When Quentin Tarantino launched his Rolling Thunder label back in the 90's, I was stoked. Here was arguably my favourite director releasing movies that he thinks are cool and giving them a bigger audience. I have much respect for Tarantino's taste in films because he knows movies and he knows what entertains. I looked forward to each release so when Curdled came along, I checked it out and discovered one of my favourite black comedies of all time. Tarantino's enthusiasm for film is infectious and I am so glad that this flick managed to be saved from obscurity even though QT's distribution company did not and shut down after a mere eight releases. The only disappointing thing about this movie is that director Reb Braddock did not end up making any other movies. He showed such major potential with this one and should have been right there with Quentin, Robert Rodriguez, Kevin Smith, and the others that emerged during the indie film boom of the late 90s. I don't know what the story is but it is a real shame that we have not seen anything else from this guy as he is clearly a natural. He is currently the Associate Dean of the film school at the University of Florida.

Angela Jones stars as Gabriela, a woman who has an obsession with death and a particular interest in a serial killer who has been coined as the "Blue Blood Killer". While watching TV one evening, Gabriela sees an ad for a company called Post-Forensic Cleaning Service and immediately applies for a job. After a brief interview with the owner (Barry Corbin), Angela gets the gig and is soon out on a crime scene with her grumpy cleaning partner Elena (Mel Gorham). Angela's obsession with the Blue Blood Killer unsettles her co-workers and becomes more dangerous when she requests the clean-up job at the scene of the killer's latest crime. Unbeknownst to Angela, the killer knows that an important clue has been left behind and he has to go back to remove the evidence. Angela also has a desire to return to the scene to share her hobby with her apprehensive boyfriend (Bruce Ramsay). As the characters converge at the same location, one starts to question what is more disturbing: the Blue Blood Killer's crimes or Gabriela's insatiable appetite to understand them.

Although the subject matter is dark, the quirky and upbeat way that it is portrayed is unique and entertaining resulting in a movie that is one of a kind. Everything works in this flick from the performances to the music to the clever script. It is no wonder that Tarantino got excited when saw Braddock's short version at a film festival and wanted to help him turn it into a feature. The casting of the likeable Jones is what clinches the movie as a classic in my world because she gives the character an unstable naivety that makes her unpredictable and reckless. The last third of the movie is almost completely carried by Jones who draws you right into her world as she tries to get into the mind of the killer. Billy Baldwin is also stellar as the killer and plays the role with an interesting twist as he comes across as an everyday loser with a sadistic side. He is not shown as a monster and there is no tragic back story. He is just a bartender who likes to seduce and murder rich women.

I have seen Curdled a number of times and still enjoy it with each new viewing. It has a festive tone that traditionally would not suit a serial killer picture but works well in a way that one wouldn't expect. The festive Latin music keeps the pace moving along and the prologue and opening credit sequence immediately set the quirky tone of what is to follow. Jones is probably best known as Bruce Willis' cabbie in Pulp Fiction. The Tarantino influence is also evident in a quick cameo featuring Kelly Preston as newscaster Kelly Hogue where she talks about the Gecko Brothers in a role that she also played in From Dusk Till Dawn. Bond fans should look for Lois Chiles (Holly Goodhead from Moonraker) as one the Blue Blood Killer's victims. Chiles was also the lady that picked up the hitchhiker in Creepshow 2. (Josh Pasnak, 10/7/12)

Directed By: Reb Braddock.
Written By: Reb Braddock, John Maass.

Starring: Angela Jones, William Baldwin, Bruce Ramsay, Lois Chiles.