Savages

By WeezlLady

Sam's looks great in a tux! That's the best thing I can say about this film. It's surreal to the point of being incomprehensible.

It starts out following the adventures of the "Mud People." A primitive jungle tribe. They're so primitive that they don't even have language. They're actions are described by full-screen cards between scenes like they did in the old silent movies. They wander around the woods until a croquet ball rolls past them. It's so foreign that they follow it's path backward to an (Long Island, I think) abandoned estate. The place is deserted, yet immaculate.

Everyone starts exploring the mansion. They accidentally figure out how to put on clothes and cut their hair. The scene jumps to a weekend party in the same place. 1920's style dress and hairstyles. Apparently, though far from clearly, the savages have learned how to read, etc. They're basically having, what is to them, a masquerade party. The scenes jump around amongst a large cast and never really make much sense. It's supposed to be a primitive man's simplistic interpretation of the "civilized" world, I suppose.

There's one scene where Sam tells a story and someone asks for more detail. He replies that he repeated it exactly from a book and there is no more. These people are only going through the motions without a clue as to the lives and motivations of those they are mimicing.

They slowly degenerate back to their former selves and simply walk back into the forest.

Sam's character (in the more modern segment) is "James, the limping man." He's sweet, but very meek. Several times he's shown to be quite timid. When a bully cheats at a game,  to the disadvantage of a lady, she appeals to him  and he's does nothing. Another time, he tries to defend a drunk being harassed, but can't/won't defend himself when the thug starts hitting him. It's illustrative, I suppose, of the place this man would have in a primitive culture. He's very slender and has a pronounced limp. Not very useful in a survival situation.

Sam's adorable and a little sad. Excellent acting, as always. Of course, the man was born to wear a tux!

It's hard to pick him out in the early sequences, most of the men wear masks, but there was a lean fellow with something (a bandage or brace?) wrapped around his left knee and, obviously, limping. He's the last "guard" following the consort, and he comes around to block the camera view (with his back to us) during the mating scene. He's easily seen as the last man as they leave the forest. He's bringing up the rear <snicker> as they go past the pillars and has a raccoon tail hanging down HIS tail. <LOL> He was the one making out with the furs and unintentionally getting the sleeve on.

The tribal people started the movie getting high. Maybe that's the way to enjoy and understand this movie. Social commentary, fantasy or bad trip? Worth watching for Sam, but keep the remote handy.