REVIEW: Tabloid Vivant

- By Kriss Pickering

A painter and an art critic who romanticize each other’s obsession with fame decide to collaborate on a project they believe will revolutionize the art world. They are determined to make a painting come to life, even if it kills them. - IMDB

One of the big problems with being a long term horror fan is that after so long the chances of seeing a truly original horror film becomes slim. For me though, in director Kyle Broom’s debut feature, Tabloid Vivant, I believe we have one.

Tabloid Vivant focusses on an art critic and painter who are obsessed with fame. The painter, Maximillion (Jesse Woodrow), confides in critic Sara (Tamzin Brown) that he dreams of changing the way art is produced. Using a brand new concept, he intends to make a mesmerising visual feast that will capture the attention of any viewer due to its constantly changing action.

After seeing the art work for the first time, Sara sees the potential for fame for not only Max, but for herself as the first person to write about it and bring it to the attention of the world.

Unfortunately, when he starts his latest piece of work, things start to get out of hand and we start to see evidence of the effect the artwork is having on health, sanity and relationship of Max and Sara.

On the whole the acting in the movie is some of the best I have seen outside mainstream cinema. Jesse Woodrow and Tamzin Brown really are a treat to watch. The visible chemistry really carries the film at times. They do a great job of showing the changes the characters are experiencing as they slowly give in to the madness around them. It is this sort of realistic, raw emotion that can make an art movie like this really stick in the mind. The supporting cast, while small, did an okay job, although there are a few lines that seemed a bit off.

Although the plot is quite complex, Broom’s direction really does make it come to life. However, some of the techniques he uses to convey the story can feel a little jarring, especially for people like my partner who isn’t really a film buff. She found the way the director would switch between old school style shots and modern digital effects hard to swallow. But audiences with a taste for flair or fans of art films in general will really appreciate the work Broom has put into this.

To sum up, Tabloid Vivant is a horror/mystery/thriller that drives the audience to watch more and more to see what is really happening. There are moments where things can become too technical and complicated for non arts fans, but this is such an interesting and original story that I would recommend anyone who is craving originally in their horror viewing to give it a go!

6/10

Kris Pickering