Series 7: The Contenders

I watch a lot of... "quirky" movies, mostly those that others aren't all too interested in (if you're curious, become an Amazon Friend, and I'll send you discounts on future purchases). One of the better movies I've seen recently is Series 7: The Contenders (2001), ending a year long search for a copy.

I had read about it in a magazine, did lazy searches here and there, and saw a VHS edition (blech!) and "showtimes" at Amazon (it did have a theatrical release, but not around here). A few weeks back, I happenstanced upon it, sitting dejected on the bottom shelf at Best Buy (along with Session 9, which was alright). The premise: the next stage of reality shows like Survivor is not about Nature killing the contestants, but rather, contestants killing contestants.

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's not a genius idea - anyone with a healthy dose of cynicism woulda chuckled over that idea long ago, bringing back memories of Running Man, A Most Dangerous Game, Faces of Death, etc. Unlike those, however, this movie is satirical, tongue-in-cheek, and it works, especially with the soap operatic twists (of which revealing would ruin the moment). It's filmed like a TV show - you're watching a marathon, and it's occasionally interrupted with endcaps for commercials (that are never shown, save for a deleted scene of a public service announcement). The ending is pretty interesting too - exactly what I'd suspect from a television show of this caliber.

Best piece of ephermera not in the film? "The Standings are in the Obituaries" - a phrase seen only in the extras (the exact one I can't remember - damn my fading memory!). It's a clumsy statement rolling off the tongue, but I got a chuckle out of it. I'd recommend at least a rental for the curious.