Tim Ritter is another of the multitude of directors that emerged during the post-Halloween abyss of low-budget horror and went on to build a career within a niche sub-genre. He is something of a legend amongst his ilk because he directed and produced his first feature at the tender age of 16. Much like Fred Olen Ray, David DeCoteau and Dennis Devine; Ritter has built a decent catalogue of self financed B-Movies that have allowed him to express himself and convey his cinematic vision to audiences across the globe. His films are notoriously gratuitous and he is amongst the extremist exploitation directors currently working in American film.
Truth of Dare was his second feature and since its release in the mid-eighties, the film has garnered a relatively large cult following. Its success opened up the chance for two sequels, and Ritter has worked continuously ever since.
Mike Strauber returns home from work one day to find his wife in bed with his best friend, Jerry. Visibly traumatised, Mike heads to the beach to clear his thoughts. After contemplating suicide, the emotion seems to trigger a violent schizophrenia in his mind and he begins suffering aggressive delusions, which make him play truth or dare with imaginary characters from his warped mind. Before long Mike succumbs to the grips of insanity and begins a violent trail of revenge on the society that he feels has outcast him.
Truth or Dare is a tough movie to judge. It has moments to be credited and moments of flagrant ineptness. Firstly, the performances are heinous from start to finish and John Brace is hilarious as the wild-eyed Strauber. The cast looked as if they were offered no guidance from an experienced dramatic adviser and they fall astoundingly short of delivering anything even remotely convincing. There are gaps in the plot that are large enough to swallow the Sahara dessert and the continuity is like something from a fairytale, with weapons and convenient props appearing as if on command.
There are many schoolboy errors throughout the feature, which demonstrate a lack of experience from the production team and especially from the teenage director. The movie starts astoundingly well and almost immediately sets a high standard, which unfortunately it fails to consistently maintain.
With that said, Truth or Dare is a memorable, powerful feature and it is one that deserves a stronger reputation amongst the slasher elite. Ritter came out with an intention to shock and he succeeded successfully in making a film that approaches areas that other more competently financed features would never have dared. In today's climate of extreme political-correctness and constant fear of audience offence, this movie is a fine example of a time when media was brave enough to voice an individualistic opinion.
The copper-masked maniac commits a few of the most gruesome acts ever filmed in slasher cinema. Three elderly pedestrians are randomly machine gunned whilst waiting at a bus stop and a cheery child is bloodily slashed to death with a chainsaw! By far the most shocking scene sees a pram-pushing mother and her baby gorily rundown and killed by the maniac (he even goes as far as to reverse back over them); and for the father of a nine-month old child, it's a tough scene to watch.
Despite Mike's extreme malevolence, the story initially builds sympathy for his journey into insanity. No matter how strong a relationship may be, everyone can have moments when they feel insecure and panic-stricken if they suspect that their love is not equally shared. How would you feel if you came home to find your partner in bed with your best friend? I doubt that many of you would put on a copper-mask and go on a killing spree, but kudos to Ritter for approaching a subject that sympathetic viewers can relate to. There's something frighteningly realistic about the scenes that see Strauber recollect memories of his relationship and realise that he should have picked up on the fact that his partner was betraying his trust. The opening is brilliantly handled and demonstrates the potential of a young filmmaker with a relevant message to convey.
Like many eighties slashers (Killer Party, Terror Night, Scalps etc), Truth or Dare suffered a nightmare production. Rumour has it that the producers became anxious once realising that Ritter was only 18 years old and they eventually pulled the plug, which meant that the final version of Truth or Dare is not the director's initial vision. Ritter has said that many of the plot holes are filled within the missing footage that's gatherinmg dust somewhere in a producer's cupboard and having seen the effect that a plagued production can have on a feature (Moon in Scorpio anybody?) Ritter deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Although technically the film fails to impress, it excels in its power to shock and it has a subtle political comment on the Reagan cost-cutting era of the eighties. I really enjoyed watching Truth or Dare and I feel that it's an excellent time-capsule of a cinematic period that will never be repeated. It starts well and despite a dip in its mid-section, the film ends with the flamboyance that was so flagrantly evident in its launch. Considering the fact that Ritter was only eighteen at the time and has grown into a key player and sponsor in the world of B-movie production, this is an excellent example of his ideas. On a side note look out for Backstreet Boy AJ McLean in the small film-part that he wishes he could erase from existence!
