Live Feed (2006)

   

Directed by: Ryan Nicholson

Produced & Written by:
Roy & Ryan Nicholson

Starring:

Kevan Ohtsji .... Miles / Seije Nakamura
Taayla Markell .... Emily
Rob Scattergood .... Darren
Stephen Chang .... The Boss
Colin Foo .... Shards
Greg Chan .... The Butcher
Lee Tichon .... Mike
Caroline Chojnacki .... Linda
Ashley Schappert .... Sarah

Release Date:
Cannes Film Market: May 18, 2006 (France)

 

 

Rating:

 

Five young adults are enjoying themseves in a foreign city and decide to go to a porn theatre there to get their jollies and have a good time along by getting stoned. But however the owners of the theatre are spying on them as well as trapping them in which they torture kill and certain parts of their bodies as well as filming all of this too.

 

The beginning looked well shot showing a Chinese New Year parade in which was taken in different good angles as I must say looked very professional looking for an independent flick like this one. Also there's situations taking place at a strip club in which we spot some sort of an asian mafia leader known at the Boss later on torturing someone half to death in which nothing seems to be spotted graphically or pervertedly yet like we spot in most of Nicholson's flicks. This all looked cheesy but yet fun to watch and not at all terrible.
We spot some chef's chopping up food along with a dog in a cage and doing a show ready to butcher the dog adding real shock value here which will make you disgusted for all you dog lovers. Yet nothing graphic is displayed here thankfully. Kinda adds black humor since in asian countries it's legit to have these types of animals for meals. Pretty gross. This was for sure sick and twisted which we spot this.
Things seem well mysterious when a group of young adults decide to check out a porn theatre as we spot a creepy asian at the booth when he charges them as this adds a good touch to the horror story that will unravel later on here. There's great neon lighting as well as spotting a couple making out in the theatre which gives you a good vibe and a real sleazy type of environment while spotting all of this.
There's also a situation with a blonde named Linda who is grossed out as well as needing to go to the can as we spot porn pictures plastered all over the area as well as cockroaches underneath since this looked believeably grossed out for anyone who hates grubby public washrooms but urgently needs to go when you can't hold it in. We also spot a light flickering on and off as this almost leaves a mysterious moment wondering if a killer will come in or not. This for sure looked effective for the picture. Also we spot a fellow named Darren wooing her in the washroom to get it on with her which looked like a setting that you'd spot watching one of those typical daytime soap opera's. Yet for the story involved here seemed to work out well. Plus nice close up shots on them making out. We spot the guy at the ticket booth looking at a surveillance camera watching these two as well as others which looked well put into the story.
Of course we spot a couple named Mike and Sarah getting it on in a grubby room along with having arguments too. Things definetely make you shiver when they realised that they're locked in there giving it a good psychological feeling of no escape and why they're kept in there. Also Mike spots something in the ground and what that room really is which makes moments like this even more frightening too.
Neat situtation on a killer called the Butcher coming in to go in standing there and preparing his killing on the two of them which was a nice key to the plot too spotting what he's wearing which looked not too pleasant.
We also spot the Butcher putting a tube in Linda's mouth and placing a snake inside as this defientely looked shocking and tortureous to watch. Looked well done indeed. Later on we spot the snake slithering out of her cut open dead body in which this can be well remembered to anyone who spotted this flick.
Later on in the story we spot some butchered dead bodies at a cooking table in which this makes you truly grossed out as to what they are making for their next meal. For sure a perverted canniballistic moment. We even spot someone trying to force feed one of the main character's named Emily this situation as this makes you cringe and squirm for sure. It's impressive when she goes berserk stabbing this person to death since this was necessary to put in here wondering if she will escape or not.
There's even a situation with the Boss and his groupies in the theatre eating this deep fried which truly makes this look even more gross.
Also we have Emily running away and spot a deceivingly understanding man trying to talk to her and asking nicely for her gun in which you wonder or not if she will give in as this looked well focused when we spot all of this keeping you peeled watching every little move that will happen here.
The film gets really tiresome spotting the lead character Miles doing his martial arts against these maniacs trying to save the day which seems to be an excuse to keep the story running. Some of it looked oddly amusing though.
Bottom line is the film starts off fairly exciting even if it was shocking and gross but yet it slopes a bit in which it needed a bit more inspiration. It's for sure shocking and not for every horror fans taste except for people who enjoy sick stuff in a spaltter flick like this one. It can be a fun one to watch if you're in the mood for a party flick with a group of friends but nothing to be taken too seriously here. Better than most of Nicholson's flicks.

