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SURRENDER DOROTHY
A dark, twisted no-budgeter about a disturbed young man who
attempts to turn his hetero-male roommate into Dorothy, the perfect woman. While
it's no masterpiece, SURRENDER DOROTHY is grotesque, funny and endlessly thought
provoking, and has won a number of awards at various film festivals. One thing
it hasn't managed to do, though, is secure a legitimate theatrical release. An
injustice? Most certainly, and one that occurs far too often.
The Package
Let's face it: the American "indie" film
movement is pretty much dead. A once daring company like Miramax (who in its
heyday released ballsy fare like THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER and
PULP FICTION) now fills its release roster with drivel like BRIDESHEAD
REVISITED, and everybody else seems to be following suit. The Shooting Gallery,
who at one point appeared to be the savior of the indie film industry, has long
since filed for bankruptcy, while high-profile companies like Lionsgate continue
to shun edgy fare (the latter company dumped the theatrical release of the hotly
anticipated MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN in favor of the crappy Kate Hudson vehicle MY
BEST FRIEND'S GIRL…need I say more?). The days when a daring and
uncompromising item like SURRENDER DOROTHY could be picked up and released by
even a minor company look to be, sadly, in the past.
The Story
Trevor, a borderline nut with a serious fear of women,
lives with his buddy Lahn in a vast, freaky apartment (left unexplained is how
they can afford the place when one is a dishwasher and the other an unemployed
smack addict). Trevor dreams endlessly of women, but can't seem to bring himself
to go near any, which leads him into some decidedly dangerous situations, like
masturbating with a fork in his mouth (which ends exactly like you'd think it
would) and soliciting a prostitute with a psychotic pimp.
Eventually, Trevor works out a bargain with the
good-for-nothing Lahn: he'll supply the smack and pay the rent if the other
becomes Dorothy, the perfect woman. Naturally, the heterosexual Lahn isn't too
pleased about this, but finds himself powerless to resist as Trevor's obsession
takes some increasingly menacing turns.
The Direction
The multi-talented Kevin Dinovis wrote, produced and
directed this film, and played Lahn to boot. He's made a typical no-budget
production in many ways, with dark, grainy black and white photography, muddy
sound design and oft-stilted acting. It's done with great skill, though, and a
Lynchian sense of (dark) humor that helps carry us over the rough spots (like a
series of annoying montages that drag on far too long). Functioning both
as an offbeat thriller and a psychological case study, this seriously bizarre
film should either repulse of amuse you--or, ideally, it will accomplish both.
Vital Statistics
SURRENDER DOROTHY
TLA Releasing
Director/Screenwriter/Editor: Kevin Dinovis
Producer: Richard Goldberg
Cinematography: Jonathan Kovel
Cast: Peter Pryor, Kevin Dinovis, Jason Centeno, Elizabeth Casey, Marcos Muniz,
Keri Merboth