Truth of Dare was his second feature and since its release in the mid-eighties, the film has garnered a relatively large cult following. Its success opened up the chance for two sequels, and Ritter has worked continuously ever since.
Mike Strauber returns home from work one day to find his wife in bed with his best friend, Jerry. Visibly traumatised, Mike heads to the beach to clear his thoughts. After contemplating suicide, the emotion seems to trigger a violent schizophrenia in his mind and he begins suffering aggressive delusions, which make him play truth or dare with imaginary characters from his warped mind. Before long Mike succumbs to the grips of insanity and begins a violent trail of revenge on the society that he feels has outcast him.
Truth or Dare is a tough movie to judge. It has moments to be credited and moments of flagrant ineptness. Firstly, the performances are heinous from start to finish and John Brace is hilarious as the wild-eyed Strauber. The cast looked as if they were offered no guidance from an experienced dramatic adviser and they fall astoundingly short of delivering anything even remotely convincing. There are gaps in the plot that are large enough to swallow the Sahara dessert and the continuity is like something from a fairytale, with weapons and convenient props appearing as if on command.
There are many schoolboy errors throughout the feature, which demonstrate a lack of experience from the production team and especially from the teenage director. The movie starts astoundingly well and almost immediately sets a high standard, which unfortunately it fails to consistently maintain.
With that said, Truth or Dare is a memorable, powerful feature and it is one that deserves a stronger reputation amongst the slasher elite. Ritter came out with an intention to shock and he succeeded successfully in making a film that approaches areas that other more competently financed features would never have dared. In today's climate of extreme political-correctness and constant fear of audience offence, this movie is a fine example of a time when media was brave enough to voice an individualistic opinion.
The copper-masked maniac commits a few of the most gruesome acts ever filmed in slasher cinema. Three elderly pedestrians are randomly machine gunned whilst waiting at a bus stop and a cheery child is bloodily slashed to death with a chainsaw! By far the most shocking scene sees a pram-pushing mother and her baby gorily rundown and killed by the maniac (he even goes as far as to reverse back over them); and for the father of a nine-month old child, it's a tough scene to watch.
Despite Mike's extreme malevolence, the story initially builds sympathy for his journey into insanity. No matter how strong a relationship may be, everyone can have moments when they feel insecure and panic-stricken if they suspect that their love is not equally shared. How would you feel if you came home to find your partner in bed with your best friend? I doubt that many of you would put on a copper-mask and go on a killing spree, but kudos to Ritter for approaching a subject that sympathetic viewers can relate to. There's something frighteningly realistic about the scenes that see Strauber recollect memories of his relationship and realise that he should have picked up on the fact that his partner was betraying his trust. The opening is brilliantly handled and demonstrates the potential of a young filmmaker with a relevant message to convey.
Like many eighties slashers (Killer Party, Terror Night, Scalps etc), Truth or Dare suffered a nightmare production. Rumour has it that the producers became anxious once realising that Ritter was only 18 years old and they eventually pulled the plug, which meant that the final version of Truth or Dare is not the director's initial vision. Ritter has said that many of the plot holes are filled within the missing footage that's gatherinmg dust somewhere in a producer's cupboard and having seen the effect that a plagued production can have on a feature (Moon in Scorpio anybody?) Ritter deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Although technically the film fails to impress, it excels in its power to shock and it has a subtle political comment on the Reagan cost-cutting era of the eighties. I really enjoyed watching Truth or Dare and I feel that it's an excellent time-capsule of a cinematic period that will never be repeated. It starts well and despite a dip in its mid-section, the film ends with the flamboyance that was so flagrantly evident in its launch. Considering the fact that Ritter was only eighteen at the time and has grown into a key player and sponsor in the world of B-movie production, this is an excellent example of his ideas. On a side note look out for Backstreet Boy AJ McLean in the small film-part that he wishes he could erase from existence!