A bold mix of flavors and quirky characters, Park Bench’s noirish-fantasy debut “The Death of Alice Blue” – an entry in this year’s Atlanta Film Festival – serves up a tale of vampires, wine, and advertising. The title character, played endearingly by Alex Appel, spends roughly ninety running time minutes (which spans nearly a week in the film’s plot) with one goal: make an excellent presentation on Nether Wine.
Alice’s career ambitions are complicated when she puts on a locket from her father and reads aloud from the birthday letter he wrote her: May it bring you good fortune. . . The World is your oyster, Alice. To thine own self be true. It brings Alice fortune, all right – predatory fortune. Miss Blue transforms from bookish, cog-on-wheel-to-chic, much-desired bloodsucker.
Echoing the narrative programming of late-night SciFi or F/X television, “The Death of Alice Blue” presents a female main character who works in one of the most health-code-violating and bizarre office spaces in indie cinema. Although the film earns points for its visual design, it nevertheless suffers from an inadequate entry point for the viewer to comprehend the reality that surrounds the characters. When the ending credits roll, my mind is already half a step off to another pop-cultural door. . .
Alice Blue Dreams
On a Monday she starts working
Tuesday, she’s not eating
And by Wednesday
She’s a freak.
Her eyes see, she knows you –
Not fragile, this Alice Blue.
Teeth sharpening, watch her seethe.
Try with her and you won’t last
You will barely stand back up,
So just give up.
Oh~~~~
Smell workplace slime, no sun in sight
And she’s still toiling
You pledged eternally
No~~~~
Don’t even joke with her, oh no
She’ll knee you in the seams
You can’t be what you seem
Because Alice, Alice, Alice Blue needs
Alice, Alice, Alice Blue feeds.
–yiqi 21 april 09 10:26 PM
