(Available at Amazon.com
)Directed by
Larry Cohen
Cast:
Fairuza Balk …. Stacia
Michael Moriarty …. Jim Wheeler
Warren Kole …. Walker
Laurene Landon …. Birdy
Malcolm Kennard …. Danny
Tom Pickett …. Bus Driver
Peter Benson …. Deuce
Kristie Marsden …. Marie
Michael Eklund …. Cashier
Paul Anthony …. Stoney
Crystal Lowe …. Lily
Michael Petroni …. Ambulance Attendant
Mar Andersons …. Ambulance Driver
So what could possibly be worse than a serial killer loose in your area? How about two serial killers on the loose and competing for kills? These are the questions posed in Larry Cohen’s Masters of Horror entry “Pick Me Up”. In an entertaining episode of the series, the director of such Cult Horror films as It’s Alive! and Q: The Winged Serpent, has a fun time with a couple of eccentric, over the top killers and a lone hitchhiker who gets tired of being their victim.
“Pick Me Up” is a story told mostly from the point of view of Jim Wheeler (Michael Moriarty), who ends up being the truck driver that you’ve always been warned about. Played gleefully “out there” by Moriarty, Wheeler is perfectly happy to help out a group of strangers after their bus breaks down, but the victims may not like where they end up. In a performance that seems to perpetually keep your mood off-kilter, Wheeler seems pretty aloof as he does away with those that put their trust in him.
It would seem that Moriarty’s performance is so peculiar that the character could probably carry an entire episode by himself, but Director Larry Cohen had more in store for his unfortunate stranded travelers. Those that decided to not take up the generous offer from Mr. Wheeler end up the in the path of Walker (Warren Kole); a man who could be the poster child for not picking up hitchhikers. Played a bit straighter than Moriarty’s Wheeler, Warren Kole gives Walker a workman-like attitude as he dispenses his cleansing. More sadistic than his counterpart; Walker prefers the slow torture his victims over the visceral thrill of a quick murder.
This rivalry eventually descends upon the bus’s lone survivor, Stacia (Fairuza Balk). Stranded and alone, she is stalked by both hunters who close in at the same time, making for a scene of pitch black humor and mild tension. The film’s final confrontation is well staged, as the three are locked in a life and death struggle for survival as the forests surrounding Vancouver provide a wonderfully claustrophobic setting. Cohen’s laid back approach to the piece allows for this ending to seem even a bit more exciting, as the added tension comes as a bit of a surprise, yet it never feels rushed or out of place.
The episode’s problems all have to do with a lack of subtlety. Early victims are ripe with clichés and except for Balk’s Stacia you’ve really got no reason at all to like any of them. One is so loud and obnoxious, that you actually root for the killers to go ahead and do their thing, just so you don’t have to deal with listening to her anymore. Also, the killers themselves are funny and interesting characters, but they’re so eccentric that they’re not really believable or scary. Each of these roles seems as if they’ve been done before and done better.
Even with these faults, the episode is still fun for someone in the right mood. Those looking for a fun Horror romp will find it, much like the directo’s previous work. The characters lack depth, but not eccentricity, and “Pick Me Up” is directed with enough zeal that it never gets boring. This isn’t anywhere near the best Masters of Horror episode to date, but its entertaining enough to make it very passable.
Score: 7
The Video
As always, the print on this disc looks great. Anchor Bay has done a really great job with these discs, and I’m sure the quality will continue. The film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.77:1
The Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 is also very nice. The episode isn’t a big sound effects extravaganza or anything, but there don’t seem to be any problems either.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary, Featurettes, Interviews, Trailers.
Audio Commentary by Director Larry Cohen – This is a great commentary from Cohen, filled with wall to wall tidbits. In the beginning he goes on for a while about how difficult is was to work with snakes. There are a couple of scenes in the film that deal with rattlesnakes, and Cohen states that the Vancouver locations caused problems because of the cold, which made the snakes want to sleep. Cohen is very complimentary of all his cast and is especially affectionate towards Michael Moriarty, which he has worked with several times in the past.
Working with a Master: Larry Cohen – This Featurette goes about 17-20 minutes and features several actors speaking about how much they love working with Larry Cohen. Makeup Maestro Rick Baker has a very funny anecdote about Cohen asking him to do some test work on a picture, and he being completely surprised when the movie ended up being Black Caesar. David Carradine and others such as Fred Williamson also speak about how much they love working with Cohen and how great the man’s work is despite the subject matter with which he often deals.
Death on the Highway: An Interview with Larry Cohen – Larry Cohen is definitely an interesting personality, which is made very clear by this Featurette/interview. Cohen recalls much of his career, from starting very small in Television and then his eventual careers in Blaxploitation and Horror films. The episode is also gotten into, but the real value in this Featurette comes from the stories of Cohen’s interesting career.
Behind The Scenes: The Making of Pick Me Up – This is a “fly on the wall” type Featurette and isn’t very long. You basically just get different shots of behind the scenes footage.
Fantasy Film Festival: Mick Garris Interviews Larry Cohen – This is a classic interview from Masters of Horror Creator Mick Garris interviewing Cohen around the time of the release of the second It’s Alive! film. It’s kind of neat, but not as good as some of the other material on this disc.
On Set: An Interview with Michael Moriarty – This is the fifth time Moriarty has works with Director Larry Cohen and you can tell that he really enjoys it. He calls Q: The Winged Serpent one of the best experiences of his career and he speaks highly of the experience shooting “Pick Me Up”.
On Set: An Interview with Fairuza Balk – Balk talks about how she always plays these dark roles, so people always expects her to be like that in real life, but in actuality she’s a really nice girl. This is a playful interview and she looks to be having a lot of fun.
On Set: An Interview with Warren Cole – Cole examines his Walker character a bit in this interview. He talks about how peculiar the character really is, but also how in Walke’s eyes the situation is normal. This is a nice interview that goes about 13 minutes.
Script To Screen: “Pick Me Up” – This is a 30 minute dissection of sequence from the script against the scenes from the movie.
Trailers – You get a ton of trailers here, most for other Masters of Horror entries, as well as other Anchor Bay releases.
Larry Cohen Bio
Still Gallery
Score: 8/10
The Inside Pulse
This Masters of Horror entry felt more like Tales from the Crypt than any other episode I’ve seen, and that’s not a bad thing. This is a fun episode, and well worth your time if you’re already a fan. The disc is again packed with extras with some really nice Featurettes and interviews.
