The Transcendents

source: The Transcendents

"The Transcendents, directed by ex-Amoralist Derek Ahonen, is deeply flawed, but wildly different than any other indie or band movie. I never saw the Lynchian route other critics saw, but I saw a film that went from pretty messed up to super messed-up and never let go, culminating in an unforgettable last act. It's all held together by two super-performances (three if you count the not-uncle) by Walsh and Franco." -- Mihail I don't see the lynchian comparison either. I think it's because of the pacing. Lynch doesn't go as deep with his character studies as Ahonen does here. This is really a character study of the highest order. The pacing allows us to slowly invade the characters of Roger and Kim both played brilliantly by Rob Franco and Savannah Welch. Once inside their heads, we begin to understand their reasoning. We never quite get inside the heads of the characters in Lynch stories.

With an incredible lead performance by Savanah Welch and and a show stopping third act, this little rock indie goes above and beyond what you'd expect from a modestly budgeted indie. Unlike a film like The Commitments and myriad other films about the rise and fall of a band, The Transcendents avoids music altogether and spends much of its ninety minute runtime meditating on the damage of ones past -- artistic and familial damage. By the time we get to the explosive third act, we've been lulled into a trance and are unable to foresee the tragedy that is being played out before our very eyes. Big props to the film's composer, who replaces what would normally be a rock score with that of an Italian Western score.

You can't do movies anymore like this. (not that this movie is not good) but you can't expect people to fall into a trance and get lost in a film. This is a super moody movie that you really need to not have other distractions when watching. I had my daughter crying, had to turn it off -- turned it back on, couldn't remember what happened. My husband starts yapping about a sports game -- had to turn it off. Turn it back on and can't remember what I was watching. It's not that people don't have patience anymore, but they are simply too distracted by other people to focus. I'm sure this movie is great in a nice air conditioned dark movie theater, but that's not how I saw the movie. And that's not how most people will see the movie.

Everyone talk about the movie being about a band without playing music, but they missing that it's about addiction without showing drugs too. The main characters all fall into a spell of abuse but we only see it mentally and how self destruction takes over. But thankfully we never see the drugs. Im sick of seeing actual needles and people doing drugs. Good flick. Definitely not a pause and break away from movie. Must watch in one sitting.

Story is great. Acting is great. Music is great. But the photography is perfect. Coming from the photography world, you should be able to pause a film at any time and be able to see a story in the still. Each scene in the Transcendents could be paused, printed and framed. It's just so full of life, color, hidden intentions, and style. The camera is either contorted like a gargoyle or dancing like a swan. Watch the movie, and pause it. Do it randomly. It's amazing.

Not a traditional horror story. Not a traditional comedy. It's slow and fast. Easy to understand and confusing too. Great performances and odd performances. You lose yourself but see yourself. Recommend to people. No idea what that poster is about. No idea at all. Very confusing. Should have a picture of a band.

The critic reviews point to this being Lynchian or even a horror film. It's not. It's a drifter film with the actor Rob Franco as the drifter. He gives a very weird performance that reminded me of 80s Rourke; in particular Rourke in the film Homeboy. Franco is dangerous and combustible. And he holds the film together in the second act - which is the only somewhat problematic act in the film. It still works, but compared to the high stakes absurdity of the first act and the beautiful sonata that is the third act, the second act underwhelms a bit. But that's only a minor quibble. The rest of the cast is terrific and the score is brilliant. I wish I could buy he score.

It feels like a lot styles are bouncing off of each other in this film. It's a comedy but it's sad. It's a revenge story but it's not violent. It's colorful yet muted. It's extremely slow at points and jaggedly fast at others. I've watched it twice just to make sure that all this was done on purpose. It feels as though it was. Different camera styles is a choice. Lens', framing, lighting and editing were choices. The fact that it's a rock n roll band but there's no rock n roll, but rather opera as a soundtrack is a choice. So with that said, I at least know there's a reason I'm supposed to be watching what i'm watching. But there's just something that's a little off about it. I can't place it. Nonetheless, i'd definitely recommend the movie to people that like weird movies.

Watch this movie for the brilliantly performed monologue by the great Savannah Welch. It's the culmination of a character's descent in depravity. Like pealing away the layers of an onion. It's wonderfully written and the director really allows Welch to do her thing with an extremely long push in that stays at this insane close on her depraved face as she sets up a totally cathartic final act of the film.