Synopsis
Surprise Cinema is the hard-gore animation that contains the highest level of blood among Bill Plympton's other films presented in this festival. In this film, Plympton employes the concept of 'Candid Camera' to mock the wicked tendency to derive pleasure from the cruel and bizarre circumstances. Unsuspecting bystanders who get caught by the candid camera are made to suffer the dire consequences without apparent reason. And the nature of their misfortunes is definitely not a joke. Al Merton, the host of this outrageous program, make the unfortunate victims spill the vast amount of blood by replacing a shaver with an electric saw and the toilet bowl with the alligator. Although no real-life shots were used, the head-breaking, brain- crushing scenes in this film are quite gruesome. One will find in the series of these violent episodes the stern criticism on the mass media for being the reckless user of violence while keeping up the pretence of solemnity all in the name of entertainment. There is no need to get overly serious however. The virtue of this film lies in its the entertainment value drawn from the wry sense of humor(though it will not be shared by everyone). (HONG Sung-Nam)