A cinematic hybrid that's hard to take seriously and not entertaining or profound enough to make up for its stilted delivery, "The Social Disease" is a black-and-white puzzler about young moderns struggling with morality, hypocrisy and the sexual urge.
The 1996 low-budget independent screened recently in the American Cinematheque's ongoing "Alternative Screen" series.
Writer, director and co-producer Julian Whatley explores the wavering convictions of four people who seem unlikely in real life to form a unit.
David (Spencer Garrett) and cousin Hunter (Yul Vazquez) work together and talk about the former's upcoming marriage.
These two could not be more divergent in their attitudes to the opposite sex. Hunter is a believer in not limiting himself to one or even a few partners.
In the natural world, he explains, male animals are promiscuous. But, fearful of contamination, he's now after only virgins.
David is religious and believes in waiting until marriage to consummate his love for Michelle (Kellie Overbey), a smiling nice girl who doesn't seem to mind.
But we're tipped off in the opening scene set in a spooky, abandoned house that she has nasty dreams and a raw sensitivity toward sex resulting from a bad experience.
Enter Linda Mary Ellen Lyon), Michelle's roommate with an agenda. After Michelle has a mental breakdown, Linda starts spending time with David, and Hunter advises him that she's looking to replace Michelle.
David is even more conflicted when Linda lies about Michelle's past.
Along with some overly long dialogue scenes that address problems directly but hardly help sort things out, the plot thrusts Michelle at Hunter for a fling that has "fatal mistake" written all over it.
Indeed, the murder of Hunter follows soon after, and unhinged Michelle is pegged for the crime.
The ending, alas, is foreseeable almost from the start, while several nasty revelations near the conclusion are too convenient to be the devastatingly ironic developments intended.
Whatley, meanwhile, evokes soap operas, Bette Davis melodramas and film noir, but it doesn't coalesce into a compelling cinematic experience.
Set in San Francisco and filmed on a Burbank soundstage, "The Social Disease" at times revels in its artificiality.
But beyond the anachronistic look, Whatley's approach is basically theatrical as the actors are left to sink or swim with the material.
THE SOCIAL DISEASE
Giant Rock Pictures
Writer-director Julian Whatley
Producers C. Devin Whatley, Julian Whatley
Executive producer Therese Kehoe
Production designer Milana Kosovac
Editor Piero Mura
Cinematographers Stuart Cropley, Rory Knepp
Black and white/stereo
Cast:
Michelle Kellie Overbey
David Spencer Garrett
Linda Mary Ellen Lyon
Hunter Yul Vazquez
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The 1996 low-budget independent screened recently in the American Cinematheque's ongoing "Alternative Screen" series.
Writer, director and co-producer Julian Whatley explores the wavering convictions of four people who seem unlikely in real life to form a unit.
David (Spencer Garrett) and cousin Hunter (Yul Vazquez) work together and talk about the former's upcoming marriage.
These two could not be more divergent in their attitudes to the opposite sex. Hunter is a believer in not limiting himself to one or even a few partners.
In the natural world, he explains, male animals are promiscuous. But, fearful of contamination, he's now after only virgins.
David is religious and believes in waiting until marriage to consummate his love for Michelle (Kellie Overbey), a smiling nice girl who doesn't seem to mind.
But we're tipped off in the opening scene set in a spooky, abandoned house that she has nasty dreams and a raw sensitivity toward sex resulting from a bad experience.
Enter Linda Mary Ellen Lyon), Michelle's roommate with an agenda. After Michelle has a mental breakdown, Linda starts spending time with David, and Hunter advises him that she's looking to replace Michelle.
David is even more conflicted when Linda lies about Michelle's past.
Along with some overly long dialogue scenes that address problems directly but hardly help sort things out, the plot thrusts Michelle at Hunter for a fling that has "fatal mistake" written all over it.
Indeed, the murder of Hunter follows soon after, and unhinged Michelle is pegged for the crime.
The ending, alas, is foreseeable almost from the start, while several nasty revelations near the conclusion are too convenient to be the devastatingly ironic developments intended.
Whatley, meanwhile, evokes soap operas, Bette Davis melodramas and film noir, but it doesn't coalesce into a compelling cinematic experience.
Set in San Francisco and filmed on a Burbank soundstage, "The Social Disease" at times revels in its artificiality.
But beyond the anachronistic look, Whatley's approach is basically theatrical as the actors are left to sink or swim with the material.
THE SOCIAL DISEASE
Giant Rock Pictures
Writer-director Julian Whatley
Producers C. Devin Whatley, Julian Whatley
Executive producer Therese Kehoe
Production designer Milana Kosovac
Editor Piero Mura
Cinematographers Stuart Cropley, Rory Knepp
Black and white/stereo
Cast:
Michelle Kellie Overbey
David Spencer Garrett
Linda Mary Ellen Lyon
Hunter Yul Vazquez
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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