Tony: London Serial Killer   Starring: Peter Ferdinando, Frank Boyce and Lorenzo Camporese Revolver Entertainment RRP: £14.99 REVD2490 Certificate: 18 Available 08 February 2010

Tony is a middle-aged, socially inept loner, who wanders the streets during daylight or night time hours searching for something to help fulfil his life. Secluded and inexperienced with people, he doesn't quite know what that missing ingredient is. It could be drugs, a man, a woman, or just plain company. But being a social outcast reaches new lows when a boy goes missing and the father accuses Tony of being a paedophile...

This is a low-budget movie partly funded by the National Lottery. It is filmed on location in and around a London estate and immediately identifiable tourist attraction areas such as Trafalgar Square, the Thames north side Embankment and Soho, managing in doing so to make them all seem a little seedy. I fully expected to quickly become bored with the proceedings, but conversely became curiously compelled to watch. This was in most part due to the considerable acting skills of Peter Ferdinando. The whole would be much lessened without his contribution; the character's entire demeanour and speech is spot on. He is completely devoid of emotions, no smiles or laughs, no frowns or anger. Just total detachment. I can't praise him enough.

There is a very dark and macabre humour inherent in this, which could easily be overlooked entirely by those with no sense of humour or who look on this entire venture as bad taste. In that case, I would suggest buying Disney's Bambi DVD instead. I for one appreciated the irony. When a man arrives at his flat to caution him about not having a TV licence, Tony is unfazed. That is until the man attempts to confiscate his TV, and is strangled with a wire flex for his trouble. The next thing you see is a foot in a dish as Tony begins to cut up and dispose of the body. Another priceless moment is when Tony wakes up with a man sitting up in bed next to him. Tony says good morning to him and asks if he wants a cup of tea - and you just know that he's dead.

This is the debut directorial feature from Gerard Johnson. As extras you'll find two of his short films: Mug, and an early truncated version of Tony, which nowhere near reaches the heights of the main feature. A very pleasant surprise.

8

Ty Power