SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – “Freaky Tales” was one of the most highly anticipated films of the fest this year, with the beloved Pedro Pascal driving much of the hype. But the cast is an ensemble including Ben Mendelsohn, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jay Ellis, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, and the late Angus Cloud. At its Jan. 19 premiere, there were so many attendees that the entire standby list and even many ticket holders were turned away. I was finally able to see it at a press screening the following day but had to get there more than two hours early to secure a spot.
With all that buzz, it’s hard to imagine that the film could live up to, but there was excitement in the air. Co-directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, who got their start with the 2006 Sundance premiere of “Half Nelson,” brought an imaginative playfulness to their newest film, incorporating Tarantino-like influences from comic books and pulp noir. The film begins with a voiceover and a roll-up, the opening crawl that is reminiscent of each episode of the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s and 1940s, which George Lucas also famously paid homage to in “Star Wars.” The year is 1987, so the film, with Atari fonts and neon colors, embraces the video game aesthetic of the era.
On the Sundance press line, Pascal talked about how it felt like an “energetic memoir of a certain city,” and the nostalgia of that time from the perspective of Fleck, who was raised in Berkeley. Chiming in, Ellis roared, “The cars, the costumes, the jewelry…it’s a vibe.”
The film is broken into four vignettes, each one introducing a new set of underdogs, but all with the same common enemy — neo-Nazis who are terrorizing the city of Oakland. A dark horse could come out swinging from anywhere: the underground punk scene, two women breaking into the male-dominated rap industry, or one beloved basketball player. The spirit of the underdog is infused into the storyline in both subtle and very non-subtle ways — a thrilling Bay Area native cameos in act three to underline these themes by playing a video store manager who quizzes Pascal’s character on the top five best “underdog” movies in cinematic history.
First, we meet Yoo and Champion as teenagers leaving a screening of “The Lost Boys” before heading to a punk show, a night that seems on par with their usual routine. A group of neo-Nazi skinheads march up to the venue with the sole intention of beating everyone up, on par with what seems to be their usual routine as well. The group of pacifists must decide if they are willing to put their anti-violence beliefs aside to stand up to these racist bullies once and for all.
In part two, Normani and Thorne are introduced as Barbie and Entice, a rap duo going by the name Danger Zone. After the same screening, they are approached by a producer who invites them to show up for an open mic session with rapper Too Short (the artist responsible for the song that inspired the film’s title). Barbie is increasingly intrigued by Psytopics, a program that pops up in ads all over town, promising to help people harness the power of the mind.
The third chapter formally introduces Pascal’s Clint, a retiring debt collector who uses unsavory methods to squeeze his clients. He is seen walking by in a diner in part one. He is a soon-to-be father and a happy husband until one day something goes wrong.
The finale centers on a criminal cop, played chillingly by Mendolsohn, who enacts a plan to rob a list of celebrity basketball stars on the night of their big game. Cloud plays his hired henchman sent to the home of NBA legend Sleepy Floyd, played by Ellis in his most illustrious role yet. What he doesn’t know is that Sleepy got his nickname because he is often seen meditating as part of his dedication to Psytopics.
“Freaky Tales” is an entertaining film that feels like an instant classic. It is easy to watch, evocative of cult exploitation movies of the era in which it was set, and begs to be watched in a group setting. Between the soundtrack, the costuming, and the gore — notably a lot, everything is exceptionally stylized and vibrant. And as we learn, revenge is a dish best served in yellow leather with a sword.