So, in recent years, I’ve become a pretty big fan of Rob Zombie! In 2011, I watched his surprisingly human remake of “Halloween”. Then from 2011-2013, my husband introduced me to his music, including many past hits, that somehow eluded me in my teenage years. By 2014, I finally got around to watching the wonderfully twisted “House of 1000 Corpses”, and then shortly thereafter went to Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare, in Phoenix, AZ. This consisted of 3 haunted houses created by Zombie and inspired by his films. The haunted houses were scary, fun, and trippy as hell! Finally, in the summer of 2015, during a lazy evening of smoking weed while living in Phoenix, my roommates introduced me to “The Devil’s Rejects”. I thought it was a masterpiece, and probably Zombie’s finest film to date! It has remained one of my favorite horror films, and personal favorite movies of all time!
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So naturally, when I went to see Rob Zombie’s latest film “31”, the stakes were pretty high. It was a one night only event, and the reviews had been good so far. So, how did “31” stack up against Zombie’s previous films? Well for starters, as in true Zombie fashion, there were some similar themes, such as the old 1970's home movie footage clips and gritty 1970's style camera shots. As with all Zombie’s films, it moved at a pretty fast pace! You’re always immediately thrown into a scenario of extremes, and “31” was chock-full of them! Another thing I love about Rob Zombie’s films is his dark humor! The kind of jokes and awkwardly funny moments that you’re almost unsure whether or not to laugh at. Yeah, it’s that type of movie!
For every Rob Zombie film you watch, it feels like an “experience”, more than a mere movie. This one had two of Zombie’s new music videos before the viewing of the film, and both songs were high energy and charged with a ghoulish design! So the music videos (with all their black light colors, and psychedelic freak-show feel) really set the tone for the film we were about to see! I was pumped, anxious, and ready to become immersed in the game of “31”.
So for those who are wondering, in this film, 31 is a game that is played every year on Halloween. A group of clowns are hired to bring unsuspecting victims into a lair to play, and the only way to win is to survive the attacks of these demented clowns for 12 hours. Heading up the group of victims was Rob Zombie’s wife, Sheri Moon Zombie. She played Charly, and as usual her character was fun, humorous, flirty, and a fighter! I’ve heard a lot of people talk shit about Sheri Moon, but personally, I love her acting! She makes her mark on her characters, and most of the characters Rob Zombie creates are so outrageous- they’re nothing like anyone you’ve ever met before! Everything in Rob Zombie’s films are over-dramatic, and it’s there to make a statement; to make you laugh, make you cringe, make you think. That’s how great directors work, they have a style and a vision that is signature! Lots of times, only they get the true meaning behind their work, but as with great artists, their work is open to the interpretation of others, which can make for great conversation afterwards.
Another thing I enjoy about Rob Zombie’s films, including “31”, is that he uses several of the same actors he’s used in his previous films. This gives his films an air of familiarity, and keeps his projects “in the family”, so-to-speak. Don’t get too comfortable though; the people he re-casts have usually played both the victims and the villains, so you never fully know what you’re going to get! To add to the unpredictability, you really weren’t sure which clowns the victims were going to be facing in what order, which was a great surprise factor for the film! As always, Malcolm McDowell was a treat to see, and kept the eccentricity going, while still being a delightfully evil villain! However, the villain called Doom-Head (played by Richard Brake) was the star of the show! He stole every damn scene he was in, and he did so beautifully, maniacally, and brilliantly.
When the movie was over, I felt exhausted, much like I did at the end of seeing “The Devil’s Rejects”. This was different though, because it was the first Rob Zombie film I’d had the pleasure of seeing in the theater. Everything in that environment (especially because I was seated in the 2nd row from the front) is right in your face, there is no turning away. It keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, because you really have no clue who (if anyone) will make it out alive. The ending was so damn powerful, I could barely breathe! The movie as a whole was an exhilarating experience, and I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon!
So, to all of you who thought about going to see it and didn’t: you missed out. That being said, I’m sure it’ll be available for home viewing soon, and I hope that there will be an unrated release coming to a Blue-Ray/Redbox/iTunes/ 3rd party server near you!
Now for the real question: was “31” scary? In my opinion, not so much. Was it Zombie’s most brutal film to date? Not to me. Was it unique, and a good film in its own way? You bet your ass it was! I look forward to re-watching it, and I hope that all the people who saw it liked it too. Zombie’s films are always a trip. You never know what to expect, even when you think you do, and that’s one of the best things about them!
