Strange Frame

In the 26th century mankind has had to flee from their home planet. The cost to board a ship out of the wastelands of Earth is indentured servitude for two generations. Naia (Tara Strong: Teen Titans, Unlimited Spider-Man) is a slave, but one that has found a love of music, a love that has set her spirit free and sparked rebellion in her heart. It is that spark of rebellion that finds her running from trigger happy gunmen and into the arms of Parker C. Boyd (Claudia Black: Farscape, Stargate SG-1). They make beautiful music together and share an intimate relationship that drives their passion for all things, but the good times can never last.

Enter Dorlan Mig (Tim Curry: Young Justice, Transformers - Rescue Bots), a talent agent of sorts, who contacts Naia about possibly signing the band to a record deal if he likes what he hears, and he does, but as soon as he appears Naia and Parker are swept up in a world of debauchery and Parker soon finds herself separated from Naia. Naia’s star rises while Parker wallows in the depression of their separation. Then one day she begins to have dreams.

My first impression with Strange Frame was bewilderment at the fascinating animation style the film incorporates. It’s like an acid trip spliced with old black and white films and holographic images. Very vivid and undeniable breathtaking, but the story, at least for the first ten minutes, felt like I was going down a road with this film that I’ve gone down several times with other films about musicians.

Dorlan Mig is like the devil, coming to offer Naia all her dreams. Naia quickly becomes addicted to the pleasures of Mig’s world and soon finds herself on a decline while her lover and friend is cast aside. Been there done that with so many films. I had sank in my sit anticipating just another woe-is-me tale of music, drugs, and redemption with the aid of someone who truly loves the person enough to care. What I got was something completely different.

The film is cleverly cast with Ron Glass (Firefly, Death At A Funeral) as Philo D. Grenman, an amputee who runs a space freighter, as well as an amateur ship builder. His hobby leaves he and his shipmate Reese (Cree Summer: Pound Puppies, Word Girl) scraping by. They spend most of their time looking for parts for their ship. Eventually they find an A.I. unit that they install on their ship, and who runs amuck for awhile. Eventually their paths cross with Parker’s and things start to come together.

Strange Frame has twists and turns you wont be expecting. It’s thrilling, sexy, entertaining due to it’s massive amount of music and visual stimulation, but more importantly, a story that has a deep meaning and a refreshing plotline. This film has cult classic written all over it.

Other names that pop up on the cast list include George Takei (Star Trek, Supah Ninjas), Alan Tudyk (I Robot, Firefly), Juliet Landau (Buffy, Angel), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Castle), and Claudia Christian (Babylon 5, Starhyke).

Bonus features include deleted scene, behind the scenes with the cast, Trailer, and a 5.1 Surround Sound option from Skywalker Sound, mixed by Gary Rizzo (Tron Legacy, The Dark Knight Rises).