In film there are certain guidelines that make up a genre, these guidelines can be followed religiously or they can be molded into something completely different. For the film Frank and Zed which features of elements of horror, gore and comedy the latter is true. This fever dream of a film exclusively starring puppets as the main characters is a testament to the importance of hybrid film genres and practical effects in film production. Starting off six years ago as a Kickstarter campaign the film has been a labor of love for director Jesse Blanchard and his 100 plus volunteers. The narrative follows the story of Frank and Zed, two monsters one that looks like Frankenstein’s monster and the other a brain hungry zombie battling against a doomed puppet village. The title characters Frank and Zed are co-dependent monsters who have been providing food and protection for one another for decades. This relationship becomes rocky when Zed starts to gain memories of his past life and when the town of puppets begins its first step into completing the prophecy that will end in an “orgy of blood” and the town’s destruction.
Frank and Zed completely throws away any expectations of a particular genre film out the window. At points the film revivals most slasher flicks with its intense use of gore and bloody effects but at other points the film can be very emotionally touching. This can ultimately be accounted to the use of comedy which adds moments of levity to the most gruesome of scenes. This inturn adds a level of versatility to the production smoothing over any bumps in the narrative that are lacking such as plot holes. An example would be motivations for characters such as Frank who has virtually no backstory or motivations in the film. This can be a result of the film’s incomplete script that was re-written during and after production forcing the post-production to heavily rely on ADR. While there are no glaring problems with the audio the narrative is full of unfinished ideas and subplots that peak the audience’s interest but ultimately they never come through. One example of this is the fact that Zed can grow back body parts after eating brains. This idea is hinted as a potential way in which Zed can turn back into a human but this is abandoned almost immediately. Although these threads are apparently unfinished it doesn’t take away from the pleasures of the narrative.
Frank and Zed also exhibit old school filmmaking techniques that build scenes around the idea of the spectacle, this would include the use of giant set pieces or using elaborate practical effects. The spectacle of this film revolves around the violence inflicted upon the puppet characters this is done through dismemberment of their bodies in creative and often hilarious ways. The spectacle of violence forces the audience into the role of a masochist; we become hungry for more violence as the narrative continues. This mimics the prophecy that culminates in an “orgy of blood” that is the third act of the film in which the town storms the monster’s castle. This prophecy is almost completed but the puppet villagers give up on their quest for revenge once they realize the toll it has inflicted on them. The film ends with Frank dying in the battle with the villagers and Zed being killed by a stray arrow from a defeated villager. This type of ending would be better if the character’s arc were more established giving audience reassurances of character motivations but the ending seems almost random. The death of Frank and Zed is not the ending of the film; instead this spotlight is given to the villagers who have little to no backstory or development. The narrative feels incomplete and we are ultimately left wondering about the how and why even after the credits roll. As a film Frank And Zed has it’s problems but it does provide audiences with a completely unique adventure that isn’t for the faint of heart.
By Nick Garza
PSU School of Film @ PIFF 