Excision

Plot synopsis:
Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) wishes that reconnecting with her controlling mother was as easy as picking scabs, or that fixing her sisters lung disorder was as simple as dissecting road kill. Little does her mother (Traci Lords) know the extremes that Pauline is willing to go to in order to earn her approval. Maybe the other girls at school would be nicer to her if they knew she fantasized about performing surgery on them... Her mother goes to school to talk to the counsellor (Marlee Matlin), a deaf lady who despises both mother and daughter. There, Pauline learns that her mother is planning on sending her to charm school to teach her good manners. She is so trouble, that she sees a psychologist (John Waters), but then we learn that the man is not really a psychologist.The film depicts the life of a disturbed and delusional high school student, Pauline, who has aspirations of a career in medicine and that of her younger sister, Grace (Ariel Winter), who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Pauline has vivid dreams about herself and others being mutilated with excessive amounts of blood. After each dream she awakens panting reeling from the experience in an almost orgasmic state. She decides that she wants to loose her virginity to Adam (Jeremy Sumpter); a handsome popular young man at her high school. She approaches him and explains to him what she wants gives him her number in front of his giggling friends. Like any other adolescent male at their pubescent peak he decides to take her up on the offer. Because of her fascination with blood she arranges their meeting while she is on her period. During the climax of their encounter she imagines herself choking Adam and the bed filling with blood. At the end she asks Adam to go down on her, which he obliges. After a few moments something doesn't seem quite right and he runs to the bathroom where he discovers his mouth is covered with blood. He goes to the bathroom to clean himself off, and then takes her back home in disgust. He can't get far away from her fast enough; he even tries to hide his face with a hoodie.Back in school during sex education class, Pauline takes a sample of her blood and puts it under a microscope to check for STDs. Later on, while at school, she sees Adam on the bleachers with his girlfriend, Molly McCook (Natalie). She tells Adam she doesn't have any STDs and asks his girlfriend if she has any, giving her an indication of Adam's infidelity. Pauline then seals the deal by telling them that if the girlfriend doesn't have anything neither will she. Principal Campbell (Ray Wise) tries to crack a joke when he comes across Pauline in the school corridors.Across the street from Pauline and Grace is a teenage girl that jumps rope in her drive way. Pauline tells her that she also enjoys jumping rope and invites the girl to jump rope with her. The girl finds the entire conversation along with Pauline extremely weird and refuses telling her as much. Grace defends her sister and storms off, pulling Pauline with her. Through out the film Pauline and the jump rope girl have uncomfortable interactions mostly brought on by Pauline. During one interaction the girl sees Pauline stop and pick up a dead bird off the street and put it in her backpack. Pauline takes the bird home and attempts to dissect it which is interrupted by her mother checking on her from outside her bedroom door. During the dissection she licks some of the birds blood off her hand and afterwords she flushes the remains down her toilet. During dinner her father (Rogert Bart) explains that the toilet is stopped up, to which she answers "not enough fiber".Adam's now ex-girlfriend and a friend of hers TP and spray paint obscenities on Pauline's house. Upset by this, Pauline goes on an angry tirade at school in which she pushes Adam to the ground and slams his ex-girlfriend's face into her own locker resulting in her being expelled from school: Principal Campbell has no more patience for Pauline. While in her room Pauline overhears her parents arguing over her behavior and discussing Grace's doctor who wants to put Grace on the lung transplant list. During dinner that night Grace has a severe coughing fit which causes her parents extreme concern and greatly disturbs Pauline. In the morning their mother leaves, presumably for work, and the father stays home. Pauline drugs, ties up her father, and gags him. She then lures the jump roping girl to her backyard under the false premise that there are several jump ropes she can have that Grace can no longer use because of her lungs. She places a cloth over her mouth and after a brief struggle the girl loses consciousness. Pauline talks to Grace and lovingly strokes her hair, stating that Grace may be confused by what is going to happen but she has only her best interest in mind. She drugs Grace with the same cloth, then cuts and shaves her own hair. In the garage, Pauline has cut open both girls and is in the process of moving the healthy girl's lungs into her sister and placing the other lungs on ice. Pauline's mother arrives home and sees her husband tied up. She panics and runs through the house frantically screaming for Grace. She opens the garage door and finds Pauline with the bodies after she has just finished sewing them up. Pauline explains that it is her first surgery, and although it's messy, it's wonderful, and that she was unsure what to do with the jump roping girl's body so she used her to practice her incisions. She then urges her mother to take a closer look, who runs towards Pauline and grabs her, holding her and screaming hysterically. Pauline at first seems proud, but then begins to cry as if seemingly realizing what she has done...

