The silent killer that we invited to dinner
1992, Germany/USA, Colour, 98 minutes
Written and directed by Horace Tigler
Starring John Daily, Alisha Kargath, Gerphart Grant
Back in the heady days of the 1990s the world was looking for a new enemy, a new threat to marshal resources against, something to really get the blood boiling since the Warsaw Pact had evaporated into a haze of self loathing. A number of pretenders arose, ranging from rap music to the UN but while gangsters and the New World Order are a little creepy, they are tired, just a new iteration of the Mafia/Frank Sinatra and the Communist International.
Imagine a killer who can enter any building, pierce any armour and who knows no mercy, yes, Carbon! Critics were divided as to whether this was a beautiful demonstration of the power of the B or C film industry to quickly re-orientate to the latest fashions, or a shameless hijacking of a good cause. Of course it didn't hurt that the costs of filming death by invisible gas is far less than say an axe welding maniac (no fake blood needed) or that stock science lab footage is cheaper than filming original scenes or even the side point that death by breathing problem demands plenty of hot, sexy attempted resuscitation sequences. When the fundamentals stack up like this there really isn't any need for a solid plot or good acting (not that John Daily is anything but a gentleman!).
Great Line – "As an asthmatic I find Carbon a force for rights equalisation rather than so called 'death dealing'."
Reviewed by Juan Incognito
