The Living End (1992)

"Guess I need to lay off those Joy Division records for awhile." - The character of John Upon learning he is HIV-positive in "The Living End"

Poetic, fast-paced, new-wave and very 90's, "The Living End" could quite possibly be the best American film on the subject of AIDS ever made. The fact that the second title card of the film claims that it is "an irresponsible movie by gregg araki" (sic) should be summarily dismissed. The film may set itself up to be quite irresponsible; but in the end, it proves itself to be no such thing.

The film centers around two fast friends. John (Craig Gilmore) has just learned he is HIV-positive. He is a gay man of about 28 or so. And while he would probably like to consider himself hip, he has, in fact, become mired down in the staid lifestyle of a cinemaphile who enjoys new wave music and tropical fish. Luke (Mike Dytri), on the other hand, is young and rebellious. Looking like a male model, he opens the film by spray painting "Fuck the World" on a cement wall. (Akari uses graffiti quite successfully throughout the film). Luke's anger stems from his own status as an HIV- positive male. When the two meet, the romantic sparks fly and soon Luke takes John on a "Thelma and Louise"-style, on-the- lamb, "road picture" of a ride. "We've got nothing to loose," he tells John in discussing their HIV status. "We're totally free. We can do whatever the fuck we want to do."

Akari's direction is low-budget yet interesting. He uses a lot of voice-overs while we sometimes get visuals and sometimes get black screens. And while his editing is fast- paced and yet fluid, his framing is always unique. The film is consistently interesting to watch. While the film is very similar in ways to a Warhol/ Morrissey film, the presentation also seems to be inspired by Hal Hartley in it's 90's approach to editing and pacing. Araki credits himself with the phrase: "written, directed, shot and edited by gregg araki." (sic) Akari therefore seemingly deserves much credit for the film's success. His choice in actors is quite worthy too.

Dytri and Gilmore have a few shaky moments, but overall they are superb. Gilmore seems to be playing himself as John. We know guys like him and we want to like him. Caught up in a world that has fucked him over, John stills want to try to live his life. It is easy to empathize with him. Dytri, in contrast is a romantic presence but he never lets his beauty carry him as an actor. His character is angry, irresponsible and not-so-bright. Dytri makes us love him by charming John (and therefore charming all of us). Even when he commits acts of murder and mayhem (some of them unjustified), we still cannot turn our backs on him.

While "The Living End" has a marvellous story, it works best because it is an allegory. The anger and the hurt that our protagonists feel propels the story. But the action that they take symbolizes their feelings about their predicament. Their ire and frustration propels John to run and Luke to destroy. Their story on the road is an allegory for the inner feelings of anyone with their problem. And, much like any human, their anger finally exhausts them. In the end, the film finds them alone and defeated. Luke throws his gun (i.e. his anger) to the wind and John embraces him. The final shot shows them on a beach in longshot. Their anger has dematerialized and they only have each other to rely on. They may be together, but they are alone in the world.

"The Living End" is a movie not to be missed. It deals beautifully and poetically with the angst and confusion that HIV-positive gay males must surely experience upon learning of their situation. It's ending is hopeful yet sad. This is a remarkable film with which no others of the genre can begin to compare.

Notes: The films final title page: "dedicated to craig lee (1954 - 1991) and to the hundreds of thousands who've died and the hundreds of thousands who will die because of a big white house full of republican fuckheads" (sic)

Mary Woronov has a small role in the film.

Report Card

Script: A+

Acting: A-

Cinematography\Lighting: B+

Special Effects\Make Up: C

Music: C+

Final Grade: A+