''Don't Go in the Woods (2010) - Yeah, I Saw It''

FORGET TO BREATHE

Posted by Dave

I POSTED THIS REVIEW OF DGITW NOT BECAUSE IT'S A FAVORABLE ONE BUT BECAUSE OF ITS PASSION BY THE REVIEWER.  HIS UNABASHED RANTING DEFENDING VINCENT'S CHOICE TO MAKE THIS FILM AND HAVING NO EXCUSES TO ANYONE.  I LOVED IT.

An indie band with a loyal local following has high hopes of scoring a major label record deal. In order to push their talent to the next level the group adheres to (Nick) their lead songwriter’s idea to sequester themselves in the woods with no connections or influences of the outside world allowed to interfere with their creative process. No cell phones, no drugs (alcohol or other), and no women. However, a surprise caravan made of female loyalists causes tension between Nick and everyone else, but they are resolved to bigger problems as people begin disappearing and the woods begins filling with music and dripping with blood.

I only knew three things about this movie going in:

1) It was directed by the brilliant, STILL underrated, but much more appreciated Vincent D’Onofrio; still best known from his performance as Private Lawrence from Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, but gained wider notoriety during his stint on Law & Order: Criminal Intent as the genius, yet slightly unstable Detective Robert Goren. He’s also fondly remembered as Edgar from the first Men in Black film, the one who got possessed by the alien cockroach. Really, any role he’s in he owns it. Look up Vincent D’Onofrio’s movies and watch them; they’re not all great but he is always excellent.

2) The story centered on a band writing music. What kind of band? I didn’t know. The band could be classified as emo, which could turn some people off. It’s not my first choice to listen to but like any genre there are good bands and bad bands.

3) It was a slasher flick. Thank you, Zombie Jesus.

As I watched the movie, my eyes widened in no outlandish way upon discovering that this bare bones budgeted slasher film about a band in the woods is actually a musical. Not the type like Rock of Ages, which butchers rock classics by turning them into lackluster Broadway fodder, but the band’s music, which, if you’re a fan of the genre, is quite enjoyable; I myself liked the songs and I also liked that the music wasn’t limited to just the band members, even the women had their descanting moments. If you’re going to make a musical, go all out.

The acting was surprisingly decent. The cast was made up of locals, so the chemistry was comfortably authentic and reflective. D’Onofrio’s first-time directorship was a unique task to undertake but it seemed like he knew exactly what he wanted and he got it both in real-time shots and the music video portions. He kept it simple and it worked out well.

When it comes to a promise of bloodshed, I don’t care when it happens. You can spread it throughout the film or you can save it for the end, but if you’re going to save it for the end, I expect Hell to be unleashed on the victims. I will simply say I was satisfied with what was given, which is what I will also say for the movie as a whole. I was satisfied with what was presented.

This film version of Don’t Go in the Woods is not a remake of the 1984 camping slasher of the same name. Some fans, so-called fans, critics, and wannabe critics found themselves in a slight when they heard about a new version. They complained even more when they saw this new movie and discovered that it is a slasher musical. Quite frankly, they would have complained even if it wasn’t a musical because it would have been too practical and THEY would have expected more from someone with D’Onofrio’s cinematic experience. But, instead of actually trying to change the game they just complain about what other people do and how wrongly they do it because, again, it’s not what THEY would have done. THEY whine all the time about wanting something different or unique and it’s presented, THEY piss all over it because it’s not the different or unique that THEY wanted. Instead taking it for what it is, THEY trash it for what it is not. I took Dark Knight Rises for what was presented; a loud, flashy nonsensical piece of crap grounded so heavily in reality purposely by the first two films that it became a spoof of itself and wasted a great villain (kudos to Tom Hardy) by undermining him with lazy writing. I liked Vincent D’Onofrio’s Don’t Go in the Woods. It works as a fresh musical and an old school horror movie without trying to reinvent anything, just going with what works, having fun, and making the movie HE wanted to make.

'Don't Go In The Woods' Airing Tonight on TMC

TMC

All Upcoming Airings of Don't Go in the Woods:
Sat, Jun 16 9:00 PM THE MOVIE CHANNEL.
Sun, Jun 17 12:00 AM THE MOVIE CHANNEL.
Fri, Jun 22 10:00 PM THE MOVIE CHANNEL XTRA.
Sat, Jun 23 1:00 AM THE MOVIE CHANNEL XTRA.
Wed, Jun 27 1:40 AM THE MOVIE CHANNEL.
Thu, Jun 28 4:00 AM SHO BEYOND

"Don't Go in the Woods" DVD Review: D'Onofrio Dazzles and Confuses

BIG HOLLYWOOD 
by Zachary Leeman

I SAW THIS AND HAVE TO SAY MR. LEEMAN INVESTED A RESPECTABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY IN TURNING OUT A WELL THOUGHT OUT REVIEW.  DGITW IS AVAILABLE ON DVD THIS COMING TUESDAY, JUNE 12TH.  CLICK ON THE IMAGE IN MY SIDEBAR TO ORDER YOUR COPY.

