In the opening absurdist monologue of Fake Wood Wallpaper’s Blood Car the commentator alla The Twilight Zone says, “It’s a story about society. It’s a story about you.” This presupposes that is that “society” and “you” are defined by healthy doses of bared breasts and fake blood. Wonderfully absurd and disturbing, Blood Car plays spot on with kitsch and social commentary, riffing off the “blood for oil” theme. While not consciously drawing attention to its social message, the film crafts a perfect parody of the American economic drive and the consequences it has on the individual.

The story starts out innocently enough. In a bleak future–set two weeks from now–gasoline prices top $30 a gallon. Car graveyards are as common here as litter, and although no one’s driving, everyone’s still using the car for–ahem, all the typical teenage carfront activities. In the grips of this, vegan elementary school teacher Archie Andrews (Mike Brune) sets out to build an engine that runs on wheatgrass but finds to his dismay that his invention runs instead on human blood. While not so alarming in and of itself, the situation muddles when Archie, lusted after by Lorraine (Anna Chlumsky), lusts in turn for Denise (Katie Rowlett), the town hottie, who willingly exchanges car rides for sexual favors. In an attempt to keep his sex life active, Archie falls into a murderous cycle.

The dialogue hits notes of perfect fun, as when for example, Archie convinces a hitchhiker that he’s keeping puppies in his trunk. When she heads to the back, Archie chucks her in the trunk, lamenting later “Puppies. You just killed a girl with puppies.” The lines themselves carry most of their humor directly from Brune, Chlumsky and Rowlett’s honest performances. Without playing to the audience, Brune crafts Archie as an endearing but slightly eerie protagonist; Chlumsky recaps the sweetness of her My Girl days but adds in the sexual tension of adulthood; and, Rowlett, by far the comic gem of the film, nails line after crude line about sex.

Notable as well are cinematographer Adam Pinney’s choices in frame. Far from a typical kitsch horror film, Pinney consciously infuses an artsy flare into his shot design, particular toward the end of the film as Archie slowly loses his grip on reality. Moving away from the wide shots so common in comedy, Pinney in this section draws on close-ups and slight focus changes to blur the on-screen experience, a decision which perfectly mimics Archie’s state of mind.

Outrageous and outstandingly funny, Blood Car is definitely a fun ride and thankfully a far cry from the socio-poltical dogma of so many of today’s films.

For more information visit www.bloodcar.com.