At times you see movies, which change your general perspective on the medium. There are instances where you look at the production points of romantic or classical Hollywood cinema and think of how much of an advantage these studios have in comparison to low budget independent filmmakers. But then there is, on those rare occasions, a film where in its simplicity and passion gives hope to cinema as an art form. Midnight Heat (2007), for me at least is one of those rare gems that manage to show this.
The movie was created originally as a homage to eighties sleaze films like Vice Squad (1982), Exterminator (1980) and Savage Streets (1984). But the film itself concludes by setting out its own free forming style. What I mean by this is that although the film works within a perceived genre, it never pigeonholes itself in the genres previous conventions in terms of its direction, editing or cinematography. In fact in terms of its filmic visual influences it brings to mind more of the films of the French new wave, in particular Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960).
As the film begins we are made aware that a serial killer dubbed by the local press as, ‘The Scalper’ is on the lose attacking prostitutes in the city. The rest of the story follows the interactions of several prostitutes, two pimps and a coke addict detective who is on assignment investigating the crimes. Each of the characters intertwine with one another throughout the narrative and we are gradually given backstories on each of them. The actors for the most part give decent performances. Occasionally the performances can come across as a bit hammy but it is always done in a way that suited the character being portrayed.
Throughout the film you can really feel how each of the characters has been well thought out and although the acting isn’t always stellar the direction of the piece remains strong. The film is extremely effective in the way its points unfold. Light-hearted conversation is light-hearted, casual moments remain exactly that, casual. And when the film does try to pull its more serious emotional punches it has weight behind it. As a peace of fiction it really seems to work because of the way the story has been crafted and the way the actors deliver their lines with passion makes the piece feel real.
Although I have not yet mentioned it, the editing is very tight. There is a decisive professional holding in the craft here that helps to keep the flow of the protruding narrative. To put it simply, the editing is slick and smooth. Never giving the impression to the viewer that the story is waning, with the movie seamlessly cutting with meticulous precision.
The cinematography in this film is also in itself something to behold. It uses a low key, mostly naturalistic use of lighting to highlight the dark grimness of the cityscape. This in turn adds to the dark seedy style of the downtown area. Yet this is nothing when compared with the use of camera movement in the film. It always seems to be precisely placed in the way to best highlight the scene. When in scenes of subtle conversation, it remains static with only slight inflections, whereas in other scenes it is freer flowing in a more natural form for conversations.
With the combination of this style of shooting and the sharpness of the editing, the film really pushes past expectations in terms of visual presentation. However this is not to say that the film doesn’t have any problems in this area. In particular the films use of sound seems to be innate, specifically at the points of transition. Sound seems to rashly cut off at the change of scenes that at first can be quite aggravating and for a worst film would make the viewing experience unbearable. Furthermore the use of eighties songs on the soundtrack was an interesting addition. It plays casually over most of the film in a way that is reminiscent of a radio playing in the background. At times it is quite interesting as the sound mixes in with the narrative in a montage of the audio and visual creating a new third meaning. Nevertheless after a while it does become slightly draining on the audience as it is constantly being used, which in the long term begins to take away some of its original edge.
Nonetheless, the film is in its own rights a kind of low budget, minimalist mini masterpiece. It is well crafted from both a story and production perspective. The only real detriments that appear to present themselves seem to come from budget and time constraints so it would be wrong to make such harsh criticism for these reasons. For those who are willing to look past some of the minor technical flaws, what awaits you is a well-crafted low/micro budget feature film. In it you see an interesting story unfold with character portrayals by people who perform not so much with precision, but passion. And through this the story goes from being that to being something that feels in a way more raw, maybe more than this, genuine.
(For those interested in viewing the film, it can be viewed here for free at the link highlighted.)
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