Leah's Movie Lowdown
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Tall Men

Rated: Not Rated

        When it comes to horror films, I tend to run either hot or cold (no pun intended). I need to be in the right mood and mindset for them, and they have to be different, very different. I’ve seen the classics, Night of the Living Dead, The Exorcism, Frankenstein, and the like, mostly just to find out what kind of films scared people in the past. I suppose my skepticism of them comes from 2 places: 1: It doesn’t seem that often that there’s an original idea coming out of Hollywood, in regards to horror films (as well as everything else!) lately. And 2: I hate to admit it, but I’ve become a bit desensitized to the types of horror films that are out there; so much so in fact, that I often laugh during the parts when other people scream or close their eyes. Maybe it’s because I started doing book reports on Stephen King’s works in third grade, who knows?  I’m not saying that I don’t have moments when I’m startled and jump in my seat, I’m simply saying that horror is literally the genre that’s been done to death.
The Tall Men are coming! (Photo courtesy Jonathan Holbrook)

The Tall Men are coming! (Photo courtesy Jonathan Holbrook)

 
        So, given all of that, when something really interesting comes along I know I need to watch it. Such was the case with the film Tall Men. Tall Men is the latest film from filmmaker Jonathan Holbrook, and his company Chronicle Factory. The film is about Terence, a young “challenged” man, who is stalked by Tall Men in business suits after he purchases a car with his newly gotten mysterious credit card. And if you’re thinking, “well, what could be creepy and horrific about that?” then you’ve got quite the surprise coming!
 
        After watching the film I spent a lot of time thinking about it, trying to put it all together and figure out what it all means. After a few days of this I gave up and decided to ask Jonathan about the film. Here’s what he had to say, “I am very conscious when I do sound editing and design.  Sometimes I have feelings on what sounds right. Maybe [I do things] to confuse the audience and give them something to think about.  Sometimes I do things without a reason as it just feels right.  Throughout the whole film I sort of make a resolution to a problem, but still leave something loose to make you wonder… There are many stories intertwined within the story. If you watch again you will catch some things you didn’t before.”
 
        Tall Men uses traditional horror film fare, such as zombies, ghosts and monsters, but in a very unforeseen and unique way. No one is who you expect them to be, and nothing is what it seems. In Jonathan’s words, “I wanted to give [it] that underdog feeling,” and that he does; but who exactly IS the underdog? I believe that is where some of the interpretation comes in, and where the central mystery lies.
 
        I’m all for watching a straight forward film, where practically everything is spelled out for me, once in a while; but it is films like Tall Men, films that leave some of the mystery of it all open to interpretation that I enjoy the most. Some of the best films ever made ignite conversations, many of which are still going on, as to what the film as a whole means. Take films such as The Shining, Pulp Fiction, Inception, and countless others. There are numerous TV shows, websites and even whole documentaries that explore what it all could mean. Do some of the people behind these things have too much time on their hands? Of course! But that doesn’t take away at all from the point. The point is that if a film is truly worth its weight it will be thought provoking long after the credits have rolled. Tall Men is just such a film.
Terrence and his friends have lunch in Tall Men (Photo courtesy of Jonathan Holbrook)

Terrence and his friends have lunch in Tall Men (Photo courtesy of Jonathan Holbrook)


        But it’s not the original. The original was also made by Holbrook, but came out in 2004. As Jonathan states on his website, ChronicleFactory.com, “I’ve never been completely satisfied on how Tall Men turned out, so I wanted to make it the way it was intended to be made.” I have yet to see the original version, but after experiencing this most recent incarnation I’m not sure I’d want to, for fear of losing some of the magic of it all. According to Jonathan, the story is the same in both, but it is the little things that make the difference, be it in film or in life, and without some of those little things I’m not so sure it would be the same film.

        Tall Men is indeed as eerie, spine-tingling and hair-raising as the best Hollywood horror flicks, but yet it’s better on so many levels. The story behind it all is as original as they come and has more layers than an onion. The characters are complex, frustrating and realistic as anyone you know in real life. Jonathan Holbrook has managed to do with Tall Men what so many attempt and fail; he’s created a film that is destined to be a horror classic, but yet has such a poignant message that it will appeal to almost everyone, horror fan or not. So if you find yourself with the opportunity, make an appointment with the Tall Men and hold on, you’re in for a bumpy ride!

        Tall Men is not rated and was written and directed by Jonathan Holbrook. The film stars Dan Crisafulli and Kay Whitney and is currently entered in many film festivals. For more information about Tall Men and Jonathan Holbrook use the links below:
  • Jonathan Holbrook on IMDB