake eating has never been so disturbingly effective on film.

Extras include a teaser trailer and a few snippets of some of Packard's earlier works.

Bottom line here is that 10 bucks is a minimal investment. Check it out and if you don't like it, just reuse the keep case the DVD comes in and the DVD as a drink coaster. Personally, I think that Damon Packard has something uniquely special going on here that really speaks to fans of "real" independent cinema. Support this guy and tell your friends. For more info check out the official site for the film at reflectionsofevil.com.