I viewed Nick Palumbo's "Nutbag" around 12 months after the much maligned "Murder-Set-Pieces". As a result, my appreciation of "Nutbag" is perhaps not as great as it would have been had I watched the two films the other way 'round.
"Nutbag" is in many ways a prototype of the excellent "Murder-Set-Pieces". Shot on a zero budget with video, "Nutbag" lacks the visual flair and pace of its successor, not to mention the audacious effects by the Toe Tag crew. This is not to say "Nutbag" is a bad film, that simply isn't the case. It's just missing the "x" factor that makes "M-S-P" such a powerful and taboo-shattering experience.
What "Nutbag" has going for it are some simple but impressive scenes, a riveting and convincing portrayal of the killer and a decent score.
Mack Hail is excellent as the lead role. His physical presence and self-assured movements are chilling on screen - this is a man who is believable as a cold-blooded killer. Hail portrays the anguish of his character brilliantly. In a scene where he starts to lose it within the claustrophobic quarters of his rented accommodation, you can see the character's sanity slipping. His monologues (where he talks to his spider, Heinrich) reveal an insight into how the Killer has turned out the way he has.
As with "M-S-P", Palumbo's film contains a cast of lovely actresses. He's also able to extract from some of his cast terrific and terrifying performances. There are members of the cast who truly give 100% here and it's not surprising that some wish to remain nameless. There is a real sense of vulnerability and gritty peril in this film.
One thing that interested me was the references to other movies in this film. Among the pornography adorning his walls, The Killer has memorabilia from "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "The Burning" and "Psycho" is his home. Although not inspired by such characters, it's a sign that perhaps he uses them to justify his actions.
While not a masterpiece by any means, "Nutbag" shows that Nick Palumbo is a talented director. Only the budget lets him down in this film.
Worthy of a rental, "Nutbag" won't be to everybody's taste. It's a relatively short film and is quite episodic in nature. For those with an interest in zero-budget film-making, this is an interesting film and one that rises above its limitations.
