Verdict
Summary
I like the time capsule aspect of the film, but the movie is all over the place with no rhyme or reason. The movie goes to some very strange places, and you can’t unsee some of the animal cruelty footage, so I’m not sure where to stand here.
Plot:
A documentary about the underbelly of New York’s underground art scene.
Review:
An “innocent” young blonde woman (17-year old Shannah Laumeister) walks around New York, finding one underground or hidden corner of the current art scene, which includes concerts, cock fights, live comedy acts, and spoken word poetry readings. Like us, she’s just an observer, occasionally encountering situations that are incredibly shocking to the point where she shuts her eyes (which seems like a genuine reaction, not faked at all) and gets up and walks out mid-way through the performance. Some samples of her encounters: A guy on stage who is a cross between a comedian, an illusionist, and an executioner (Joe Coleman) bites the heads off two live mice (not a simulation), and then lights himself on fire, igniting fireworks on his body. Later, in private, he discusses his style and inspirations. The innocent woman travels to an S&M club and witnesses graphic bondage and sadomasochism. She also goes to a cock fight (not simulated), a live voodoo ritual (which contains a scene where a guy bites the head off a chicken, also not staged), a spoken word live performance act by Karen Finley who strips nude, smears herself with eggs and glitter, and gives a vile and graphic performance about sex that might raise some eyebrows. There are some concert acts by Phoebe Legere (the highlight of the movie for me), transvestite Joey Arias, John Sex, Dean Johnson & The Weenies, and others. There are live standup acts in the park by Charlie Barnett and Rick Aviles, who both later died of AIDS a year apart in 1995 and ’96, respectively. There are some odd interludes, including a staged slave action in Chinatown that, as presented, seems to belong in a Cynthia Rothrock movie or something. The movie has no formal structure, and ends just as it began: With a performance.
An experimental, art film with some really pungent segments that you’ll need a strong stomach to handle, Mondo New York is basically an anthology film, and each segment is like a story if you can make one up yourself to make sense of the whole thing. Some of the segments are really bizarre and head spinning, like the one where a small audience at an art studio watch a bunch of naked women with body paint literally have sex with a disabled, naked man in a wheelchair. Like, seriously: WTF? I like the time capsule aspect of the film, but the movie is all over the place with no rhyme or reason. How is a voodoo ritual or a cockfight considered part of the underground art scene, or even the fake slave auction segment? Stuff like that really offsets the intent of the movie, but the movie goes to some very strange places, and you can’t unsee some of the animal cruelty footage, so I’m not sure where to stand here. From director Harvey Keith.
MVD Rewind Collection brings Mondo New York to Blu-ray (#55 on the spine) with a bunch of bonus features, and the transfer of the film is really strong and crisp in high definition. This is for a very select audience, and fair warning should be made ahead of time for the curious. It’s too strong and abrasive for a casual viewer.
Bonus Materials
- Brand new 2K HD transfer from the original camera negative presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio LPCM 2.0 Stereo Audio
- Optional English Subtitles
- Interview with Joe Coleman (HD, 49:33)
- Interview with Joey Arias (HD, 49:48)
- Interview with Shannah Laumeister (HD, 36:16)
- Interview with producer Stuart Shapiro (HD, 27:20)
- Photo Gallery
- Soundtrack CD
- 18-Page Booklet
- Reversible Artwork
- Collectible 2-Sided Mini-Poster
- Limited Edition Slipcover
