Three clips from the uber-transgressive filmmaker Gregg Araki’s latest film, “Kaboom” have surfaced since its Cannes screening. The film finds him back in the wheelhouse of his earlier works. The plot follows a college student, Thomas Dekker, who trips hard on hallucinogens and then believes he witnessed the murder of the mysterious red-haired girl who’s been haunting his dreams. We weren’t big fans of Araki’s previous schlocky, sexually transgressive films that were clearly made to shock and provoke with very little artistry going on (“Doom Generation,” “Totally Fucked Up”) but with 2004’s “Mysterious Skin” the director proved that he’s maturing by leaps and bounds, and with the right material, he can really make material sing.
The official synopsis:
A hyper-stylized TWIN PEAKS for the Coachella Generation, featuring a gorgeous, super hot young cast, KABOOM is a wild and sex-drenched horror-comedy thriller that tells the story of Smith, a bisexual 18-year-old college freshman who stumbles upon a monstrous conspiracy in a seemingly idyllic Southern California seaside town…
Smith’s everyday life in the dorms – hanging out with his arty, sarcastic best friend Stella, hooking up with a beautiful free spirit named London, lusting for his gorgeous but dim surfer roommate Thor – all gets turned upside-down after one fateful, terrifying night. Tripping on some hallucinogenic cookies he ate at a party, Smith is convinced he’s witnessed the gruesome murder of an enigmatic Red Haired Girl who has been haunting his dreams.
Early reviews from its out-of competition Cannes Screening have been mostly positive and from the these three clips, it looks to be if nothing else a fun, outrageously dark comedy.
Clips are VERY NSFW (unless you work in a ridiculously cool office)
