"Krampus" may not win any Oscars, save for its art direction, cinematography, set design, and special effects. The people behind the aforementioned are the true stars of this film; even relatively well known actors like Adam Scott and Toni Collette (looking dreadful here!!!!!!!!!) are nothing more than pawns in this holiday chess game on screen. The only two who register are Emjay Anthony, as Max and Krista Stadler, as Omi, the grandmother.
The movie begins like a holiday fueled version of "August:Osage County," only without the dark brilliance of the Letts play. The characters holed up in this house are as obnoxious a group of relations as any you have seen--including my own! When Max gets fed up, and throws his Santa letter to the wind, all hell breaks loose.
A storm ensues, and that somehow, with Max's deed, summons Krampus, an enormous, two footed, goat-like satyr, with devilishly curled horns, and a tongue to beat all others. He is a menacing character. In this version, according to Omi, he comes, with his helpers, and wait till you see The Evil Gingerbread Minions!!!!!!! They just about steal the picture!!!!!!! As do the evil clown toys! Enough to traumatize children away from them again.
The editing is masterful, but the structure is unsettling. (WARNING--Don't read further if you intend to see this.)
The movie is told and shot straightforwardly. But, when Omi explains the Krampus legend, and the story goes to flashback, the screen style becomes more like Tim Burton and "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
After a point, when it seems everyone is sent to Hell, visualized in all its fierceness, here, the film does a "Wizard Of Oz," by having Max awaken from a dream. I thought, watching, this was such a cop out. But then the filmmaker does a brilliant homage to "Invaders From Mars." Max awakens to a world where Christmas at his house has normalized to being what it is supposed to be. Until he opens Omi's gift--the Krampas ornament. As Max ponders this, the camera pulls back to the shot of Krampus' claw, seen on the poster. He picks up a snow globe, in which the family is contained, puts it on his shelf, as the camera pans through Kramapus' lair of collected snow globes, ending with a door slam!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is this for real? Or is Krampus simply showing us one of his collected items, detailing the plight of one family who has the misfortune to be visited by him.
Am I going to argue with Krampus???? Of course not!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, darn: I thought I would see this WITH you, RQ!
ReplyDeleteWho else am I gonna find with your expertise on Krampus?
ReplyDeleteHere's the funny thing. If I had planned it, it would not have worked out. I wanted to catch the 11;50 am show; if not it might have been back at the Alpine, depending on the time factor. I had a doctor appt.--near the Lincoln Square Theatre. There is no predicting; sometime it is in and out, other times I have to wait. Had I contacted you, I KNOW you would have sat hours in that office, which I did not want to make you do.
But the movie is fun! Poor Toni Collette!