Discopath
Discopath
| 03 August 2013 (USA)
Discopath Trailers

The mid-70's: A timid young New Yorker leads an uneventful life until he is fatefully exposed to the pulsating rhythms of a brand-new genre of music....disco. Unable to control his murderous impulses that stem from a traumatic childhood experience, Duane Lewis transforms into a dangerous serial killer exiled to Montreal.

Reviews
George Manolis

Well, this is a very underrated film! I am so glad I stumbled across it. I just watched it and loved it! From beginning to end it did a great job at conveying a vintage authenticity. This is a rare bona fide homage. A great example is the kids that bring in the ghetto blaster to the shop. I felt like I watching a genuine 70s movie for a minute. My mind was telling me, wait, the quality is very modern and yet, it feels and looks so vintage (I rarely know anything about a movie I watch, apart from the genre - I prefer it that way). anyway, from then on, I was hooked! The attention to detail was excellent. They definitely knew what they were doing. The cast was very well chosen with a great main ensemble. On top of all that, great cinematography, effects (yikes!), editing, direction and score makes this really stand out for me. Definitely as good as It Follows. Believe me, if you consider yourself a true horror fan, you will love this film. I was a teenager in the 80s (I turned 12yo in 1984) and I know a thing or two about movies from that era. I hope there's a sequel! And please give us more homages!!

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Joris

A Canadian slasher movie that resembles films like Cruising, Maniac and Dernière Séance. This serial killer gets crazy upon hearing disco music. As soon as the first tunes reach his eardrums, his eyes turn black and he gets in a killing trance (triggered by some childhood trauma). Although Discopathe is an atmospheric picture with some truly interesting and horrific moments, it couldn't ever grab me by the throat, nor scare me at any time. I suppose this movie hasn't got the intention to shock, but more to generate a dismal vibe like Dernière Séance and 1970s feeling like Cruising. This is definitely something for aficionado's and exactly therein lies its charm. It just didn't work for me this time.

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Greg

Music speaks to us all. But when music speaks to Duane Lewis (Jérémie Earp-Lavergne) he transforms into a serial killer whose murderous trail of blood can be found on both sides of the 49th parallel.On the surface, Duane looks like your average young man growing up in the discocentric mid-1970's. But a childhood event (seen later in flashbacks) underline why Duane has psychotic snaps in the presence of disco music leading to his murderous ways. His serial killer instincts are so violent in nature that bodies are dismembered and mutilated beyond recognition.On Duane's trail are both detectives from New York City and Montreal where Duane has taken up residence after fleeing the United States after a brutal slaying at a local Discotheque. Always one step behind, Duane seems unstoppable during his musically engaged rages. That is, until Duane reveals himself to the detectives leading to a climax that is an unpredictable as it is enjoyable.Discopath is directed by Renaud Gauthier who marked his directorial debut with this slick and fun horror film. A toe-tapping soundtrack which includes music from Kiss and KC & the Sunshine Band help lead to the authentic feel of the 70's and the violence goes from the grotesque such as the use of vinyl as a weapon to the graphically conclusion to a car chase during a funeral procession.Discopath switches languages when the action switches to Montreal which may dismay anyone who groans when having to read subtitles. But the effect only personifies the authenticity of the environment and setting that Gauthier has constructed from his own screenplay.A few dialogue lapses and questionable casting choices for a few of the side characters are the only drawbacks in an otherwise highly recommended hidden gem that we bet disco balls many of our readers have not heard of prior to this introduction.Upon a second viewing, we believe strongly that had Discopath been released theatrically in the late 1970's or early 80's it would easily have become kin to other revered Canadian horror films such as Black Christmas, Prom Night and Happy Birthday to Me.As an elder statesman in 2014 I can still confirm that Disco Sucks. But Discopath does everything but.www.killerreviews.com

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mungflesh

Discopathe tells the story of a young man whose childhood is traumatized by an incident involving Disco music. Since that time he cannot bear to listen to this music and even becomes a psychotic killer when exposed to its groovy bass lines and pumping bass drum.Okay, it's all a bit silly really but with that in mind, this movie is such a cool load of fun.Exploitation genre fans of stuff like Maniac, Tenebrae and The New York Ripper are likely to find much to enjoy in this tongue-in-cheek gore fest. When it gets gruesome, it ticks the splatter box pretty well so that hardened gore hounds can get their fix, yet it manages to keep the mood light, unlike the movies which it pays homage to.The language switch halfway through the film is a bit jarring for the English speaking viewer, as the film kind of presses a reset button but it manages to regain pace fairly quickly and get back on track. Unlike many films these days, it has a very satisfying ending.If you really can't stand disco music, this film might get a bit tedious, with the soundtrack being truly awash with the stuff but personally, I thought it was its beating heart.If in recent years you have enjoyed the likes of Hatchet, House of the Devil and Planet Terror which look back fondly on the golden era of splatter, then this one will probably join those on your list. I'm not too sure if it is likely appeal to the rest of the movie-going public but then I don't think director Renaud Gauthier would care that much. He certainly wears his heart on his sleeve for Discopathe.

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