The American Genre Film Archive continues their mission to bring unseen curios to home video
We’ve shown plenty of love for the efforts of the American Genre Film Archive since they began their foray into home video releases. Collaborations with Something Weird and Bleeding Skull bring unavailable or under-seen curios to the masses. With their newest release, Godmonster of Indian Flats, they once again boggle the mind with a truly offbeat discovery.
Synopsis:
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the petting zoo, you meet . . . GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS! Written and directed by infamous outsider artist Fredric C. Hobbs (ALABAMA’S GHOST), this is the story of an eight-foot-tall toxic sheep monster that blows up gas stations, smashes crooked politicians, and terrorizes stoners! From the surreal “wild west” locations to the outrageous monster effects, GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS is easily the most berserk, out-of-control, and inexplicably deranged creature feature in the history of forever. This includes the scene where the Godmonster crashes a children’s picnic. “Get the straight jackets ready,” said AGFA advisory board member Frank Henenlotter. “GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS is one of the weirdest, wackiest, oddballest monster movies ever made!”
From the mind of writer/director Fredric C. Hobbs, Godmonster of India Flats is a bizarro creature feature that delivers everything you’d expect from that sub-genre: hammy dialogue, overacting, man in suit, riffs off the perversion of science in the atomic age, and a fine dose of character inspired by the old west. Simply put, it’s a schlocky blast. The plot, such as it is, weaves together issues between a local landowner and a corporate entity and the shenanigans of a scientist whose research ends up releasing a towering mutant sheep on the unsuspecting community. The social commentary and light shone on the effects of capitalism hitting this small town play well alongside the corruption that is the more obvious aspect of the film. It all seems a little clunky at times, but everything works (eventually) to throw all the film’s disparate elements together at the end. While Hobbs delivers what you want from such an outing, there are plenty of playful little touches in terms of production, characters, and wardrobe to appreciate. It’s low budget, but that doesn’t mean the film is lacking other forms of investment. The passion for putting together the film comes through on both sides of the camera. It is very obviously padded, with a running time of 89 minutes stretching the project to the limit, but as the package reveals, there were reasons for this. Despite this flaw, it’s still a hokey and admirable bit of work, sure to entertain the genre fans.
The Package
As with previous AGFA releases, the aim of their 2K scans and restorations is to preserve the film’s aesthetic, rather than detract from the experience of watching a unearthed print of a lost oddity. Once again they tread that line well, with a transfer that has been cleaned up, but maintains an air of wear. There are some issues with evident damage, and the contrast and detail are lost in some of the darker scenes, but it’s a presentation that fits the film well. Special features are solid too:
- Rampaging monster trailers from the AGFA vaults: Pretty fun little watch, the kind of fare you’d find at Alamo Drafthouse pre-shows.
- Berserker shorts from the Something Weird vaults:
- Bonus movie: LEGEND OF BIGFOOT (1975), a new 2K preservation from an original 35mm theatrical print: The release continues the distributor’s tradition of including a ‘B-side’ film to the main release. A crazy nature documentary style film that is just goofy enough to overcome some dull voiceover work.
- Reversible cover art with illustration by Shana Cleveland! Bonkers fresh coverart and the original poster options available.
The Bottom Line
Godmonster of Indian Flats delivers exactly what you’ve come to expect from AGFA and Something Weird, a truly quirky venture that entertains as much as it baffles. Hobbs put together a feature that makes up for a low budget with plenty of passion, an aspect of the film matched by another great release from the folks at AGFA.
Godmonster of Indian Flats is available via AGFA from July 10th, 2018.
About AGFA
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Austin, Texas. AGFA exists to preserve the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution. Formed in 2009, AGFA focuses on outlaw exploitation movies that were produced from the 1960s through the 2000s. From manic hicksploitation epics to bloodthirsty shoestring goreblasts, each title in AGFA’s collection is a celebration of culture that should never be forgotten. Housing over six thousand 35mm film prints and trailers, our non-profit archive counts among its board members and advisors Alamo Drafthouse founders Tim and Karrie League, filmmakers Paul Thomas Anderson, Anna Biller, Frank Henenlotter, and Nicolas Winding Refn, musician RZA, exploitation film savior Lisa Petrucci, and genre film superheroes Zack Carlson, Kier-La Janisse, and Lars Nilsen.
