Sometimes, during those quiet times before sleep, I wonder why it took me so long to discover the independent creative hurricane that is Dustin Mills. Imagine if Full Moon Pictures and Troma married and gave birth to a brilliant young studio, this would be Dustin Mills Productions.
Dustin Mills' Easter Casket is a fantastic horror offering from the underground with a fun and light edge. As with his other films, it looks gorgeous, has a great score, solid performances, a witty script and perfect pace. Mills balances drama with genuine laugh-out-loud puppet antics in a manner that very few directors could pull off. Moving from an intimate human love scene to puppet decadence that puts The Wolf of Wall Street to shame (with the fabric-skinned ones sniffing lines of cocaine whilst experiencing the rampant appetite of the principal character, a certain Easter Bunny), this is jaw-dropping stuff.
Some of the effects work in this minuscule-budget movie are beautiful to behold. I'm always left a bit shell shocked by a Dustin Mills movie. There's so much imaginative goodness crammed in, it's like watching a film that's popped straight out of the director's mind. There's no compromise in these productions. Who needs a budget when you've talent oozing out of every pore?
The cast are excellent as always and there are some familiar faces along for the ride. I'd not seen Jason Crowe before but he's a very likable lead with real charisma. Mills always picks great femme fatales in his productions. Erin (Skinless, Kill That Bitch) Ryan is cute as a button and a great actress. She manages to maintain a straight face and delivers a strong performance whilst all sorts of brilliant lunacy explodes colourfully around her. Allison Fitzgerald makes an appearance as a naughty nun whilst (in the extended version of the film) the delightful Hayley Jay Madison has a naughty and memorable appearance with Peter Cottontail.
I love this picture. Another 10 out of 10. It's surely only a matter of time before the big studios discover Dustin Mills. Whilst this can be the end of true creativity for some artists, I do see this gentleman becoming something like the next Peter Jackson. You read it here, first.
