Writer/director/producer/actor Fred Vogel’s 2001 found-footage free-for-all August Underground (co-written by Allen Peters) is light on story… in fact the entirety of the film’s 70 minute run-time can be summed up thusly: two serial killers on a spree of mayhem and murder film their exploits… but it’s in building that world… that depraved, disgusting world that this film shines.
Our two main madmen are played by those aforementioned fellas… Vogel in front of the lens, and Allen behind it (and I’m sure plenty can be made of the psychological meaning behind the artist becoming one with their art)… and both uncredited for their performances… and the feature holds nothing back showing what these two rollicking rascals are up to, and what they are up to results in hard-to-watch, unflinching degradation and violence… so much so that you’ll swear you’re watching a real-deal snuff picture… and therein lies the genius of the piece.
Along the way we are also “treated” to some slice-of-life material as our duo of psychos go out on the town to take in a rave (where they receive a lil’ violence themselves), a tattoo parlor, and of course… a slaughterhouse.
All of this is presented in a lo-fi, shot on videotape approach that makes the already nasty material look even more suitably gnarly and gross-as-fuck… and that same low quality resolution makes the practical effects work truly shine in all of it’s puke-inducing splendor!
It’s like a documentary of the damned and demented filmed in hell itself, so if that ain’t your bag you’d be well advised to steer clear of this one cats n’ creeps…
For those of you adventurous types who actually make it through the film, the fun doesn’t stop after the final frame… no, once you are done scrubbing your eyes thoroughly (steel-wool not provided) you’ll be met with a hefty amount of bonus material that highlights just what it took to bring this macabre nightmare to the screen!
Among the included extras on this Blu-ray release from Unearthed Films we get: an archival intro to the film from Vogel himself, followed by four commentaries from the same (one brand-new which features Ultra Violent magazine’s Art Ettinger, and three archival which feature actors/special effects maestros Aaron and Ben LaBonte, the director flying solo, and an in-character chat with “The Killer” respectively, more new material featuring a Q&A and interview with Vogel, and a storyboard to screen comparison piece.
Also included are a retrospective on the film, a visit to the film’s location, a glimpse behind-the-scenes, opinions on the film from those not involved in the picture’s production, a photo gallery, and trailers.
Additionally a DVD version of the film, with the same special features, is also included.
August Underground is a nasty lil’ bite of full-tilt nihilism of the most stomach-churning kind, and this edition brings it’s grizzly goings-on to full-on screaming life.
