If its threadbare plot leaves a little to be desired, the film’s value as a sensory experience is more than enough to compensate. It plays like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life – or Dick Tracy on methamphetamines – and burns at a relentless pace. There’s a reverence in Eisener’s use of practical effects that feels almost joyous.ĭrawing from a palette of giallo, splatterpunk, exploitation and DIY influences, Hobo with a Shotgun practically throbs with stylistic flair. Its level of violence recalls films like Riki-Oh and Dead Alive, with nary a drop of CG plasma to be found. Although there are some serious atrocities committed within Hobo’s brisk, 85-minute runtime, Eisener keeps their horror at bay by ratcheting things up to eleven. As a vigilante tale, it’s marked with a distinct, playful tone that separates it from other films of its ilk. Hobo with a Shotgun is the most fun I’ve had at the movies in years. From corrupt cops to pedophile Santas, Hope Town is practically cancerous with crime.Īt the top of this shit heap sits the Drake ( Brian Downey), a ruthless ruffian with a penchant for the theatrical, and his sadistic sons Ivan ( Nick Bateman) and Slick ( Gregory Smith.) Instead of sitting back as the injustices pile up, the Hobo teams up with a hospitable hooker named Abby ( Molly Dunsworth) and proceeds to cash in his nickels and dimes for a “new way of life.” And yes, that’s code for “a shotgun.” Instead, he finds the place bursting at the seams with repugnant characters. He plans to save enough money to purchase a lawnmower so that he’s able to work and reclaim his dignity. A Hobo (played by a respectably poignant Rutger Hauer) rides the rails into a new town with a sack on his shoulder and a dream in his heart. Hobo with a Shotgun is everything fans could have wished it would be. With the help of producer Rob Cotterill and writer John Davies, the director set to work on what would prove to be a daunting task: shooting a film that lived up to fan expectations.Īnd well, they nailed it. Facilitated by the trailer’s overwhelming response, Eisener was able to secure enough funding to bring the film to life. Suddenly, the little-trailer-that-could had become a cult sensation and fans were pounding on Eisener’s door to make a full-length feature.įour years later and that dream has become a reality. Buoyed with a wild energy and bloodsoaked sweep, the trailer achieved a lot more than simply winning the competition – as Grindhouse struggled to find its legs in multiplexes, Hobo lit the web on fire. They shot the original Hobo with a Shotgun trailer with a budget of $150, the bulk of which went toward pizza and cigarettes for their star, David Brunt. To cap it all off, the filmmakers held a competition encouraging fans to create their best fake grindhouse trailer, the most impressive of which winning a coveted spot before the film proper.Īs erudite disciples of the exploitation scene, Eisener and company decided to go for broke. Each director would helm one feature-length film – bookending a bevy of fake trailers directed by cult heroes like Rob Zombie, Eli Roth and Edgar Wright – and sell it to the masses for the price of one admission. The film that resulted was Grindhouse, a high-concept throwback to the exploitation double-bills of yore. Aided by a crew of likeminded maniacs, Eisener cranked out short after short, each one a crimson-caked valentine to the VHS generation.īut it wasn’t until 2007 that things got really interesting.įresh from the successes of Kill Bill and Sin City, celluloid soul-brothers Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were given cart blanche to create a theatrical experience unlike anything else on the market. As the years piled up, so did his ambition and before long, he had begun making films of his own. As a youth, the Halifax-based filmmaker chewed through rented tapes like a faulty VCR, fuelled by a voracious appetite for horror and exploitation oddities. By now, the story of Jason Eisener’s Hobo with a Shotgun has taken on an almost mythic air.
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