Chumlum (1964) User Reviews

dance of the sexually frustrated dead

[mrdonleone · 6/10 · 17 April 2009]

you like to dance, but you don't want to be part of shows as American Idol? no problem. just go see Chumlum. you will enjoy the luxury of being witnessed to the most exotic dances in the most absurd costumes in the most unusual places.

yes! that is really all what Chumlum is about: exotic and obscene dances. do you wish to see a bunch of crazy people dance? yes, this is the right movie too. ow, but you want to do it yourself? step right in, folks, this is the picture you always wanted to see.

we see people jumping around the city, meeting each other in a dark place where everyone seems to be dressed like an cliché Egyptian and dancing like zombies till dark. the dancing dead than get lost somewhere in the woods and find a way out at a mysterious beach, that suddenly appears.

don't try to understand this picture: you'll feel bad afterwards. the only explanation I can come up with is that we all are sexually frustrated zombies, waiting to find relief in the sea.

still interested? be my guest and see this movie. but I did warn you...

Odd.

[planktonrules · 3 May 2012]

This Ron Rice film is from "American Film Treasures/Avant Garde Film: Disc 2"--a compilation of mostly forgotten art films of the 20th century. This DVD set is NOT for the casual viewer and sometimes I wonder why I watched the films--as some of them were VERY artsy and weird!

Through much of the film, you see various members of Andy Warhol's inner circle--so fans of Warhol's might appreciate this more than most. Often, the scenes consist of overlapping 2-3 images at the same time--especially in first portion of film as well as towards the end. The music is discordant and is quite difficult on the ears to say the least. There are some odd looking and not so odd looking folks mostly lying about doing very little. There is no dialog but the film is in color. And if you are expecting much to happen, then you'll probably be a bit frustrated. The film, to me, looks more like something for these folks to watch and enjoy and outsiders need not. It defies a numerical score--very artsy and only for a very small group of aficionados.

Colorful yet bizarre bit of New York Underground

[classicsoncall · 3/10 · 29 October 2017]

"Chumlum" was director Ron Rice's snapshot of New York City's flamboyant underground culture. The players (I won't call them actors) wear harem costumes and bizarre makeup, and if you're looking for any motivation or plot to the picture you'll be disappointed. The title was pulled out of thin air and doesn't mean anything so you can save yourself the effort of trying to figure it out. It is colorful to be sure, as the use of double and triple exposure throughout does add a creative element to the filming, but otherwise it's just pretentiously artsy for a gullible audience who might think this has something meaningful to say. Rice himself appears in the film, he's the guy with the thin mustache popping up here and there. As I'm getting to wrap up this review I had a sudden flash of insight - if you take the word 'chumlum' and extract a handful of it's letters you can come up with 'mulch'. Try throwing some of it in your garden and see what you come up with.