By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.3 cats | 4.25 cats
Director: Amanda Kramer
Starring: Annie Kyle | Cricket Arrison | M. Diesel | Reshma Gajjar | Tess Hewlett
Year: 2023
Running time: 80
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14725622/reference/
Chris says: “Cheerfully billed as ‘A Saturday Night Television Special’ starring Sissy St. Claire (Sophie von Haselberg), writer/director Amanda Kramer’s film may feel as if it’s beaming in from another planet to those unfamiliar with 1970s/80s variety shows. Devotees of camp classics such as DONNY AND MARIE, THE LYNDA CARTER SPECIAL or the finale of Bob Fosse’s autobiographical ALL THAT JAZZ will recognize all the genre tropes being lovingly replicated and satirized but even they might feel bewildered (or perhaps transported) by the dark interior spaces an increasingly taxed and frayed Sissy inhabits.
“Kramer understands that if you’re going to make a feature-length pastiche, pinpoint accuracy is required. Not only does she shoot on smeary video in the classic 4:3 standard definition format, stylistically, she replicates everything of the era from the sequined clothing, elaborate wigs, neon colors and piercing lasers to the requisite hanging mirrorball, vintage-looking graphics and Donna Summer-worthy disco anthems including the title track and ‘Making It’ (not a David Naughton cover.) If she left it at that, it would be nothing more than an elaborate tribute to an ultra-specific type of entertainment from a bygone era. However, as with last year’s PLEASE BABY PLEASE, a 1950s-set mashup of West Side Story-style bohemia and genderqueer studies starring Andrea Riseborough (!), this pushes the viewer much further than that.
“Not even a few minutes in, Sissy literally faces her demon(s) while the screen glitches and distorts and continues to do so intermittently. Effervescent and hungry for attention, she seems to shrug it off at first, for the show must go on and she’s made it clear she’s giving it her all. As the special moves from one titled set piece to another (“The America Number” answers the question, “What if Laurie Anderson had been given one of these specials circa ‘O Superman’”?), we see the implications and consequences of this. Touches of surrealism such as a literally faceless psychic and an interpretive death-dance with a nurse that climaxes with Sissy declaring, “You will never, never, ever, EVER have your own television special, so don’t even DARE to DREAM!” add to the disorientation, burrowing deeper into madness. But you can’t stop ever-resilient Sissy who is dead set on triumphing, even if it means nearly losing what’s left of her sanity while delivering an epic, climactic monologue about a defining, near-traumatic childhood memory and how it made her who she is today.
“Whereas PLEASE BABY PLEASE, while fabulous, occasionally muddles its intentions with its many intellectual diversions, this firmly retains its focus (being just 79 minutes helps.) Von Haselberg’s casting is especially inspired—I didn’t even know who her famous mother (someone who might’ve starred in a special like this back in the day) was until afterwards; it’s the type of role that could make her career if it wasn’t such a genuinely strange little film. Regardless, as we get to know Sissy (who appears in nearly every frame) rather intimately, GIVE ME PITY! gradually transcends its premise, revealing layer after layer of everything that goes into a performance and the toll it can take on the performer’s psyche. 4.5 cats
“(Currently Available VOD (aka ‘Straight to your heart on demand!’) on Amazon Prime, AppleTV, etc.)
Brett says: “Some might be able to perceive this as spiritual successor to something like HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, while some may see the fingerprints of a WAITING FOR GUFFMAN. After all, the character Sissy St. Claire even shares a surname with Mr. Corky. Make no mistake though, there are certainly layers here that neither of the aforementioned films peel away, so this is still very much its own film that goes places no others have.
“All of the elements of a well-rounded film are here, and all accomplished on what had to be a minuscule production budget. The lead performance is out-of-this-world, in more ways than one. There are clearly subtexts galore that make this equal parts glossy but also dank. So, along with the demanding performance, the screenplay is on point, giving Sissy St. Claire all of the thematic twists and turns necessary to this psychedelic “Saturday Night Special.” With a descriptor such as psychedelic comes the need for a production design and cinematography/lighting team that can deliver, and on that front, the film is on point as well. And finally, creative editing that is a throwback to the 70s/80s diva stage shows while at the same time offering some post-modern disillusionment is the cement for this all-around cinematic experience.
“It is a one-locale film, all set on a stage, but it’s clearly a concept that would very likely fall flat as an actual stage show and benefits from every cinematic dart that director Amanda Kramer attempts to pierce us with.
“The film is able to thrive in part from a bit of meta-insight into the perils of stage and television entertainment that films like BLACK SWAN and BIRDMAN and even SUNSET BOULEVARD have already established. That doesn’t take away from the originality and the many coatings of the sublime that are offered in this film. It’s experimental, it’s avant-garde (there is even a section of the film that is a direct nod to avant-garde), so it’s definitely going to require a certain mindset and open-mindedness from many audience members. Oh, and for people who are fan of twisted musical numbers, buckle up. 4 self-hating, but fierce, cats out of 5“
Julie B. says: “I did not care for this one at all. I should preface with I am not a musicals fan for the most part with a few exceptions.
“Yes the throwback 70/80’s diva stage shows element was there. A Bette Midler-esque character who at one point I swear I was thinking could this be The Haim sister? She did do a very good acting job thus the 1 cat. .5 for at one point hearing Donna Summer in there I believe it was or some such very good disco beat/song.
“I had to start fast forwarding through the last few numbers as I could not take it anymore. I could see the images so knew where a change occurred and I would stop there, especially for one very important element that did not go unmissed so I did get it yes.
“I watched all of the ‘imitation’ number and the last number, but as in the first few numbers I asked myself why am I watching this?
“It was a big waste of time and money for me. 1 1/2 cats”