Struggling actor, DIY filmmaker – at one time selling copies of his film from the back of his custom made "art car" – and pursuer of roles in David Lynch films, Dennis Woodruff is a legend in his own lunchtime.
Troma are kind enough to offer a collection of three of his films in this 2-disc DVD package.
Disc one begins with 2007’S SPACEMAN.
It’s truly awful, a shot-on-digital-video affair that begins with a slide show of solar system graphics as the titular character (Woodruff) narrates in a Stephen Hawkins style about how he’s travelled through 27 galaxies before landing on planet Earth.
The rest of this 73-minute film is made up of largely random vignettes, with the spaceman walking around in his blue boiler suit and meeting various people. He first comes across a doped up slacker who treats his claims of alien heritage with spaced out bemusement.
From there, the spaceman bumps into a hot Mexican chick who invites him home but freaks out when his head transforms from its human form and into a bug-eyed alien head (less scary than his Earthling face, it has to be said), and a hooker who’s thrilled by his helmet and visor glasses.
He poses for interviews with folk, stops others in their tracks to warn them against the errors of the human race’s ways (World War 3 is due start in 15 years’ time, apparently, unless we can stop fighting) and generally causes equal amounts of amusement and wonder wherever he goes.
And yet, despite his presence being reported on TV, he’s able to walk around inconspicuously ...
So, what mission is the food-obsessed spaceman – who is the image of every member of his own same-sex race (fellow aliens grow on trees on his planet) – following? Does it really matter? This seems, after all, to have been made up as it goes along.
But, despite some truly terrible performances and moments of ad-libbing that get interrupted by the background noise of unscheduled traffic, this is compelling stuff.
SPACEMAN is an oddly compelling film: it’s awful, but curiously brilliant in its own weird, charmingly ill-conceived way. I loved it, and suspect I will revisit it time and again.
Choice moments include the spaceman getting drunk at a nightclub, walking a dog he’s acquired randomly, and his appearance at a convention. Crazy stuff.
Next, we get OBSESSION: LETTERS TO DAVID LYNCH.
It begins with a statement from Woodruff, explaining how he’s determined to get a part in a David Lynch film and become a "huge star" as a result.
It’s a fascinating mock documentary (of sorts), with Woodruff approaching various people and asking them if they’ve seen Lynch. These aren’t movie types – they’re shop owners, pissed women in bars, a random Terence Malik bloke smoking on a bench, etc.
The handheld footage continues as Woodruff quizzes people – while wearing a truly hideous floral shirt – and pushes his misshapen yellow teeth into the camera while boasting of seeing ERASERHEAD "over 63 times".
OBSESSION is a genuinely funny, fucked up waste of time with set-up vignettes that are made to look like hostile interview clips with "people off the street". It shouldn’t work, but it does. I defy you not to keep watching throughout its bizarre 69-minute running time, despite wondering on oft occasion why you’re sticking with it.
As with SPACEMAN, the camera work is horrible and the cheap video effects are even worse. But it’s all oddly charming, and boosted along by a great score from Idiot Savant.
Does Woodruff meet Mr Lynch? Well, that would be telling. Trust me, watch this and see ...
Disc one opens with a static main menu offering access to each of its films. There are no scene-selection menus or extras.
Over on disc two, we get LA, which opens with Woodruff explaining via a telephone message that an abduction by aliens has left him incapable of functioning effectively.
"This is the story of Dennis Woodruff, superstar" a cheesy narrator tells us over rap music. And from there, it’s more totally random madness in a frankly deranged mockumentary about Woodruff’s decent into drugs and alcohol.
Interspersed with candid-style clips of Woodruff trying to promote himself in Hollywood (to all but those who could help him) and fake interviews with those who’ve encountered him, this is another weirdly original and offbeat 87 minutes of ... well, something that almost defies description.
Again, a static main menu page offers no scene-selection menu.
However, we do get some extras on disc two. Unfortunately, none offer further insight into this truly mad artist. Instead, we get the usual Troma fluff (Radiation March; Troma T&A) plus trailers for THE TOXIC AVENGER, CLASS OF NUKE ‘EM HIGH and POULTRYGEIST.
Dennis Woodruff, you are completely bonkers and I think I love you. These films are weird, wired and quite unlike anything I’ve seen in a long, long time. They’re awful, but they’re brilliant. Anyone with a sense of humour and a penchant for trash will love them, I’m sure.
Troma’s 2-disc set is region free, and offers each film in its original 1.33:1 ratio with decent picture and good English 2.0 audio.
Recommended, cautiously!
Review by Stuart Willis
| Released by Troma Entertainment |
| Region 1 - NTSC |
| Not Rated |
| Extras : |
| see main review |