The baseline story behind China White Serpentine that of 2 addicts trapped by their own addictions and a sadistic dealer/porn queen is a brilliant plot and superbly played out. That is where the film should have stopped. I understand that Eric Stanze (Savage Harvest 2, Ice From the Sun, Scrapbook), is known for his horror genre work, but this time he could have pulled off a stellar erotic drama and had a far better film.
The true horror in the base plot lies not in the secondary horror concept, but in the more dramatic and true-life horror of junkies bent on maintaining their fix of sex and drugs. Amanda Booth's performance in the dual roles worked well, but Robin Garrels skill as an actor was by far the most impressive and believable of the cast.
All in all the film works for what it is, a B-movie. I believe that had Stanze and Garrels limited themselves to a more adult drama, the film may have garnered them mainstream attention, certainly a Festival invitation.
The true horror in the base plot lies not in the secondary horror concept, but in the more dramatic and true-life horror of junkies bent on maintaining their fix of sex and drugs. Amanda Booth's performance in the dual roles worked well, but Robin Garrels skill as an actor was by far the most impressive and believable of the cast.
All in all the film works for what it is, a B-movie. I believe that had Stanze and Garrels limited themselves to a more adult drama, the film may have garnered them mainstream attention, certainly a Festival invitation.