The October Zombie-Thon - Day 07: Mulberry Street
Posted by Trevor Snyder on 10.07.2008
Where's Willard when you need him?
MULBERRY STREET (2006)
Directed by: Jim Mickle
Written by: Nick Damici & Jim Mickle
Country: USA
For horror fans, the annual After Dark "8 Films to Die For" Horrorfest sounds like a great idea on paper. A weekend long theatrical showcase of eight independent horror films that are, supposedly, too extreme for the major studios – it's a can't-miss proposition, right? Alas, it has so far failed to live up to its promise. Oh sure, there have been a couple decent films mixed in there, but on average the featured movies have offered little different than the usual straight-to-video fare that clogs up your local video store's shelves.
If there has been an undeniable masterpiece to come out of After Dark, however, it is without a doubt Jim Mickle's brilliant Mulberry Street, a character-driven, apocalyptic tale that is not only the best independent zombie movie I've seen in ages, but is arguably the best independent horror movie of recent years, period. Yeah, it's that good.
Now, before some else points this out, I will concede that the creatures of Mulberry Street are not exactly zombies, per se. However, I stand by my classification, since Mickle (much as Danny Boyle did with 28 Days Later) adheres closely to the traditions and style of the zombie genre in telling his tale of an infectious virus…in this case a rat-borne contagion that causes its victims to turn into bloodthirsty "rat people."
"Wait a minute," you might be saying, "rat people? That sounds like a pretty cheesy concept." And yeah, it definitely is. But Mickle, like other great horror directors before him, shows that even the most ridiculous of ideas can be transformed into something legitimately scary and plausible, if delivered with the right level of class and gravitas. And, like Boyle and Romero, Mickle also understands that important but often-overlooked elements like characterization and social commentary are what elevate a film of this kind from "enjoyable B-movie treat" to "powerful work of art." As such, he works hard – and succeeds – at raising Mulberry Street above its typical zombie trappings to also deliver a thought-provoking take on urban gentrification, lack of concern for the working class, governmental response to tragedies, the treatment of veterans, and a whole host of other issues. That probably sounds like a lot for a low-budget movie about "rat people" to tackle, and it's really not until you see Mulberry Street that you'll understand how a dedicated team of filmmakers can actually pull it off.
The film takes place over 24 hour period, focusing on a decrepit old apartment building in a lower class section of New York City. Forgoing a "slam-bang" action-packed beginning, the movie instead takes its time introducing us to the building's various occupants. Good move. Unlike most low budget horror movies, this one actually offers up a great mix of interesting and realistic characters. Clutch, an ex-boxer and the movie's main hero (played by Nick Damici, who also co-wrote the film), is awaiting the return of his soldier daughter, who has just finished a tour of duty in Iraq (and has yet to tell her father about the large facial scar she received in combat). Given his quiet nature, Clutch doesn't necessarily vocalize his excitement over her return, although Clutch's gay best friend Coco does so enough for the both of them. Meanwhile, Clutch is harboring a crush on a single-mother bartender living a couple floors up, and also making sure to take care of the two elderly WWII veterans in the apartment above him.
All of their lives are thrown into complete anarchy when local urban renewal projects send the rats that had been living in the sewers and the walls of abandoned buildings spilling into the streets and occupied residences. The rats seem to have an increased level of aggression, as well, and soon they're biting anyone who gets too close, spreading the aforementioned virus. It doesn't take long for all hell to break loose, as the now mutated rat people attack all those they can get their claws on. As the infection spreads, the government eventually shuts down the city and orders an evacuation – but, not surprisingly, those stuck in the poorer areas are pretty much left to fend for themselves. It's thus up to Clutch to protect his fellow neighbors from the blood-thirsty rat people swarming the building, while in the meantime his daughter is on her own desperate trek to cross the city and get back to her father.
I won't spend too much time applauding the film's scares, or its FX work, or its noir-ish cinematography…all of which are top-notch. What truly sets it apart, and why the film is so effective, are the characters. In most other low-budget zombie movies, they would be nothing more than one-note stereotypes, thrown in for quick bursts of comic relief. But Mulberry Street pays tribute to the working-class denizens of New York City by actually breathing real life into the characters. These people all look and sound like real New Yorkers...probably because they are. As Clutch, Nick Damici in particular is obviously not very far removed from his real-life self. Although Clutch never says much throughout the film, his entire life story can almost be gleaned from his scarred face and the way he carries himself, and this is all thanks to Damici playing the character. And it's a pretty safe bet that much of the authentic sounding New Yorker dialogue comes from his half of the writing, as well…so I'd say Damici deserves just as much credit for this movie as Mickle does. It's a testament to the characters the two have created that when the mayhem does start, we are genuinely concerned for these characters, and actually share their pain whenever another one of them is lost.
Of course, a horror movie needs some horror, and the movie also hits all the right notes in that department. The somewhat cheesy look of the rat people is negated by keeping them mostly in shadow, which helps to lend an actual level of creepiness to the proceedings. And heck, it even features a brief cameo from scream-queen Debbie Rochon, which can't help but score it some bonus points from the horror crowd.
It also deserves credit for trying something almost completely unheard of in a zombie movie – not once does one of Mulberry Street's main characters pull out a gun while battling the creatures. While this was done primarily to subvert both the genre's usual clichés and the stereotype of gun-toting New Yorkers, it also serves to make the character of Clutch even more bad-ass. How can you not love a guy who simply beats ghouls to a pulp rather than blow them away?
Perhaps most importantly, Mulberry Street succeeds in delivering socially-conscious commentary that actually feels natural to the story – it never seems awkwardly wedged-in or feels like its hitting you over the head. As one might expect from a NYC-set horror film, there's an unavoidable sense of post 9/11 dread, and the government's response (or initial lack thereof) to the crisis has heavy echoes of Hurricane Katrina. Setting the characters and the horrors they are facing in this all-too realistic and recent backdrop only helps amplify its power.
I can't say enough about this movie. For the most part, many of the movies I recommend in the Zombie-Thon are enjoyable on an ironic level, or work primarily as quick, brainless fun. It's rare that I actually get to tell you about a film as intelligent and stirring as Mulberry Street. I would gladly put this low-budget offering up against any studio horror film of the last few years. And while I don't think a higher budget would have necessarily helped this movie in any way (except, perhaps, to fix a somewhat lame computer-generated explosion), I'd still love to see what Mickle and Damici could pull off given some more money to work with. Judging by this flick, they are true talents to keep an eye on, and I for one am ready for whatever they serve up next.
