Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead (2009) Reviews

• Below the line IFP delivers impressively

  Beginthebeguine2010-06-11

  A dark theater Off-Off Broadway NYC, a mysterious theater owner and an out-of-work stage director deliver giggles galore. With a soundtrack that makes one feel that Sean Lennon has finally found his groove. Musican Jordan Galland directs and stars Jake Hoffman, Devon Aoki,Kris Lemche, and John Ventimiglia as the mysterious vampire theater owner. Along with a wonderful performance by Ralph Macchio. Brilliant low-budget horror-comedy a must see for anyone who loves indie films ! The script seems amateurish at times as does the acting of the supporting characters (not the above mentioned but Carlos Velazquez and Mike Landry should keep their day jobs), but this director really brings it home. Filming on a shoestring is an difficult journey to take, but all the great directors begin that way. The sets are functional and used masterfully to bring the story along I cannot wait to see something mainstream by this young man

• Stupid but amusing

  krachtm2012-12-13

  The plot: A vampire infiltrates the off-Broadway community, intending to feed on the cast and crew, after putting on his avant-garde re-interpretation of Hamlet. When I saw the title, I figured this was going to be an unwatchable mess. Still, since I'm such a huge fan of Stoppard's play, I figured that I'd give it a chance. Hell, I've watched more Troma movies than anyone I know, so it's not like I have any right to say that I have standards. I steeled myself for lame theater puns and ironic references to the Stoppard play, but I was actually quite surprised. Yes, there are lame theater puns and a couple references to the Stoppard play, but this is more properly a parody of Hamlet and Dracula. Depending on your tolerance for unsophisticated humor, you may even find it funny. It's not really all that witty or intelligent, but it's stupid and wacky enough to be mildly amusing, much like Troma movies. 6/10 might be a bit generous, but, for those us out there who are very easily amused, I think you could do worse.

• a really superb title, not so superb movie

  Quinoa19842010-06-14

  I should have known, but curiosity got the better of me. A movie titled like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead is something irresistible to me, much like Rugsuckers from Outer Space or Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. Whether or not the movie itself is very good always remains to be seen. The film purports itself to be clever just by its title- a take off on Tom Stoppard's play which itself was a take-off on the classic Shakespeare tale. It could perhaps even work as a Troma movie. But what it turns out to be is a, ahem, romantic comedy with vampires and a weak, limp-noodle screenplay by first-time feature-filmmaker Jordan Galland, who writes stuff that should be clever but isn't clever enough by half. I'm sure some will find the dialog witty and spot-on for the tone Galland is after, which I suppose is something of a cross between straight-up horror and romantic comedy. The story follows an unlikeable theater director, Julian Marsh (played with equally lame and dull screen presence by Jake Hoffman), who responds to an ad looking for a director to helm an upcoming off-off-off Broadway production of Hamlet. Turns out the ad was really looking for a director who could "easily be controlled", this being Theo (John Ventimiglia, who all but steals Robert Downey Jr's persona for the performance), who is in fact a vampire but hides it oh-so-not conspicuously... except, of course, from Julian, who thinks this re-vamp (no pun intended) of Hamlet called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead and is a take-off on the classic, is just dandy. That is, alas, until several things happen, which include his best friend and actor Vince (funny but not really that funny played by Kris Lemiche) is bitten by Theo the vampire and his two 'girls', and Julian's friend-girl (not quite girlfriend due to his philandering) is cast as Ophelia and, also, turned into a vampire, AND that he gets an instructional video from a society that is looking to get a Holy Grail Theo has that he will use to kill the whole cast and the audience opening night. As all of this goes on, we see scenes and dialog roll along that are, at best, amusing. There are few laughs to be had in some scenes, such as the actors playing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern suggesting some changes to their characters (albeit one of them becoming a running gag that turns less funny as the film goes along), and it's also a pleasant surprise to see Jeremy Sisto appear as a detective, however in only a few precious scenes where he can only do so much. I can't say how this will do with audiences. Some will come to already knowing that they'll enjoy it, or perhaps their sense of humor goes for the more obvious than mine does. I love over the top horror and bad puns and jokes, but the problems in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead all come back to a few key things: the script is full of lame running gags and one-liners, the characters save on occasion for Ventimiglia's Downey-like vampire or Aoki's sexy girl-turned vamp, aren't interesting, and the lead character (and actor) are not convincing as a protagonist. In fact, the script takes itself a little too high on itself as a meta-work to really be a crazy over-the-top horror comedy, and when it could be a good horror movie, save for the first time we see Theo and his girls sucking the blood out of a guy in an alley, it's not scary or much atmospheric. Some laughs pick up in the climax, when things start to turn around and Hamlet finally appears (!), but by then it's a little too late to save the rest of the movie. No one has dimension enough to care about them and to take it seriously, and it's not funny enough to be a funny-crazy-bloody comedy. I really came in hoping for the best, and it's been given a nice little grass-roots promotional campaign (outside the theater in NYC there was a guy with a full poster hanging around his neck and with fliers and discount beer at the local bar et all), but the film itself was just... weak. It needed more teeth gnashed at the viewer, or a sense of 'screw it all' and go for broke, instead of such clever insights like, say, title cards with "Long Day's Journey into Fright." Ho-Hum.

