SLEAZY PETE **** Canada 2017 Dir: Frank Appache 11 mins
Sleazy Pete is the proto-apocalyptic action horror story following Sleazy Pete and his equally sleazy apprentice, Hedix. The short film goes on a very drug infused, Fear & Loathing-esque journey from there. It’s a different sort of journey than the one that’s expected though, as 80’s inspired tunes hit you, alongside some very 80’s action filming techniques.
Sleazy Pete is basically a very, very short nostalgia trip. There’s a lot of grindhouse-esque action and gore throughout, and it pays off in a ridiculously entertaining way. Jay Ferst’s Sleazy Pete is most notable for his almost Nic-Cage performance, Yannick Lemos takes a back seat to Pete throughout the film, and unfortunately there isn’t as much bonding time as one would expect, but there is a weird dynamic between the two that, again, reminded me of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. Frank Appache wrote and directed Sleazy Pete with the ruthless precision of a brain surgeon. Appache knew what he wanted out of this short film and he went ahead and got it. He directed each scene with intense focus, and while the story could have used a bit more context, it’s still very well written. This all said, Sleazy Pete is, perhaps, for a very particular crowd. You’ll enjoy it the most if you like gory 80’s movies that were just mindless fun, because that is exactly what Sleazy Pete is.
