GHOST LIGHT

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At a time when Hollywood has lost its mojo, low budget indie films such as “Ghost Light” come with simple theatrical pleasures that remind us there is a world of talented, inspired artists who have not fallen prey to America’s industrial Cinema complex of military indoctrination — see any superhero movie made in the last 15 years.

The long-observed stage curse incited by speaking the name of “The Scottish Play” aloud inside a theater, comes back to haunt a troop of actors performing a small town production of “Macbeth” in this cinematic amuse bouche. Whistling in a theater is another no-no that one of our irreverent actors is all too willing to test. Theatre superstitions are nothing to trifle with.

Although the writing could be stronger, “Ghost Light” has some shining moments thanks to the reliable scenery-chewing efforts of stage legend Carol Kane, and (surprisingly) of Shannyn Sossamon in her Lady Macbeth incarnation. Carey Elwes manages to mask his less-than-impressive acting abilities in the context of an amateur stage production of one of Shakespeare’s most admired plays.

The film’s play-within-a-play narrative landscape allows for sufficient suspense to build even if the movie comes to an anti-climactic finish.

The ghost light of the film’s title refers to a stage light that must remain lit on an empty stage if a production is to be successful. It’s a metaphor befitting our current filmic wasteland. It takes films such as “Ghost Light” to maintain a glow of hope that one day American Cinema will be reborn. In the meantime, Shakespeare’s plays remain a wellspring of material to rinse out Hollywood’s static noise. “Ghost Light” is good, clean (if a little bloody) fun. For Hollywood, it’s back to the woodshed.

Not Rated. 102 mins.

THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF JOHN WELD

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Plainly composed reenactments of sequences from actor/stuntman-turned-novelist John Weld’s picaresque life add charm to this heartfelt, if unpretentious, biopic.

Peter Coyote’s familiar voice provides warm authority to the voice-over narration amid commentary from a handful of professionals whose identities get brushed over due to the filmmakers’ limited use of chyrons.

Note to documentarians, chyrons should always be present when commentators are speaking if the audience is to know who is doing the editorializing.

This isn’t a flashy documentary that you’re likely to write home about, but it reflects well on a romantic soul who followed his heart and life lessons as learned from such towering acquaintances as Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and James Joyce.

Weld overcame a lack of caring or affection from his mother, by falling in love at the drop of a hat — not such a negative trait after all.   

Workaday television director Gabe Torres (“Fight to Survive”)  isn’t out to make a big splash, and that’s fine. It’s refreshing to be reminded that not every movie has to have a big budget or include A or even B-list actors.

While “The Remarkable Life of John Weld” is modest in its approach, charming performances from Nick Tag (as John Weld), Claire Adams, and Varda Appleton provide a solid foundation for the story to unfold. John Weld’s life story is a reminder that success is what you make it.

Weld instinctively understood what Joseph Campbell called “following your bliss.” In Weld’s case that bliss relied on the love of a woman with whom he could share his ambitions and desires. Indeed, there’s something to be said for that. Seek out this enjoyable little movie if you are so inclined; it’s still better than some Oscar-nominated movies that might come across.  

Rated TV-PG. (76 mins)

 

LET THE CORPSES TAN

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The narrative is appropriately thin in this wildly inspired homage to European crime action movie tropes of the ’70 (think “Zabriskie Point”). As a result, “Let the Corpses Tan” plays better as a retro art instillation piece or as a film you could project on a giant party screen for revelers to get wasted as they engage in all types of sexual misconduct.

Nonetheless, Belgian writing/directing duo Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani (“The Strange Color of You”) wring a lot of movie out of their “genre” (low budget) exploration.

Although it sports one of the most incendiary film titles in recent memory, “Let the Corpses Tan” is too one-note to hold your interest for its 92 minutes regardless of how much fetishistic attention is paid to every gritty detail involving a stand-off between gangsters in a remote dusty seaside location.

The filmmakers revel in playing tricks with your eyes as when, what seems to be, an overhead shot of the location’s compound is overrun with [seemingly giant] ants. Sure it’s all style with not much substance but that’s the point. If you’re in the mood for virtuosic visual panache involving machine guns, gold, cars, motorcycles, fire, smoke, and blood, then you’re in business.   

Not Rated. 92 mins.