Spirit Riser
Alpha Video
Video: 1080p High Definition
Audio: DTS-HD MA 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH
Buy it HERE from Diabolik or HERE from Orbit

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, Staff Writer and Podcast Director

The Movie: Good

Attempting to describe the plot of Spirit Riser feels like trying to describe the plot of a dream, or a week's worth of dreams (complimentary). A patchwork of scenes, ideas, characters, and seeming in-jokes, the film is carried along by the vibes. The music, the editing, and the effects all contribute to the infectious energy of the thing, giving it the feeling of a crazy party you find yourself at. But, folly or not, I'll try to explain:

Sydney (Summer Greenberg) and her sister Ingrid (Amanda Flowers) are separated by a mysterious force, setting them on journeys beset by supernatural obstacles, each from opposite sides of the country. While Ingrid attempts to recover the memory of who she was and where she came from, Sydney learns she is one of the mystically powerful Spirit Risers and is pursued by The Man from the Dark and Lonely Place (Whitney Moore) who seeks to eliminate her and be the only Spirit Riser. Along the way there are goofy gang fights, appearances from powerful uncles, musical interludes, and a sizable nod to Ghostbusters 2.

What it lacks in a clean elevator pitch, it more than makes up for in heart; that DIY / "get it done at any cost, however you can" spirit. This will absolutely not work for everyone because it is admittedly very amateur and eclectic, but if you give it a minute, I think it might grow on you. Stylistically this has a lot in common with a Troma Films offering--Troma papa Lloyd Kaufman even has a few scenes--but tonally, is eschews the intentionally and sometimes juvenile provocateur aims that many Troma films can have in favor of a tone not unlike filmmaker David Lynch or author Grant Morrison, all achieved through the lens of the kind of digital Dadaism of something like The People's Joker.

Spirit Riser is chockablock with puppets, miniatures, 3D models, abstract backgrounds, onscreen text gags, obvious usage of green screen and stock footage, sporadic narration from Michael Madsen, and it's all allegedly inspired by a poem from Edgar Allen Poe. Yet somehow all these seemingly disparate elements add up to a film that's as fun as it is rough.

There are probably too many half-baked ideas all thrown together without giving the time or bandwidth for the audience to process it all. But. I think it ultimately comes together to make a highly-ambitious film that is all the more charming for its obvious rough edges. You'll never look at a lemon or a pineapple the same way.

The Packaging: Average

I received the bare bones DVD, which is perfectly acceptable and features a collage-style cover built from the film's imagery. However there is a Blu-ray version available which also features a slip-cover with new artwork.

The Video: Fair

No one is--or should be--purchasing this disc if presentation quality (visual or audio) is a top priority. If this were the quality of your averaged film, I would rate it Poor, but the lack of technical polish only enhances the bizarre DMT Pee-wee's Playhouse aura of the entire experience for me.

As an example: the opening credits are not cropped correctly, leading to Michael Madsen's narrator credit reading IICHAEL MADSE. But did this affect my enjoyment? Not at all. Given how erratic the entire film is as a whole, I can't actually believe there would be a single straw that breaks the camel's back; you're either going to like the entire package or you're not.

The Audio: Fair

As with the Video section above, I might rate this Poor if it were a Hollywood film, but as it most definitely isn't, I rated it accordingly. If pristine audio quality is a priority for you--no judgement, obviously--you would do best to skip this one. The actual audio is as unpolished as any other aspect; the overall quality--including hiss and general wild sound room noise--varies from scene to scene, moment to moment.

That said, things are otherwise very clear and well-balanced through my audio set-up--I have a three-channel soundbar purely to prevent my tv speakers from vibrating themselves apart. There is a lot of music throughout the film--all very synthy/surfy/spooky--but at no time did that or the film's sound effects overtake or obscure the dialogue.

The Special Features: Average

As a heads-up: There is a discrepancy between the special features on the DVD and the Blu-ray, with the Blu-ray featuring a full length commentary, a couple of interviews, a music video, a short documentary about director Dylan Mars Greenberg, and a different assortment of short films than the DVD.

That aside, I found the special features on the DVD, comparatively slim though they be, were enjoyable. The short film Sir Isengord and the Thoery of the Magnificent Spinning Quanto Quasi Table, while still as bizarre as anything else on the disc, is sincerely one of the funniest and most enjoyable short films I've seen in quite a while. It just hits the smart/stupid sweet spot perfectly for me.

Short film: Sir Isengord and the Thoery of the Magnificent Spinning Quanto Quasi Table (2023) - 30 mins
Short film: The Bathtub (2020) - 15 mins
Trailer

In Summary: Grab it on sale

Grading on the curve that this is a specific flavor of film on the whole that will not be for everybody, I'll say this: Presumably, you know yourself and have an idea of what you like. I imagine that, if Spirit Riser doesn't sound like something you can see yourself digging into, nothing I can say will sway you. If however, you're on the fence I would advise you to check it out.

I am nothing if not a proponent for filmmakers making their films. I love a good, big budget, polished and professional flicker as much as the next person, but I also love to see somebody doing it on their terms. The recent passing of David Lynch has made me consider how blessed we were that he was repeatedly able to make his films his way on the scale and with the quality of resources available to him. That's what Dylan Mars Greenberg is doing here, she just doesn't have David Lynch clout. Yet.

Support MovieJawn Staff

〰️

Support MovieJawn Staff 〰️

Support Hunter Bush

With the death of so much print media and meaningful journalism, it is important now more than ever to support the writers and outlets you love.
If you enjoyed this article, show your support by donating to our writer. All proceeds go directly to the writer. Recommended donation is $5.