Thursday, September 24, 2015

Raiders of the Lost Shark, A Canadian Shark Film

I love Canadian horror!  The original "My Bloody Valentine" is one of my favorite slasher films.  "Visiting Hours" may be the most underrated slasher film of all time.  Hence today's entry, 2014's "Raiders of the Lost Shark," filmed in Ontario. Low budget all the way, for this...there is little doubt, but a most spirited fish-eats-man (mostly women, actually) story. In addition to lots of shark eating bikini babe carnage, Director Scott Patrick also feeds on Ontario's deep seeded hatred for Quebec in a very biting sub-theme of this work.
Professor Carly Reynolds (Candice Lidstone) is haunted.  Something awful happened on Murphy's Island (which isn't actually an island) that took the life of her sister...but what?  Uh-oh!  It's happening again.  Big and weird sharks are eating beach goers.  The island is off-limits as some evil corporation is drilling and conducting genetic experiments.  I guess the Canadians have zoned genetic-mutation labs onto islands...or peninsulas.  Two of the island's security guards sneak a couple of skanks onto the beach for some making out and swimming.  The four are summarily eaten.  Send more security guards!  This time two female guards arrive and one gets eaten.  Back on the mainland, Carly is conducting a class on prehistoric monsters that are probably still roaming the earth.  Her class is inspired...and have heard the legend of Murphy's Island.  The schmucks decide to charter a boat to the forbidden death trap.  May (Jessica Huether) seems to be the smart one, and she will prove that she is.

As the shark attacks increase, there is much cause for panic.  The big buggers can fly!  As we will see, this will have a chilling affect on airline flights.  Carly is summoned to the island by the corporation boss...referred to as the Dragon Lady (Catherine Mary Clark).  Carly is told that her help is needed to rid the waters of this flying, toothy menace...but does the Dragon Lady have an anterior motive?  Surprises will await as the pretty May and statuesque Carly will have to fend off the monster shark, whatever the Dragon Lady has planned, and a very mad scientist.  Will May's brains and Carly's knowledge be enough?
Will this film's hostility toward Quebec limit it's release in Canada?  Are 50-foot flying sharks that attack beach goers and airplanes a larger metaphor for many of today's uncomfortable questions?  Many of you may ask if this is a true story as it stays cutting edge on what most of us care about in our daily lives.  The DVD is reasonably priced on Amazon. To hear this review on podcast  http://zisiemporium.blogspot.com/2015/09/instant-karma-show-with-valerie-clark.html

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