DbcultAccessing Vault...
5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Road House remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you were hoping for Patrick Swayze, you are in the wrong place. This is the 1934 version, a dusty, black-and-white piece of British history that feels like it was filmed inside a closet. You should watch this if you like old-school mysteries where people just stand around talking in rooms that smell like mothballs. If you need pacing or, you know, excitement, you will probably hate every single minute of it. 🍺
The whole thing starts with this barmaid, and honestly, she is the only person who seems to have a functioning brain. There is a murder, naturally, but the movie is less concerned with the 'whodunit' and more concerned with the decor. I found myself staring at the background extras more than the leads. Why is that guy in the corner always holding his drink exactly the same way for five minutes straight?
There is a strange, stiff quality to the acting that I actually kind of liked. It felt like everyone was reading their lines off a chalkboard just out of frame. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Mad Genius, though nowhere near as chaotic. Sometimes the characters just stop mid-sentence, and the camera lingers on them like it’s waiting for a bus that’s never going to show up.
It’s not a masterpiece, and I don't think it's trying to be. It’s just... there. It’s a movie that exists in a vacuum. It’s miles away from the grit of The Traffic Cop, but it has a charm if you’re in the mood for something that feels like a dusty book you found in an attic. Maybe don't watch it if you're tired, or you’ll be asleep before the first body drops. 😴
Anyway, the murder gets solved, I think. Or maybe it doesn't. By the time they got around to the big reveal, I was already looking at the credits to see if the barmaid’s apron was historical accuracy or just bad costume design. It’s a messy little film, but there’s something honest about how imperfect it is.
IMDb —
1915
Community
Log in to comment.
