The more our episode count builds, the more Matt and I notice “Certified Forgotten” films often “live” the same festival experiences. They’re programmed, attended only by a handful of badgeholders, then never heard from again. Such is the case of Rattle The Cage (Zinzana), a title that played Fantastic Fest in 2015 where at least I, Matt Donato, missed out (and probably Matt Monagle as well). Luckily, Kalyn Corrigan braved a presumed 11AM time slot to discover one certifiably forgotten and impressive psycho-killer thriller.
Out of the United Arab Emirates comes Majid Al Ansari‘s cinematic debut, which is also his only directorial feature credit to date. He wears his Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez influences like badges of honor but wields each filmmaker’s signatures with a personal uniqueness. Rattle The Cage is about mania, forked tongues, and criminal intrigue set within a roadside police station. An “innocent” man locked behind bars; a loose-cannon murderer disguised as a lawman so he can operate freely. The game, how they say, is afoot.
In this Certified Forgotten episode, Kalyn introduces the Matts to one of their favorite podcast watches thus far. Is it weird to claim extreme violence and deranged manipulation can also be fun? Rattle The Cage packs in dance sequences, charming monologues delivered by a lunatic, and tremendous visual storytelling that opens up an otherwise claustrophobic location (by mainstream standards). Al Ansari’s direction pops with style, attitude, and conveyed malice. Not only that, but it’s distinctively regional while still universally understood.
Episodes like this one spotlight why we adore our little podcast. Rattle The Cage would have continued sneaking under radars without Kalyn Corrigan’s influence. Not only that, but we get to chat about hidden gems with dream guests and call it “work.” Is this what living a life led by passion feels like, dear readers? I could get used to this.
Rattle The Cage is now available to stream on Netflix. You can also rent it on iTunes, which appears to be the only other streaming platform at this time.