Uncle Peckerhead

"What do people taste like?"

"Hmmm.....well.....some people taste like dogshit and others taste like.....watermelon sherbert."

"Huh, sounds like a metaphor for humanity."

For a film that begins with a jawbone being ripped off a partially avulsed skull so the meat attached to it can be eaten, Uncle Peckerhead is a surprisingly likable watch.

With a name like Duh a band is always going to have a hard time getting respect and lead singer Judy (Chet Siegel) is getting sick of it all. She's jacked in her job to devote all her time to her passion and she's the only one taking things seriously. Duh need a kick up the arse to get going and a chance encounter with a man called Peckerhead (David Littleton) is just what they need. Peckerhead, Peck for short, has a van and nowhere to be so he becomes their driver and roadie. Judy is uncertain about the new guy in their lives and their clash of personalities only deepens when she discovers Peck cannibalising a promoter who's just ripped them off. You see Peck is a bit of a misfit, he's half man half monster and his bad half only comes out at night. Now Judy and the Duh's have to put their disgust of Peck to one side because that van of his, it's just so damn handy and they realise that if they keep him sweet, he's only a minor threat to them.

This new comedy horror, streaming online now as part of the IFI horrorthon is loads of fun. If your idea of fun is ripped out spinal columns, spraying faecal matter and band massacres you'll have a ball with it. Unlike the vast majority of streaming horror released these days Uncle Peckerhead is made to entertain you, there's no horrible undertones, it won't (unduly) disgust you, stress you out, rub your face in pain and suffering, it's a film to laugh with and not at. The people who get ripped asunder generally deserve it. The people who don't are fun to be with and have a nice easy chemistry that ensure you don't want to see them splashed across the screen. Plus their music ain't bad at all. The practical FX (god i love practical FX) will make you laugh instead of sickening you, especially the scene when two brilliantly cliched metalheads get in Peck's face. You always know who's going to bite the dust and there's loads of fun watching these meatpuppets stumble into Peck's way.

Like 2016's own punk rock horror Green Room this film goes out of it's way to de-glamourise the idea of life on the road for small time bands. It's a miserable cramped existence, privacy doesn't exist, you never know if you'll be paid or how much you'll get at the end of a night, meals are whatever you can find in road sides stores, getting to sleep in a real bed is a rarity. It's such a rotten way to live that the introduction of an actual monster to your circle would actually spice things up and if the monster turns out to be pretty decent it's a bonus. Peck is one of that rare breed of movie monster, one you'd actually have a laugh with. As long as you stay on his right side that is and David Littleton's friendly manner and homely turns of phrase make it easy to see why the Duh's keep him around despite his love of scoffing human bowels. 

Solid punk tunes, some lovingly realised comic violence, surprisingly good acting and a lovable bad(?) guy. What's not to like?

Btw, i not so subtly mentioned 5 punk bands in this review. See if you can find them.