Stigma

This movie is badly written, badly acted (with the exception of Philip Michael Thomas) and badly directed, and is the kind of garbage you'd ordinarily stop watching after about twenty minutes, if not sooner ... and yet it's oddly compelling. Perhaps this is in part because it seems unable to make up its mind what sort of movie it's going to be. It starts as a comedy, and is actually pretty funny; there are further comic elements dropped in willy nilly later. Then it becomes an anti-racist/bigotry statement, and again this isn't badly done. Then it dithers with the notion of being a soft-porn movie but rejects it in favour of being (a) a sort of Public Services drama-documentary, a Dreadful Warning about syphilis, and (b) a thriller. This constant change of focus means you're forever guessing, so that your interest is kept -- however reluctantly -- alive.

Thomas is a doctor who's been incarcerated for performing an abortion that went wrong. A distinguished old doctor, now working in a remote community, hires him straight out of the pen, but by the time Thomas gets there the old doctor has dropped dead of a heart attack, leaving behind him cryptic references to a dreadful plague that's affecting the community. That community, led by a corrupt, bully-boy sheriff, is racially bigoted; Thomas is of course black, and is subjected to racist slurs and threatened beatings -- lucky for him that he's befriended local boy dreamboat hero Harlan Cary Poe while hitchhiking to the place. There's a mystery to be solved, and sure enough Thomas reveals the rot at the core of this community.

All rather a matter of: Been there, done that, got the teeshirt -- although in this movie, if young and female, it's more a case of took off the teeshirt.

By any objective standard this movie is dire. But you might find that, paradoxically, it's one you're loath to lose from your collection.

Miami Vice's Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) in his first movie from the early 70's - it's one of those so bad it's good kind of movies. I got a video copy that obviously was rereleased after Thomas' post-Vice fame. If you enjoy early 70's exploitation this one's got a bit of sexploitation and blaxploitation elements that are entertaining in an after-midnight fashion. And despite the low production values and b-movie quality Thomas is in fact quite good - far too good for this movie.

This is a VERY unusual one - nothing psychedelic or bizarre or even 'out there', just atypical, unique. I wouldn't call it a thriller at all. I see some people call it exploitation - no, it's really not at all either, though I can see how it can be confusing with a bit of its style and content. This is just a drama with a small budget, a few 'tense' moments, and a nonchalance and unusual frankness with its nudity and sexual content. It has a clear primary goal that it achieves unquestionably and admirably: to inform about a serious topic whilst still being entertaining and interesting - it also wants to do that while being a compelling drama, and it does and is. I actually picked this thinking it was going to be meh and being okay falling asleep to it, but it grabbed me and had me the whole time.

There were times when the directing felt amateurish, like he was a bit out of his depth and either didn't know what he was going for or didn't know how to achieve what he was going for, but it didn't at all detract from the movie and actually gave it a bit of charm. Then there were times (much more of these) that it was handled with such a deft touch I was impressed and taken slightly aback.

This movie did at least a handful of things I've not seen done in a movie before. Highly recommended for anyone all of that sounds good to. Not to hype it or anything, it's still just a 'good' movie.

6.5/10

Philip Michael Thomas gives a surprisingly good performance as Calvin Crosse, a doctor fresh out of prison for performing an illegal abortion. Crosse has been given a second chance by his former teacher, who is conducting some sort of research on an island. Unfortunately, Crosse arrives at the island, inhabited by redneck fishermen distrustful of outsiders, to find his mentor dead and a mystery about some contagion that is ravaging the island. Of course, the audience soon figures out what that contagion is.

Stigma is a slow burn film that is somewhat better made than what many would be viewers might think. Many viewers (including this one) approach this film to see the type of over the top thrills of I Drink Your Blood, Stigma director David Durston's rabies movie. However, Stigma is more concerned with characters and capturing the local atmosphere of the island. There are concessions to cheap thrills of course. The most obvious example is the inclusion of a documentary on the long term effects of untreated syphilis, found footage which will have some audience members gagging.

Stigma is no lost classic, but a viewer could do much worse. While episodic at times, Stigma holds the viewer's interest for most of its running time. This is largely because of Philip Michael Thomas, an underrated actor giving it his all in the role of Calvin Crosse.

Phillip Michael Thomas is superb as a doctor trying to stop the outbreak of a major epidemic. The fight scenes are great, the prostitutes are hilarious, as well as the sheriff. The actor playing the deranged lighthouse keeper is absolutely stunning. His portray was absolutely Oscar worthy (supporting). The death scene on the lighthouse was well played. I would have focused more on the sheriff's slutty daughter, however not every screenplay can be perfect. This is a great film to watch on a Sunday afternoon. The DVD print is a bit scratched, however legible. I give this film ***** this film should be studied in film school. Bravo