As a seasoned horror connoisseur who has spent countless nights huddled under the covers, peeking through my fingers at the screen during melt movie marathons, I must say that Street Trash (2024) is an unexpected gem in the vast wasteland of B-movies. The film’s unapologetic embrace of its low-budget roots and campy sensibilities harkens back to a simpler time when horror was more about the thrill of the absurd than the polished sheen of modern productions.
In the extensive realm of horror, numerous subcategories exist, categorizing similar films. Among these, a rather unique one is ‘melt movies,’ a genre that’s quite specific, focusing on the gruesome depiction of melting faces and bodies, akin to body horror. Titles such as Slime City, The Stuff, The Blob, The Incredible Melting Man, Body Melt are some examples that have come to be associated with this slimy subgenre over time. This category also encompasses Street Trash, a cult classic from the United States, produced in 1987 and recently reimagined by actor-filmmaker Ryan Kruger for a fresh take, filmed in South Africa.
In the 2024 edition, titled identically, you’ll find the fundamental elements when it debuts digitally on November 19, 2024. Kruger’s Street Trash boasts characters from the homeless community, grisly transformations, dismembered body parts, and an anti-totalitarian uprising – all characteristic of a classic B-movie that could potentially gain a cult following. This film isn’t for mainstream or commercially-oriented viewers.
Unhoused Rebels, Unite!
Initially, let me clarify that we’re discussing the original 1987 film, which won awards and was directed by J. Michael Muro. The plot is humorously absurd, revolving around a liquor store in Brooklyn that peddles harmful alcohol to unsuspecting homeless people living nearby. This situation leads to a health crisis, prompting a band of Vietnam War veterans to form an unconventional alliance, acting like a gang, to combat the toxic substances. Be warned for a scene that might make you nauseous, where one character experiences a grisly injury involving a body part and a game of catch that’s as grotesque as it gets.
In the 2024 version, Kruger’s film deviates from its own path by featuring a group of homeless heroes, but it still honors the original in various ways. For instance, an instant that recalls John Wayne Bobbitt is intentionally included as a nod to the equivalent scene in the original movie. Furthermore, the overall gritty appearance of the remade Street Trash deliberately gives the film a ’80s vibe rather than adopting the polished look typical of remakes.
In the 2024 film “Street Trash“, we find a set of brothers living on the streets, much like in the original version. However, Kruger presents them as affectionate, drug-dependent twins (Lloyd Martinez Newkirk and Shuraigh Meyer). These siblings unite with other compassionate homeless individuals, including main characters Ronald (Sean Cameron Michael) and his friend Chef (Joe Vaz), who choose to establish a contemporary group of misfits to challenge the local administration.
In the narrative, I find myself in the crosshairs, along with others, of the malevolent and omnipotent Mayor Mostert (Warrick Grier), who is determined to address the escalating homelessness predicament. His solution? A chilling approach to eugenics and population control – extermination. Yes, he sees elimination as the key to eradicating the swelling number of homeless individuals. In fact, his team of researchers has concocted a gruesome process that transforms humans into liquid upon touch, ultimately reducing us to nothingness.
This Street Trash Needs More Slime
As a cinephile, when I learned about the ruthless schemes brewing from those in power, I found myself eagerly anticipating the addition of new allies to Chef and Ronald’s ranks. Among them was Alex, a formidable woman armed with firepower and an assertive demeanor (portrayed by Donna Cormack-Thomson). To bolster our forces even further, we enlisted the help of 2-Bit, an elderly homeless man with an intriguing companion – a diminutive, smurf-like alien who spoke like a slick gangster from the mob. Whether this otherworldly sidekick was real or merely a product of our combined imagination remained to be seen.
The unusual alien element deliberately makes this sequel feel more advanced than the initial film. Some viewers might find a talking Smurf jarring, but for a movie like Street Trash known for its eccentricity, we invite you to appreciate the weirdness. If you’re not open to such peculiarities, it’s best not to watch at all.
Regrettably, the overall feel of the series still carries a strong 1980s influence, even though each storyline is unique in its own right. South Africa certainly adds a fresh and vibrant setting, complete with local accents. Kruger’s brief musical performance by Ronald and Chef is a delightful addition. However, a film like this, which leans heavily on the nostalgic goo, seems to lack sufficient (and high-quality) scenes of that nature. To put it simply, one might question why there aren’t more instances of such scenes.
In a thrilling turn of events, the climactic third act, powered by gas masks and intense firepower, effectively concludes the story with an explosion, but aficionados of such films might ponder why it was necessary at all. Upon revisiting the initial release, one might conclude that this is another example of the timeless adage, “nothing compares to the original.” Street Trash, a film from Cineverse, will hit digital platforms on November 19.
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2024-11-18 18:03