Tags: comedy

Review:
Well, the older one was a little odd, but isn't any awkward girl just a little odd?"This line is added to convince IMDb's review writing parameters that I have typed enough about this movie to satisfy everyone, including the fact that I was not privileged to see this at any kind of festival and have no obsession with following any particular directors, actors or producers outside of common knowledge..
McCord sells the film by subtly morphing Pauline from an outcast to a sociopath; at first, you take her for just another weird kid in the hall, but over time you see her as clearly losing her grip on reality.And I didn't think I'd say this, but Lords is really good - in an ironic role - as the pushy, moralizing mom.
Traci, you've come a long way, baby.It's very hard to believe this is writer/director Richard Bates Jr.'s first film, feature or otherwise.
Director, Richard Bates Jr, set out to make a movie that he and his friends would have loved to watch in high school.
Unfolding amidst the perfect banality of middle class suburbia, the stage is set for a savage assault on your sensibilities.Annalynne McCord is fantastic as Pauline - the slouched, ragged, blemished, sociopathic, vexed atheist, sangrephile*, virgin with surgical aspirations and necrophilic fantasies.In fairness, the entire cast is impressive.
Kudos to the makeup artist(s) who worked on McCord making her character (Pauline) look like a really out-of-sorts teenager.
The acting was outstanding by AnnaLynne Mccord and Traci Lords who made the film well worth a watch.
I know that describing it that simplistic is a large detriment to this movie, because it is the biggest surprise in the horror genre this year thus far.Excision stars AnnaLynne McCord, who some may know from the teen drama series 90210.
"Excision" is a consistently interesting concoction from the mind of writer / director Richard Bates Jr. Combining straight drama, horror, and very dark comedy, it's twisted to its core, with a very memorable character driving the plot forward.That character is Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord, in an utterly fearless performance), a strange and off putting teenage girl living with a sister (Ariel Winter) who has cystic fibrosis, a reserved father (Roger Bart), and a demanding mother (long ago porn queen Traci Lords, who finally gets a chance to show some real acting chops) whose love Pauline desperately tries to win, while deluding herself into thinking she could have a career in surgery.Some of the cast members (Malcolm McDowell, Ray Wise, Matthew Gray Gubler, John Waters (as a reverend!) and especially Oscar winner Marlee Matlin) have what amount to little more than cameo roles, but it's still nice to see all of these familiar faces.
Anyway, McCord and Lords do a fine job of carrying the movie, and their scenes are uncomfortable as they're clearly meant to be yet undeniably compelling.Bates sets his story in a typically placid looking suburbia which serves as an appropriate contrast to the bizarre psycho sexual elements of his plot.
But at least, I was provided with a further insight into the dark side of American culture: cotillion classes.Overall, I think the general tone of the movie and the way it is constructed makes it clear that this is not the directorial debut of somebody who wanted to do something radically different and possibly even profound but somebody who wanted to use controversy merely as a marketing gimmick for mainstream audiences.
And that is just what makes the movie so interesting, because it is disturbing on so many levels.What made the movie tick was the performance put on by AnnaLynne McCord who played Pauline, the young delusional woman with the issues and craving her mothers acceptance.
A paradoxical myriad of influences and styles runs through Excision, the feature debut from NYU graduate Richard Bates Jr. A development of his 18 minute short which played the festival circuit in 2008, the film charts a brief spell in the life of Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord), one of the most dysfunctional teenagers to hit the screen since Todd Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995).
AnnaLynne McCord as Pauline and Traci Lords as Phyllis were amazing as daughter and mother.This story of a troubled teenage girl is an interesting study and while at times it may not be realistically accurate, it is entertaining and pleasantly disturbing.
I would not say the ending has a twist, however it is a bit of a surprise.It is violent at times and should not be seen by anyone who is too young or feels they are not mentally able to watch it.So, is Excision worth owning on Blu-ray?
However, it delivers in a big way, in the writing, the acting by all actors in the film, but most notably by the lead, who plays "Pauline" played by AnnaLynne McCord, and her mother "Phyllis" played by Traci Lords.The imagery is also amazing, I seriously cannot find anything about the film that was not very well done!
With an interesting cast including AnnaLynne McCord (90210), Traci Lords (Zack and Miri Make a Porno), and Ariel Winter (Modern Family) attached to this story that seems way out there could this be one of the intriguing ones that delivers?
The first feature from writer/director Richard Bates Jr, it's a warped teen angst story, with a trashy, profoundly unsettling edge.90210's AnnaLynne McCord puts in a brilliant, transformative performance as Pauline, a deranged teenager with a fetish for surgical procedures and period blood.
As if that wasn't enough of a derivative overload, Bates manages to wrestle out some cameos from Twin Peaks' ever-eerie Ray Wise as the George Bush adoring school principle, Malcolm McDowell as a disgruntled maths teacher, and – king of the trashy – John Waters appears as the grimacing priest-cum-psychiatrist who is trying to nurse Pauline back to good health, in the eyes of our lord saviour.Excision is a pretty dark, trashy horror film, and certainly not for the faint hearted.
