Sins of the Fleshapoids (1965)

3 Stars (out of 4)

Robot Love

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Though they haven't achieved the same measure of recognition, San Francisco brothers George and Mike Kuchar belonged to the American underground cinema movement that also spawned Andy Warhol, Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakhage and Bruce Conner. Hopefully this DVD release of Sins of the Fleshapoids will change things. Written by both brothers and directed by Mike, Sins of the Fleshapoids is shot in full color 16mm but without sync sound. It takes place a million years in the future, where people live in peace and luxury with "fleshapoid" (robot) servants. But after a major war wipes out humanity, these robots develop emotions while wandering around masterless for thousands of years. One kills his master and runs away to be with his girlfriend, another robot. Another human woman cheats on her human husband with a male robot and plots to run away with him. A narrator pipes up every once in a while to fill in background details, and characters speak in word balloons. The film is dated enough that it's unlikely to generate legions of new cult fans, but people already in the cult, as well as film history buffs, will be happy.

DVD Details: This new DVD from San Francisco's Other Cinema presents a crisp new video transfer of the film, as well as two other Mike Kuchar classics, The Secret of Wendel Samson (1966) and The Craven Sluck (1967). Mike provides commentary tracks, and there are good liner notes and an interview by film writer Jack Stevenson. The disc also has trailers for Other Cinema releases Tribulation 99 and The 70s Dimension.