Vincent D'Onofrio's "Don't Go in the Woods" seems to have no larger ambitions other than to be a very strange and entertaining trip in the backyard of both D'Onofrio's house and his artistic brain. The film doesn't want to delve into deep philosophical Kubrick like conversations about the purity of art and some people's utter obsession with it (though the film does touch on this). No. What "Don't Go in the Woods" wants to be is a horror musical that never feels tongue in cheek, but also never feels cliched. "Don't Go in the Woods" is even driven by the most hackneyed, unoriginal and simple horror movie set up story in the world. That being said, "Don't Go in the Woods" takes that simple story, flips it on its head, then its side, then sucker punches it in the face, buries it and then challenges us to find it. "Don't Go in the Woods" is about a second rate band that decides to ditch modern day technology and isolate themselves in the wood in order to conjure up some real originality. The problems start when their girlfriend groupies have followed them into the woods and everyone falls back into their lazy partying ways. This is much to the chagrin of their lead singer. After discovering that their cars will not start, they realize that they are all stuck in the woods together. The issue being that there is a mysterious man wandering the woods picking their singing little asses off one by one in some very strange and grotesque ways.

D'Onofrio has decided to go beyond independent with this film. He uses non actors and literally filmed the entire thing in the woods behind his house. He used his friend, Sam Bisbee, to compose the songs for the film and lets his imagination run free. Presenting the film warts and all works in its favor. The acting is actually good and more realistic than most horror movies of today. This is because actors in modern horror movies feel the need to overact. Watching a modern horror movie can be like sitting through an awful late night acting class at your local community college. The actors here work as do their voices, which are also presented warts and all. Everyone here can sing, but D'Onofrio never gives the singing or the film the false feeling that most musicals carry. A lot of the singing feels like it was recorded while filming as opposed to most musicals where we watch an actor lip sing to something computerized and recorded in a studio later on.

The music is also surprisingly good. Bisbee creates highly original tunes that feel like real hits. This gives the band in the film a much more real aura about them. The music works and that makes the film work for the most part.

But, time for the real question. Horror plus hipster music? Really? Well, if anyone can make it work it would be someone like D'Onofrio and he does make it work. If the direction had been unprofessional and the script a little more ignorant and the music a little worse then it would've been easier to laugh at the actors every time they break out into song (sometimes while being killed), but D'Onofrio directs with surprising professionalism and makes the film look moody and real and makes the transitions smooth and easy. The script also walks a fine line pretty well by never becoming a tongue in cheek work, but always being aware of the genre's cliches and playing with them in very unique ways. And, of course, the music is the biggest highlight of the film. How someone pulled off a gruesome horror movie musical with hipster tunes is a miracle.

It's surprising to see this film not look like a $10 home movie made by a crazy actor for his own pleasure, but it looks nothing like that. D'Onofrio crafts a highly original and highly strange piece of Gothic art that both dazzles your mind while also leaving you dumbfounded at the how and why of everything, but never in a bad way. D'Onofrio's direction is like a mix between someone who has watched endless amounts of Kubrick and Malick and decided to pull off a genre film on the cheap. It makes you wish he started directing sooner in his career.

"Don't Go in the Woods" is strange and entertaining and even a little bit confusing until the very end of this very bloody and musical 83 minutes, but alas the film is truly not for everyone. In fact, many will hate it (isn't that always the sign of great art though?). Many will not see the point. Why the music? What's wit the ending? Why so bloody?...The point is simply to make something inventive. Something that works beyond the scope of the simplistic films of today. D'Onofrio may never make a "Battleship," but he doesn't need to. He works in the vein of professional and highly original directors before him (Kubrick included). He makes a film that will dumbfound you, please you, disgust you, entertain you, make you dance, make you wince....hell, what's not to love?

The special features include an interview with D'Onofrio that is much too brief and nowhere near enough in depth and a quick behind the scenes feature that shows you how truly independent this film really was.

D'Onofrio's character of Gomer Pyle will forever be remembered in military cadence and he will always be remembered as being the actor to reinvent himself as the unforgettable Detective Robert Goren on "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." Now, here's to hoping D'Onofrio has another phase left in his career to dazzle us with: that of the director.

Video: Vincent D'Onofrio at the Tribeca Film Festival in San Fran

Uploaded by Filmalacart on Apr 8, 2012 Believe it or not I found a red carpet here in San Francisco! Actor turned director Vincent D'Onofrio gave us his best advice for new director's. Mr. D'Onofrio was touring with the Tribeca Film Festival to promote "Don't Go In The Woods" a Musical Horror film he developed and directed.

Preorder 'Don't Go In The Woods' DVD

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12TH

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