A love letter to John Waters written in blood, Joshua Grannell’s debut feature, All About Evil, dares to be everything a gushing fan boy, or girl, or drag queen could want. The film opens with a wink and a nod to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? as little Deborah Tennis is gearing up to take the stage for her first performance at her father’s movie theater, before a screening of The Wizard of Oz.
Dressed as Dorothy, and visibly nervous, even after a pep talk by her father, Deborah soldiers on. Sadly things don’t go well, as she is heckled by her peers and further embarrassed by her literal wicked witch of a mother who laughs when things go awry for the poor girl. Cut to present day, all grown up, and surely none the better for it considering her upbringing, Deborah (Natasha Lyonne) has inherited her father’s movie theater and is intent on keeping his legacy of spreading the love of horror movies alive…at any cost!
Anchored by a bravura performance by Natasha Lyonne, All About Evil could have easily been a disaster, but is lovingly crafted, with a witty script, solid directing, and actors who know when to back away from the ledge where the camp is concerned. The way Lyonne and Grannell build Deborah’s character over the course of the film from quiet librarian into “auteur” is a joy to watch. Lyonne is able to create a character that could have easily become one note cartoon, into a fully formed person, yet lives her entire life informed by the movies she grew up on. Most people will recognize Natasha from The Slums of Beverly Hills and the American Pie films. Why she does not get bigger roles such as she has here is a total mystery. Her commitment to this character and the dimension she gives it should make every director in and out of Hollywood want to work with her.
Thomas Dekker is our film’s reluctant hero, Steven, a high school student and frequent filmgoer at The Victoria, who has aspirations of his own in the film business. Steven is the straight man and Dekker plays it well, allowing the audience to identify with his plight without any leading man ego about his performance. Of course our young hero has not one but two girls vying for his attention. Ariel Hart is Judy, his best friend who obviously has a thing for him, but he is blinded by his adoration for Deborah. Yet when popular girl Claire, played by Lyndsy Kail asks Steven on a date he readily accepts much to the chagrin of his friends.
Cassandra Peterson, who is known to most as b-movie hostess Elvira, turns in a sensitive performance as Steven’s mother. I think Cassandra will surprise many who have only seen her as that famous beehive hairdo wearing camp figure. Jack Donner makes for a loveable sidekick alongside Deborah as the longtime projectionist at The Victoria, Mr. Twigs. Donner’s relatively subtle performance is a nice counterpoint to Lyonne’s manic highs and lows. John Waters regular Mink Stole is a co-worker of Deborah’s at the library and has one of the film’s best lines early on when she tells Deborah “horror movies aren’t real movies!” Rounding out the cast is Deborah’s newly found film crew. Noah Segan is the theater’s new usher and Deborah’s cameraman. Segan, who was also great in the film Deadgirl, steals every bit of screen time he has. He is a fantastic actor, blessed with an insanely expressive face and a real gift for comedy.
Jade and Nikita Ramsey play the “twins of evil”. They are released from a mental hospital into the care of Deborah and Mr. Twigs only to do more of what got them there in the first place. Looking like a pair of younger Selma Blairs, they showcase a great skill at deadpan in a virtually silent performance between the two of them. And last but not least I must mention Joshua Grannell’s role as Peaches Christ,who is truly the queen of the b-movie scene in San Francisco! If you are ever in the city, look up her Midnight Mass series of film screenings; I guarantee you will be entertained!
Make no mistake; this is a movie made for lovers of horror and b-movies, by someone who loves the genre, and every disrespected little movie out there. I can’t wait to see what sinematic treat Grannell has up his sleeve the next go round. Cecil B. was never this demented!
For more information on All About Evil, watch the trailer below or visit: http://www.allaboutevilthemovie.com
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