‘MPP’ is all splash page and few panels. It’s rare when there are more than 6 panels, unless he’s making a point about repetition. Like in his ‘Irreversible’ and ‘Friday the 2 Millionth’ review. He has clever art ideas. The review of ‘House of 1,000 Corpses’ was a Möbius strip of opinions and information. His characters, while simple, also can become distorted and surreal. Even something innocuous like a background has so much more going on. While the men and women do look the same, there is a reason. “It’s a pack of work. I’ve got to put all this text together, so I’m not going to bother with likenesses. They’re icons, they might all look the same but they don’t all act the same.” His art is easy to dismiss due to its simplicity. But if you spend the time, it’s intricate, experimental and educational.
I also enjoy the way he writes. Alliteration abounds and he has a neato’ slang movie review shorthand, it’s almost poetry. You also get way more information in an ‘MPP’ review, than in your average movie magazine column. “The reviews are usually 3 times as long. I heavily self-edit. I’ve got to have room for the drawings, the little icons.” I find his absurdity fun too. His ‘Men in Black’ review was just the stars spouting non sequiturs.
The first ‘MPP’ book was released in 2004 by FAB Press. When the publisher came to Fantasia the year before, Rick proceeded to stalk him, pitch the book and ‘An incomparable collection of comic strip concoctions configured to critique film’ was born. 188 pages of movie reviews, a short history of ‘MPP’ scandals past as well as a bibliography and an index. It’s a well laid out book that gives one good bang for the buck.
“I’m dying to see obscure B movie grind-house stuff in the film format, you know? I would jump on that like crazy. I’d do strips like that non-stop if I could. I’m sick of that Hollywood dreck, I want to learn more about film history.” He may be sick of the dreck but they spawn some of his best comic reviews. I adore his scratch and sniff review of ‘Twilight’. And while he feels the state of horror movies today has regressed since the 70’s, at least we’ve got his reviews to make them more interesting.
For the new ‘MPP’ book, he plans on throwing in some current and first run movie reviews, so they aren’t all entirely impossible to find obscure movies. The new cover will be in beautiful glossy colour, and there will be way more content than the last book. “The thing is MASSIVE. People are sure gonna’ be getting their moneys worth.” He plans on launching the book at as many festivals, time and money will allow him to attend. So if you’re in Montreal during Fantasia, come check out Rick’s Rock and Roll, Comic Movie Extravaganza Launch.
“The way I see it, I haven’t been able to get work in so long, I may as well enjoy myself. Just do whatever the fuck I want, you know?”
Rick Trembles