A little confusion. Thats what I first felt when entering the world of ‘Devils Tower’, a film that I first heard about in 2013 whilst keeping an eye on filmmakers Dominic Burn’s filmography.
Serving as Producer on this film , the Directing duties are taken by Owen Tooth in his first feature length, having come from a very impressive background of video shorts and cinematography roles. But with Dominics name on the credits, the film was already on my watch list and was one to keep an eye out for.
Director Owen Tooth
Devils Tower is now out on DVD and whilst at the time of typing this update into the article. Its sold out on there, it will hopefully be back in stock by the time YOU read this.
Ive decided to share some links in here for those of you who dont actually venture into real shops and who order your films online.
Click on THIS to be taken to the Amazon.Co.Uk link
Click on THIS to be taken to Play.Com
So, lets get back to the confusion part. Firstly seeing the title Devils Tower so long ago got me all excited and thinking back to Close Encounters of the Third Kind which had its major set piece at Devils Tower, Wyoming. That huge freaky looking mountain where the alien mothership lands.
Would ‘Devils Tower’ the movie be about UFOs? (It was possible, Dominic Burns had previously done a science fiction movie called UFO, also know as Alien Uprising)
I was all excited for a new space epic.
Jason Mewes
Then the casting news started to come out. Jason Mewes (Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks 2) would be in the film. Eddie Webber (The Business, Power to The People) would also be in the film, Roxanne Pallett (who spent 3 years in UK TV Soap opera Emmerdale), Peter Barrett (Rise and Fall Of A White Collar Hooligan), Frances Ruffelle (Les Miserable and TVs The Equalizer) to name just a few of the very talented actors and actresses in this film.
Eddie Webber
Talk about a mixed background though. Its a cast list that has obviously been put together using a hell of a lot of care and attention rather than ‘we need lots of people who have been in creepy films’
So if Devils Tower isnt about UFOs and isnt set in Wyoming (although Wyoming does get a reference in the film, I like to think thats a Close Encounters in-joke) what is the film about?
Storyline wise, its about Sarah (played by Roxanne Pallett) who has been thrown out of her family home by her crazy and abusive Mother(played by Frances Rufelle) , Sarah takes the local councils offer of a flat in the extremely run down Albion Court tower block. That is pretty much all the plot basics you need.
Devils Tower isnt just about Sarah, Devils Tower is about strangeness, its about the very bizarre goings on in this very run down tower block , the sort of tower block that you wouldn’t choose to live in, but if your life took that turn, you’d have no choice but to live there.
Giving us glimpses of some very strange people indeed, Devils Tower does a lot in its 80 minute running time. It shows us a wide range of desperate people ranging from squatters, to drug addicts, sex addicts, burned out caretakers and of course the new arrivals of the tower block such as Sarah and her friends.
Roxanne Pallett
Ive never been a fan of going into too much of the storyline of a film in an article, I prefer to tease you with some of the highlights of it and allow you to make up your own mind whether you choose to set foot in ‘Devils Tower’, firstly I certainly do recommend this film. It is a horror film of sorts, and for those who love the films of the 70s & 80s such as Wes Cravens The Hills Have Eyes, or George Romeros Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead. Youll find a lot to love here. So often reviewers get so engrossed in what to write in an article or how to review a film, they forget that films are there to entertain us. They become too busy with working out what to write whilst watching the film, they forget to enjoy the moment.Thankfully ive always managed to watch a film as a film fan first, and a reviewer second.
Did Devils Tower entertain me?
Hell yes it did. Its great mixture of horror, comedy and drama all melded great within the script by writer Adam J Marsh and in the acting and direction by the rest of the crew.
Jason Mewes was fantastic in his role as ‘Sid’, not just a retread of his Jay character from the ViewAskewuniverse but proving here that he can do drama scenes, yet he can still play comedic when the scene calls for it. Eddie Webber is always wonderful in any film and here his role as the hard done by caretaker allows Eddie to use his dry sense of humour to perfection. A very likeable character to the audience.
Jessica Jane Stafford played the role of tenant ‘Kate’ to perfection, tip towing along the line of both someone youd want to chuck out your flat for being nosey, but also youd want to be your best friends because they light up the room when they are in it. Top Marks for Jessica.
Roxanne Pallett took what could have been on paper a simplistic role of ‘a scream queen’, and she made it into something very real, very dramatic and very memorable.
Roxanne Pallett
Devils Tower has clearly been made by people who love what they do and whose sole purpose is to entertain us with the best film they can give. Even down to lovely little in jokes such as an ‘Airborne’ poster hidden behind some boxes (Dominic Burns directed said film)
I love movies that make me smile, films that are popcorn films, not every film has to have a point, or be an Oscar chaser. Have some fun, put your feet up, have some snacks, some drinks, and press play on Devils Tower.
I did. Within the past hour I finished watching the film, and in a few hours. I might actually watch it again.
Check the film out yourself and let me know what you think.
You can see more about the film and its cast list on the IMDB Page HERE
frompage2screen.com 