As kink knowledge as I imagine myself; there are times someone mentions a fetish and I’m stuck. Thankfully there is the internet on my phone so I can quickly search in a “private mode.” Thanks to the internet, the number of things that turn people on have multiplied over the years or at least found an audience. Type in a few keywords and you’ll discover quickly that you’re not alone in your desires. You’ll also discover there’s a website with video that caters to you if you have a credit card. While Feed came out in 2005, it’s subject matter is still active on the worldwide web.
The movie opens sweet with The Association’s Cherish being played in a car’s stereo. The car pulls up to a driver thru window of a fast food joint and the driver gets enough bags of food to feed a kindergarten. The driver is Michael Carter (Hawaii Five-O‘s Alex O’Loughlin). He hand feeds the huge load of hamburgers to Deirdre (Muriel’s Wedding‘s Gabby Millgate). She’s a large woman who is being videotaped getting larger on Michael’s fetish website. He even weighs her on camera so the watchers get to follow her progress. She qualifies for My 600-Pound Life, but has zero intention of losing any weight. Australian cop, Phillip (Man-Thing‘s Patrick Thompson) is part of an Interpol cybercrime unit. He’s still freaked out by busting a cannibal case in Germany. He comes back to his apartment by the beach near Sydney to try to get normal with his artist girlfriend. Even though he’s still emotionally digesting his previous case, he and his partner find the website that features Diedra. At first it seems like a consenting adult site, but Phillip notices an element that seems suspicious. He becomes so obsessed with getting into the hidden part of the site that he’s willing to travel to Toledo, Ohio to find out what Michael really doing to Diedra besides feeding hamburgers.
Feed was directed by Brett Leonard who had previously made two other movies about the power of the computer future in The Lawnmower Man (with Pierce Brosnan) and Virtuosity (with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe). Those two movies were about the future for virtual reality. Feed gives us the type of website that existed in 2005 and is still online with HD feeds for viewers. The movie takes it to an extreme which is what horror film must do. In a sense, this is an episode of Law & Order: SVU that doesn’t have to worry about the NBC censors. Everything is pushed to an extreme in the film during Phillip’s investigation. Feed reminds us that there have always people who will push a consensual kink into dark web desires.
The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The transfer looks great. Visually they play with the colors which works well in 1080p. The Audio is 5.1 DTS-MA and LPCM 2.0 Stereo. The levels are right for the odd noises taking place in the feeding room. The movie is subtitled in English.
Commentary by Director Brett Leonard admits this is a black comedy with an ironic stance. He talks about using cast and crew that had worked with him on Marvel’s Man-Thing that was shot in Australia too. This was recorded around 2007 after he made Highlander: The Source. He explains how they faked driving in Ohio on the roads of Sydney.
Feed “U.S. Cut” (91:06) is a shorter version of the film for the U.S. distributor. There’s a choice between Temp Sound Mix and Dual Mono Mix.
Deleted Scenes (22:42) includes an option to have Director Brett Leonard talk about why the scenes were snipped. There is more about the cannibal moment.
Alternate Ending has optional commentary by Director Brett Leonard is extra minutes after the final moment in the regular film. This was requested to create a redemption ending by the movie’s seller. This is also on the end of the deleted scenes too.
Additional Deleted & Extended Scenes (40:48) has even more moments that didn’t make it into the film.
Outtakes (10:59) is more footage that is silent in places.
Behind the Scenes Footage (28:12) is the development of the body suit worn by Gabby Millgate.
Final Day Interview with Director Brett Leonard (4:22) has him directing the shot while talking to the interviewer outside the big location. There’s a pickup shot about to be done at his place. He points out that they’re working fast on the film to get it out while the subject is hot.
Interviews with Alex O’Loughlin (6:03), Jack Thompson (0:56) and Producer Melissa Beauford (4:52). They talk about their research into the subject. Beauford worked with Brett and Alex as a lawyer on a previous project.
Feed In Philadelphia: The North American Featurette (8:37) brings Alex O’Loughlin and producer Melissa Beauford to the city of Brotherly Love. They talk about the movie with the audience after the screening at a festival.
Infomercial (7:40) has the cast making it sound like the movie is a diet.
Photo Gallery (1:10) includes press photos and posters.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:20) shows the fetish world inside the film.
Unearthed Films presents Feed. Directed by Brett Leonard. Screenplay by Kieran Galvin. Starring Alex O’Loughlin, Patrick Thompson, Gabby Millgate, Jack Thompson, Rose Ashton, Matthew Le Nevez and David Field. Running Time: 111 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Release Date: January 21, 2025.
