Three Tears on Bloodstained Flesh

I had the pleasure and the good fortune of seeing THREE TEARS ON BLOODSTAINED FLESH some time ago, and man, what a movie. No doubt a love letter to genre giants Alfred Hitchcock and Dario Argento, among others, THREE TEARS is a neon bloodbath dripping with grit. One of the greatest attributes of this Midwesternized take on the Giallo is its ability to transcend any one genre or title. THEE TEARS marries the dark detective film with the dysfunctional family drama, the small town with a secret motif with the grace and brutality of Italian horror cinema. Director Jakob Bilinski is obviously in his element here, firing hard on every last cylinder. The acting, led by Bill Gobin as tough guy and estranged family man Dominic Merrick, is tremendous, with dialogue as punchy and effective as anything I've seen in independent cinema. Cinematographer D.P. Bonnell is a machine, making this one of the most fluid and visually absorbing indies I've experienced in years. Tipping in at near two-and-a-half hours, THREE TEARS is no doubt a commitment, but those willing to invest the time will be more than rewarded. There is not one ounce of fat on Bilinski's sonic, blood-soaked masterpiece. For anyone out there with a strong appreciation for hardcore razor-edged cinema, or just plain impressive filmmaking and storytelling that hits the mark head-on, THREE TEARS ON BLOODSTAINED FLESH has you covered. See it.