THE DARK SIDE OF THE WOMB (2017)
Writer/director Sam Salerno (Death By 1000 Cuts, Wormhole) describes his film The Dark Side Of The Womb as “a surreal horror/ comedy film” and that’s actually a bit of an understatement. I should point out that it’s not surreal in the sense of Gabriel Bartalos’ Saint Bernard which we recently reviewed. This film has an actual plot and narrative story. It’s just that story, intentionally, has little to do with reality.
I’ll try to summarize the plot as best I can Mrs. Wænd (Mickey Faerch) has twins, Justin (Dean Milo) who’s perfect and Ed (Matt McCarthy) who’s not so perfect. Thirty years later both still live at home. At least until Justin is murdered in the park by killer clowns. Ed leaves after his mother takes out her anger on him.
Meanwhile, Linda (Fay Lytle) is about to give birth. But all that comes out is a head. Which is kind of convenient since the shock causes her boyfriend to have a fatal accident. Dr. Necrophilus (Art Roberts) uses the head to create a sorta new boyfriend (Josh Connor). However, he’s too childish and unstable so she leaves him and takes up with Ed. But her ex isn’t taking rejection that easily. He becomes a killer clown himself. It all leads to an ending that gives a whole new meaning to born again.
The Dark Side Of The Womb is a very low budget and very indie film. It’s also a very creative one. Not just in the obviously outrageous plot or bizarre characters. There are moments like the one where a camera strapped to a severed head attached to a balloon captures a beautiful aerial vista. It probably takes more creativity to think up stuff like that than a one-handed surgeon named Dr. Hook (Sam Salerno).
The best comparison I can make for The Dark Side Of The Womb would be to something from Troma. Incredible doses of incredibly bad taste served up with enough talent to be funny rather than just offensive. Granted it doesn’t have the gore effects of something like The Toxic Avenger but it does the best with what it has.
A film with heart, as well as lungs and appendix The Dark Side Of The Womb is available free on Amazon Prime and on YouTube. You can get more details on its Facebook page.