The acting is at an average pace in which we spot Kevan Ohtsji (Miles / Seije Nakamura) seeming very serious by what he's doing here which looked impressive. Plus he had that warrior type of look adding a bonus to his character too and knowing to have a no nonsense type of behavior. He was perfect in his blocking whenever he had to act forceful along with exposing his martial arts which comes off okay too. Does well with his aggressions too.
Taayla Markell (Emily) seemed to do fairly okay in her role as the straight headed type which shows off in a decent fashion but there's certain situations when she gets angry at someone when she catches them in the act which looked a little too acted out and unnatural. However she does a great job with her scared and emotional behavior with her sobbing as well as going berserk when she tries to defend herself with nice blocking actions as well as lunging in for the kill which also looked highly energetic here. She also does well pointing a gun at someone and acting unsure with her weak attitude as this looked natural too. So most of the time she pulled her weight quite well here.
Rob Scattergood (Darren) adds a nice hype to his part in the film acting full of life with whatever he does here. He certainly drew in a great and loose feel for when he is at the theatre just being eager to enjoy some sex. He plays this character realistically. Also he draws in a nice charming type of personality with his smooth speaking too. Plus shows a great sharp reaction to when he's in pain which looked good and energetic here. Plus does a energetic job when he gets anxious with certain situations too.
Stephen Chang (The Boss) brought out his raging aggressions quite nicely as well as being good with his forceful attitude into the picture when we watch him going at full speed doing all this. At times though he may seem to be overly doing it but not enough to make him look mellodramatic at all. He had the right looks to play a mafia type as well as having a good sleazy type of behavior which also shines off fairly well. He seemed to have some interesting characteristics into his role.
Colin Foo (Shards) really came across perfectly as a freaky ticket salesman at the theatre with his intimidating looks along with how he presents himself in which he draws in a good horror type of mysterious character while spotting him spying on others and stuff like that. He studied his role very well here and deserves a good pat on the back.
Lee Tichon (Mike) had the perfect maculine features as someone who seems like a tough guy but yet that's all he offers. He is a pretty bad actor just saying his lines and not being able to get into character too well here. He tries to act sleazy and aggressive in alot of spots but this isn't convincing at all. There's also moments when he tries to attack as he's off with his blocking and looked lowly energised too.
Ashley Schappert (Sarah) tried her best to have a no bullshit type of attitude in which looked fairly impressive here as well as showing it off well with her argumentive behavior. She passes most of this but sometimes is a bit off with her reactions at times but not too much. She does an okay job with her screaming and freaked out behavior after spotting someone getting killed but could've looked a little more intense.
Caroline Chojnacki (Linda) was pretty natural by what she does here in which she shows perfect grossed out expressions and reactions to certain things especially when it came to killing an animal or going into a grungy washroom which seemed quite believeable. Also she was pretty good with her sobbing features too just letting it all out which grabbed attention a great deal. She also shows out a great upsetting aggression as this also looked impressive. She reacts well while being tied up and gagged acting disturbed by this which was another good pointer to her performance.

A fully naked stripper is exposed dancing in a bar.
A full breasted woman is fornicating on a screen in a porn theatre.
Ashley Schappert takes off her top breasts fully exposed while getting it on with someone in a grungy room.
Caroline Chojnacki also shows off her breasts while she is tied up.

Many scarred faces of different people while being tortured in different scene's of the film.
A piece from a dog is revealed after being butchered.
Someone's hand is chopped off as well as his body sliced by a machette along with his head chopped off.
Body parts are revealed at a butcher table.
Private parts are used as a meal.
Body parts are cut open.
Many bloody stabbings with various people with violent bloodsheds and blood spraying all over the place.
A head is crushed and twisted off.
Bloody gunshots.

The composing sounded fairly okay as it was alot of techno type sounds which I'm normally not a fan of but for the story it sounded suitable here. Also there's good low sounds for when a couple discovers what the room they're trapped in is really used for which sounded perfect for that moment. Plus there's good gloomy and bonging type of synthesizer playing adding perfect chemistry for the shocking terror unveiled into the story. However the music seems to sound a little too much and begins to sound a little annyoing. All of this was put together by Patrick Coble

Mike: Cocaine and porno! Right on man!