THE HARDCORE COLLECTION
PLOT-Numerous short films by renowned New York photographer Richard Kern.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT-Filled to capacity with violence, kink, nudity, and rock music, this collection holds some of the most memorable images you'll ever set eyes on. Spread over two sides, Kern's short films (from the early 80's to early 90's) go all over the place, assaulting the senses with blood-spattered naked women, gun-toting punks, and pierced genitals. It'd take forever for me to try and put into words how cool and original Kern's work is, so I'll just put it this way. The reason these films are so great is you truly never know what to expect. Seriously, one minute you're watching a girl cut her clothes off with a huge knife, the next you've got a guy on the floor with his guts hanging out of his body. Some have a story and are like mini-movies, such as FINGERED, my favorite of the bunch. Others are weird, kind of surreal, like a cross between porno and MTV and a horror film. They will all leave an impression on you.
MEMORABLE SCENES-There are countless moments that stick out in my mind, but I'd have to say that the naked man pulling out his own windpipe was the most shocking and unexpected.
DVD EDITION DETAILS-Previously, these films were released by FILM THREAT VIDEO in a 2-tape set called "Hardcore: The Films Of Richard Kern". You should definitely get the dvd, but do not throw out the tapes! There are differences. The disc contains 4 new shorts (made in 1991 or 1992): "The Bitches", "Horoscope", "My Nightmare", and "Sewing Circle", but it is missing 5 of the old ones ("Moneylove", "Pierce", "The King Of Sex", "Nazi", and "Goodbye 42nd Street"). The new stuff is great, nobody will be disappointed. While they are not very violent, they are very sexually explicit. I can see why Kern dropped "Pierce" in favor of the newer "Sewing Circle", though. Once you see it, you will too.
NOTES-Kern, along with Nick Zedd (GEEK MAGGOT BINGO, THEY EAT SCUM, STEAL THIS VIDEO) is responsible for originating what is known as "The Cinema Of Transgression". Everything they have done is highly recommended, especially Kern's photography and Zedd's writing. For more info, please visit Richard Kern's Official Page.