DbcultAccessing Vault...
7.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Shrimps for a Day remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, it depends on how much you like old-school oddities. If you’re into weird, forgotten gems from the archives, you’ll probably find something to dig here. If you’re expecting a polished, coherent fable, you’ll likely hate it. It’s clunky, it’s strange, and it feels like it was put together on a whim.
The whole premise of a couple wishing themselves back into childhood just to bust up a crooked orphanage owner is... something. It’s not exactly deep, but the tone swings wildly between cute kids stuff and just plain hostility.
There’s this moment where the orphanage owner is just looming over these kids, and it feels way heavier than the movie probably intended. It’s not scary, just uncomfortable. The way he snaps his fingers? You can tell he’s having the time of his life being the villain, but it’s a bit much for such a light premise.
Speaking of the cast, seeing names like Healthy and Happy regulars popping up in this feels like a crossover event from a parallel dimension. It’s not as refined as The Letter, obviously, but it has that same dusty, black-and-white charm that makes you feel like you’re watching something you weren't supposed to find.
There's a scene near the middle where nobody seems to know where to stand. They're just shuffling around, waiting for the camera to cut, and it's delightfully awkward. It’s those tiny, imperfect frames that make me realize why I prefer these old, weird movies over the shiny stuff today.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s hardly even a 'good' movie by modern standards. But it has a pulse, which is more than I can say for a lot of what hits the screens lately. 🤷♂️