CAT SICK BLUES

2015 / Director. Dave Jackson.
Review by Glenn Cochrane.

Think about the most fucked up, outrageous and mind-altering imagery you can conceive... and now forget about it. Because believe me, whatever you conjured in your mind doesn't come close to the twisted insanity that CAT SICK BLUES smears across the screen.

This repulsive little film from Melbourne filmmaker Dave Jackson is a balls-to-the-wall assault on the senses that lacks decency and prides itself on depravity... and it's fucking awesome! It tells the story of a lunatic who dresses like a cat and murders women. He needs nine women, to be exact, and he sets about his perverted scheme with a gigantic strap-on cat-dick that will inevitably do a shit-load of damage to one very unlucky girl. That's no spoiler, by the way, because as disgusting as that sounds, it pales in comparison to the other atrocities that are committed to the screen in this sensational exercise in obscenity.

I spent the entire 101 minutes of the film in a perpetual state of awe and I was completely absorbed and exhilarated by what I was seeing. It is a showcase of audacity, creativity and a shit load of talent that brings the film together as a cohesive, yet surreal, test of audience endurance. Just when you think the envelope cannot be pushed anymore, they keep pushing. Then when you think they've reached their limit, they accelerate further. And all of it is done with glee. It is a testament to Jackson and his team that they've managed to present so much filth in such a frivolous and entertaining way.

The performance are great and all of the players deserve their due credit. Everyone involved gives their all and the two leads show particular mettle. Matthew C Vaughn and Shian Denovan are put through the ringer for the sake their art and their commitment to CAT SICK BLUES consolidates the final product.

The production design is sensational, the wardrobe creations are nightmarish, the lighting is surreal and the cinematography is exceptional. And perhaps most impressive of all is the jarring score by composer Matthew Revert. He has created a sound-scape that is hard to define. With a blended chaotic ambience of Aphex Twin and the pop-centric acuteness of Nine Inch Nails, he has matched the outrageous imagery of the film with a sound that complements it perfectly. Clearly the stars aligned and Jackson knew all of the right people to pull the film off so skilfully.

Think Lynch. Think Kubrick. Think Miike. Think de Heer..... now jumble them all together and throw in some Mr Oizo, Buttgereit and a dash of Tom Six, and you will start to appreciate the wonder that is CAT SICK BLUES; amongst the best Australian films I have seen this year.  
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