• Much better than expected

  Otto_Partz_9732013-04-06

  I decided to give this a go one slightly hung-over Saturday morning. I expected to be out by the first commercial break (and as this was on Chiller TV, that was due to be really, really early) but I found myself pleasantly surprised and quickly engaged by a charming, capable cast and first-rate direction. The entire cast handled well the delicate balance of playing out an absurd premise with relatively straight faces, but you could tell they were having a good time. Ralph Macchio and Jeremy Sisto were a lot of fun in their smaller roles, but the leads were truly standouts. Jake Hoffman and Kris Lemche both have great timing and an easy charm while Devon Aoki, well, let's just say that when her boyfriend tells her that she's beautiful, he ain't lyin'. As Horace the Vampire, John Ventimiglia stole every scene he was in, and I'm embarrassed to say that this 'Sopranos' fan had no idea that it was Artie Bucco who was chewing up the scenery. Some of this brought to mind 'Repo Man' (and from me that's no small compliment)and while not a classic of that magnitude this was a lot of fun to watch. When I see it on the supermarket rack I'm gonna buy it because I look forward to seeing it again, sans commercials. I also see that writer/director Galland worked again a few years later with Ventimiglia, Lemche and quite a few others from this cast in 'Alter Egos'. I'm looking forward to seeing that as well.

• I was GRATEFUL to see The UNDEAD!

  charlenerose2009-05-18

  I saw this funny flick when director/singer Jordan Galland came to my province of Ontario, to partake in "Canada Music Week" as a movie premier and also as a panel speaker (because of his contributions to movie/sitcom soundtracks) I had seen the preview of this movie back in summer and had been happy it came to a city a few hours drive away. I can say that this was unlike any movie I have seen! Lately I have found that a lot of movies lose my interest 30 minutes into the film, because they are so formulaic, but this movie kept my attention because I could not predict what would happen next, the special effects were pretty fresh and funny! and had a Monty Python (its a British comedy and not a snake like I first thought!) flavor to it. It was also reminiscent of "Young Frankenstein" The plot line had many twists to it as well, and ending was definitely not your typical "happy ending" formula, but sinister and funny! I enjoyed the chemistry between the actors, especially Devon Aoki and Jake Hoffman. I had been somewhat curious to see her since I saw the movie "Sin City", and "Frindly Fire", and was pretty impressed by her ability to do comedy! her timing was perfect. I hope this turns into a sitcom spin-off, to fill the void left by "Angel" , " Buffy", and "Charmed" I give this movie a 10 out of 10