PopHorror Let's Get Scared
What do you get when visceral FX, a dystopian backdrop, and B-movie charm collide? You get Ryan Kruger’s (Fried Barry) 2024 edition of Street Trash. You may recall the original cult film from 1987 – directed by J. Michael Muro. It was grimy, slimy body horror and to be honest, not really any other movies from that period could be easily compared to Street Trash. It was definitely its own animal and so is this one.
Kruger’s rowdy 2024 rendition contains face peeling, bone breaks, body melts, degloving, profuse vomiting, an oversexed foul-mouthed invisible alien and more! In the near future of South Africa, millions have lost their jobs, and the middle class is nearly extinct, leaving extreme poverty and class warfare. The rich want the poor gone and will do so at any means. Maniacal Mayor Mostert (Warrick Grier) has initiated a lethal program to liquidate (quite literally) those deemed as street trash. After the homeless community mysteriously begins to disappear, a ragtag group of drug addicts, alcoholics, and deviants band together to battle the government for their right to live.
I had no idea what to expect with Street Trash. I knew it was a sequel of sorts to the 1987 flick, and I was familiar with Ryan Kruger’s previous film, Fried Barry, which was a wild viewing experience I thoroughly enjoyed. J. Michael Muro, the director of the original along with co-writer Roy Frumkes both were executive producers on Kruger’s shot on 35mm Street Trash. Here, Kruger and company deliver a campy yet charming tale of individuals just simply trying to exist. There is plenty of ooey gooey neon gore as I mentioned before – thanks to special effects supervisor Kevin Bitters (Mad Max: Fury Road, Tenet, F9: The Fast Saga) and his team – but there’s also a decent amount of heart on display. Sure, Street Trash has its share of crude jokes and is an FX fever dream at times, but I was surprised to find a respectable amount of social commentary as well.
Produced by popular boutique label Vinegar Syndrome and Not the Funeral Home (Justin Martell and Matt Manjourides who also produce The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs) Street Trash is sure to earn fans with those that applaud over-the-top practical effects, filming on 35mm, and “trashy” cinema.
You can stream Street Trash now in the U.S. including Screambox, Amazon Video, and more. Street Trash had a limited theatrical run in the U.K. beginning January 10th, with digital being made available starting on February 17th. There is also a pre-order for a limited-edition Blu-ray copy available exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome HERE.
