Roadkill: The Last Days of John Martin (1994)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jim Van Bebber

Writers:

Mark Gillespie (writer)
Jim Van Bebber (writer)

Genre:

Short | Horror

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Cast

Mark Gillespie	...	John Martin
Marc Pitman	...	Victim
Maureen Allisse	...	Victim

Directed by
Jim Van Bebber		(as Jim Vanbebber)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mark Gillespie		writer
Jim Van Bebber		writer (as Jim Vanbebber)

Produced by
Cecilia Horstman	....	executive producer
M.M. Jones	....	executive producer
Mike King	....	producer

Cinematography by
Mike King

Film Editing by
Jim Van Bebber		(as Jim Vanbebber)

Editorial Department
Bob Thompson	....	on-line editor

Distributors

• Exploited Film (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Film Threat Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

15 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Movie Connections:

Features "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986)

Intriguing Van Bebber Short Film

Jim Van Bebber must be the unluckiest filmmaker on earth. The original video distributor of "Deadbeat At Dawn" ripped him off, "The Manson Family" was in movie limbo for a decade and this short was made with the intention of attracting investors for a full length feature film. In true Van Bebber style, no cash was forthcoming.

It is incomprehensible to me that a visionary like Jim Van Bebber has to beg, borrow and steal to make a film, while every second loser in Hollywood gets a $30 million budget thrown at them to rape a 1970s horror classic, "re-making" it into a steaming pile of commercial crap. Unfortunately, the joke is on us. Horror fans have missed out on what had the potential to be a phenomenal film.

Roadkill focuses on serial killing cannibal called John Martin, who picks up stranded motorists on a deserted highway and then takes them home to be butchered. The result lies somewhere between "Wolf Creek", "Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer" and "Schramm". In other words, it is awesome. As with all of Van Bebber's work, the violence is gritty and realistic. The butchering of John's male victim is intense and his female victim's cries for mercy and ultimate fate are utterly grim. The film's only real weakness is Mark Gillespie's performance as John, which lacks restraint and initially comes across as unintentionally funny. I'm also not sure why John spent so much time screaming at his television set. However, these faults do little to detract from the intensity and brutality of Van Bebber's short film.

Roadkill is another example of Jim Van Bebber's unique style and considered approach to on-screen violence. What a shame that we only have 15 paltry minutes to savour.