Prince In Hell (aka Prinz In Holleland)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C- Film: C+
The
torture of Gay lost boys films is as bad as it is tired, but I give Michael
Stock credit for not doing the same old thing with his 1993 German film Prince In Hell (aka Prinz In Holleland) beginning with more
lost boys (maybe one who is too young, but never sexually involved with anyone
or exposed to the other self-destruction here) this time in the wasteland that
is post-unification Germany.
Instead
of progress back to one Germany, they can only find other lost Gay souls and
this leads to all kinds of anonymous sexual encounters, which then takes a turn
for the worst with inter-venous drug use and other stupidities. I guess this kind of self-destruction much be
the new Gay generations way of dealing with low self-esteem the way now older
Gays might have had persecution complexes identifying with the likes of Judy
Garland. They may seem free and be in
Punk-like garb, but was it ever this grim during the New wave 1980s? Yes, but not to this extent.
That
would also explain the cycle of such films, yet they all have the same
predictable arc and this one throws in Neo-Nazi kids who have only grown in
strength. There is the hand puppet motif
and pants-less jester from the start that screams Punch & Judy with a few
punches and guys who might want to be Judy.
However, the screenplay (co-written by Stock) does make a deliberate
spit between the pseudo-fantasy lost world and real one, so it is more grounded
and effective than other films in the cycle, yet it too stumbles because a few
bold moments of gay sensuality without hardcore sex are thrown off by graphic
drug use, all kinds of denial on the part of the characters and too many
distractions to ultimately add up to making any important points.
The 1.33
x 1 image has a transfer with detail issues, slight DVNR (Digital Video Noise
Reduction) ghosting and color that is a bit off from the transfer. Cinematographer Lorenz Haarmann does a decent
shoot, without making things look too cheesy or cheap. The use of color is not spectacular, but at
least it is allowed to breathe and is not artificially manipulated. The Dolby Digital 2.0 is just stereo if
that. A theatrical trailer (and not
trailers as the case says) is the only extra included.
- Nicholas Sheffo