Trust me, this movie is gross beyond belief, it did accomplish one thing through out the whole film, although it did make the chainsaw massacre look like a barney rerun in comparison, and not in a good way, at least the chainsaw massacre had a storyline with some sensible realistic people in it..
Pauline, the main character of this film, is sure into some very strange things, which could either disturb or intrigue you - or perhaps both.
Awkward, frumpy teenager Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) wades through the nastiness of high school while dealing with her conservative mother (Traci Lords).
This is the kind of movie you hate to love, but with superb casting and an excellent vision from Bates Jr who wrote and directed, 'Excision' is a terrifying look into the mind of a supremely disturbed young girl (to the point of psychotic) who has no idea just how differently she sees the world.
Whether parents (Traci Lords), her teacher (Malcolm McDowell), classmates or the priest (John Waters), all think Pauline is sick and bizarre.
Add some very very strong acting by the star and Traci Lords; regardless of Ginger Snaps comparison (which I can understand, but by the end disagreed with), along with some interesting dream sequences: and the film stays with you after viewing.
Here's some gore!" Plus a lot of it was just disgusting, and it felt like the writer(s) said "Hey, you know what would be utterly disgusting?...*****...lets add it to the script!"On the plus side the main actress did very well for her part.-10 points for stupid movie, +3 for somewhat good acting and settingIt was watchable.
A very different horror movie, Excision stars Annalynne McCord as Pauline, a troubled outcast and high school student, with aspirations of a career in medicine.
However, if you want to see very creative psycho-sexual fantasies, the ugliest, most disgusting, and most twisted character Anna Lynn Mccord could ever play, this is for you.I pray there are no people in the world with even close to the personality of this crazy character but even with the twisted mind and potential of relatively good acting, this movie did not deliver.Worth watching if your into unique horror movies but don't expect for your mind to be blown.
Pauline's fantasies are so bizarre and visually well filmed, it's surprising to see in a US movie.
The ending is sort of obvious, as other reviewers have pointed out, but I was surely caught off guard by the reaction I had to it.The surrealism of the characters and cinematography, great acting and character setup, combined with the somewhat subtle build-up (yeah, this movie is quite far from subtle per sè, but the build-up of the main character's catharsis can be, in my opinion, considered subtle) led to a, for me, gut-wrenching last minites, which, at first, weren't really anything that special (hell, it's obvious what is going to happen by the 50 min mark or earlier) , but after some time when it had set in it really messed with me.In summary, if you can stomach the surrealism of the style and characters, it could be a great watch for you, thought it could bore or repulse you too.
But it's the way she pulls off all this with a such joy and not caring what anyone thinks of her that just makes this movie rise above being a bargain bin indie film.The other stuff like the gore etc is fine but not really shocking and doesn't have anything to do with the overall story.
More of a very dark black comedy than the horror film it is often credited as being, 'Excision' revolves around a teenage social misfit whose dreams are full of gore and who conducts surgery on roadkill in her spare time.
what a weird and wonderfully acted film, acting was above par for a film of this genre, story line was easy to follow and somehow delicious to watch as the angst and delusional qualities of the main character unfolded, it does have humor blackest at best but there nonetheless.the story tells of an 18 student with delusions of medical excellence and somewhat of an anomaly in her school year and at odds with her family especially her mother (play superbly by tracy lords)yes that tracy lords.not sure how to categorise this film ,not out and out horror not a black comedy but maybe a bit of both .
The only person who shows her any kindness is her younger sister Grace, who is suffering from Cystic Fibrosis.Pauline has a form of blood-lust and has aspirations of one day becoming a surgeon, though she doesn't do well in school and goes out of her way to annoy her teachers and peers.
Her overbearing mother and apathetic father are oblivious to the extent of their daughter's problems and treat her with disgust and derision.When she overhears her mother describe her as "impossible to love" Pauline retreats further into her delusions and does the only thing she knows to prove her worth to her family.The much talked about ending is shocking but not just in the ways you'd be expecting.
It's a shame that the movie went to such extreme lengths to make Pauline so unattractive (actress AnnaLynne McCord is very pretty in real-life), almost making her look like a Neanderthal because it takes you out of the movie.
Watching these different personalities collide really captures the viewer and emotionally puts you in there with them.Also Excision has an amazing final scene that you'll be thinking about way after the film is over.I thought this was a great film and I would definitely recommend it to any fan or horror or indie films..
