Wrapped in a radiant tapestry of shock and sophistication, Hippo is a dark prince walking among other pictures in the torn fishnet sector. Even for a weird movie, this movie is weird. The stunning monochrome compositions of cinematographer William Babcock help establish the stark universe that the characters create for themselves from the void they were given. Add to that the genius notion of incorporating a nearly all-classical music soundtrack, with many passages punctuated by eerie choral singing.
This elevation of atmosphere is then injected with lightning flashes of shock elements, such as the increasing surreal rumination over the mechanics of semen. In Hippo, a fascination with semen floats invisibly over the proceedings like the lust for gold does in Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It is the misunderstanding of semen’s power that makes the mysterious mythology the film builds around sperm so potent.
“Farley is one of the most striking creatures of eclectic beauty seen in a long time.”
Of course, with all this talk about the wine, we must discuss the bottle. Farley is one of the most striking creatures of eclectic beauty seen in a long time. He milks that same new wave of insane sexiness that Will More harnessed in the cult vampire classic Arrabato. No matter how insane Farley’s hormonal paranoia gets, you keep cutting him slack, as he is such a nightshade cutie. Farley’s work here is even more impressive, considering his writing contributions. The adolescent fury that fills in the blanks of Hippo’s isolation throbs across the aisles.
Rapaport and Farley have concocted a high-powered cinematic cocktail called Dogtooth meets Napoleon Dynamite. The talented Kizlinger is the perfect choice to anchor the film’s perspective. Her staccato delivery is the perfect buoy in the dysfunctional nightmare sea that threatens to rise above her head. Roberts’ portrayal as the mother is brilliant, as she manages a flaking veneer that only offers fleeting glimpses of her darkness. Her performance contains many subtleties that show the strength of her craft.
While it steps into some very dark territory, the shockwaves flow solidly in the good-bad taste frequency instead of dipping into bad bad taste. So, if you feel it has gone too far in places, hang on to see where it ends up. You will be pleased. Also, how cool is it to have world record-holding actor Eric Roberts narrating the entire movie? There is a reason he has more acting credits than any actor in the history of the planet. Hippo is a well-dressed gothic gentleman of a cult film, as it has some exceptional tricks up its sweet-looking sleeve.
Hippo screened at the Film Maudit 2.0 Film Festival.
"…a radiant tapestry of shock and sophistication..."