He gets excellent performances out of McCord and Traci Lords (as Pauline's mother), whilst the blending of surreal imagery via Pauline's dreams and the real world awkwardness – with some dry humour in the mix too – produces a picture that is in equal parts oddball and emotionally shattering.When Dead Ringers collides with Ginger Snaps, Excision will stay with you for days afterwards.
It's not a horror movie, nor is it a thriller, comedy, or teen drama, yet it encompasses all of those genres and probably a few more.It's about a high school girl, Pauline, who is a bit of a loner and slowly descending into a dangerous world of make believe.
There is also a cameo by Malcolm McDowell as high school teacher.Most of the horror and gory bits come from Pauline's demented dreams and fantasies.
How delighted I was to find that it was so much more than that; a beautiful change of pace from the usual movies that Hollywood likes to pump out.AnnaLynne McCord's character, Pauline, is played to perfection as an awkward, pimply high school girl with a lust for blood and sarcasm.
If you aren't too sensitive to taboo topics and are looking for something different than the usual boring film that big-name directors like to hock up, this is definitely worth watching..
Unattractive, sociopathic teen Pauline (played by actually-very-attractive-in-real-life actress AnnaLynne McCord) is constantly criticised by her overbearing mother Phyllis (ex-pornstar Traci Lords) and bullied by her peers at school; her only friend is her pretty younger sister Grace (Ariel Winter), a Cystic Fibrosis sufferer whose days are numbered unless she can get a lung transplant.A very macabre tale that culminates in an amazingly gruesome pay-off, Excision, from writer/director Richard Bates Jr, plays out very much like a story from an EC horror anthology comic, and I wasn't at all surprised to learn that the film began life as an 18 minute 'short'.Bates must therefore be heartily congratulated in successfully drawing out his seemingly slight narrative to feature length, this 81-minute version being a thoroughly entertaining horror experience from start to grisly finish.
It's not your usual horror movie its blood gore incorporated into the viewing of varying character profiles and how they interrelate with each other and society.It was acted very well but the most out standing was AnnaLynne and part of this achievement goes to the make-up/hair/costume dept for the 2 different characters her real life and 'fantasy' self.
(Sorry, I'm a bit shocked and trying to remember how I came about watching this in the first place).First off, bravo to Annalynne McCord and Traci Lords for their acting in this movie.
Her delivery felt half-true and half-acted, at times, but it was enough for me to watch the entire film.There is plenty of seemingly-tasteless material, which makes it seem as if Jon Waters wrote the movie, or maybe the director was a major fan of his because it seemed that scenes and dialogue were something that Waters would've dreamt up to see on screen at some time in his life.
Like Paul Solet's completely under-appreciated GRACE (2009), it's hard to find "evil" in a character when they are simply doing what they think is right – only to have some major realizations come calling by film's end.Pauline's journey is an intriguing and disturbing venture sure to connect with many, while others may not grasp the nuances of Bates's artistry and guile.
If you watch this movie as a comedy and not as a horror film, you will be let down a lot less.
A disturbed and delusional high school student with aspirations of a career in medicine (AnnaLynne McCord) goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother (Traci Lords).Looking at the cover of this movie, you would get the impression they are trying to sell it by the cast.
A couple of supporting performers like Traci Lords and Roger Bart stand out, there are cameos from John Waters and Malcolm McDowell, and tabloid favourite Ariel Winter is here too, but it's a very boring film and even some stark and graphic gore scenes fail to ignite the interest.
But as this is all happening around her she has a plan, a plan that will leave them all shocked, and some people may not survive.....Every now and again, you get a really bizarre release that separates audiences,many becomes something of a cult thing, to say that this is one of those movies is like saying to someone it gets dark at night.From the upstart, it's got a really psychedelic, 'May' feel to it, and although there are parts that are truly hilarious, there are also scenes that really repulse, and the film gives you that guilty, dirty feeling whilst watching.
All in all you kind of knew from the beginning that the story would end up in blood and tears but boy o boy what an ending it was.After watching the movie there is only one question haunting my mind: those tears from Pauline at the end is it tears of sadness or happiness?For me Excision seemed fit to be named next to the great titles of its genre like Audition, the Machinist, Dumplings etc.
I think the writers of this film did a good job of touching that many genres.I may be in the minority for saying I actually liked Pauline.
If I knew a girl back in high school like that, I would have probably made friends with her, at least to give her a glimpse at being liked, appreciated, and normal for once.I felt that her dad was trying to be accepting, loving, etc but the dominant attitude of her mother would get in the way and get him to have no choice but to turn against Pauline in the end.
I wouldn't say its a horror more a psychological dark humorous movie.Its based around Pauline, a acne scarred social outcast 18 year old who dreams of being a surgeon...
The movie is called Excision (2012) and was written and directed by Richard Bates Jr. It is in short, a portrait of a very disturbed young girl named Pauline, played intensely by AnnaLynne McCord.