Change Your Image
wytche
Reviews
Her Master's Voice (2012)
A Disaster's Voice
A bleak attempt of Nina Conti (daughter of actor Tom Conti) to rekindle her career as a ventriloquist.
Through her grinned teeth Nina manages to voice several puppets that sound somewhat similar to herself in a confusing, and sometimes muffled, manner. On the premise of mourning the death of a previous and much older lover her obvious contempt towards the art of ventriloquism is clear as she unceremoniously stuffs said lover's puppets into a suitcase and heads to the Vent Haven Convention. It is here she wonders alone, avoiding contact with more talented ventriloquists as she contemplates her future and ponders over what to do with the puppets she "inherited" from her previous lover.
This so-called documentary is bland and without much of a point other than to showcase Nina Conti's contempt towards an industry she feels she is trapped in (and Nina replacing a 'p' with a 'k' sounds like a 'k')
The only saving grace for this confusing yawn fest is that she apparently gives the only professional ventriloquist dummy in her possession to a young boy at the Vent Haven Convention who no doubt already is more skilled and dedicated than she.
Belly Talkers (1996)
A Rare Treat
I can only assume the previous reviewer (U.N. Owen) assumes that ventriloquism is akin to Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog and must not have been paying attention to the movie because the scene at the beginning of the film to which this reviewer refers to as "Jump to present day.." is of Sandra greeting her Mother at the cab (not Sandra helping her sister out of a cab) and at the home "Pedro" asks the Mother (not sister) if she bought him anything.
This documentary featuring ventriloquist Sandra Luckow and her figure (the correct term for a ventriloquist's dummy) has Sandra exploring the goals and careers of both established as well as up and coming ventriloquists. Through this journey she finds herself at the annual Ventriloquist Convention (which has now been running for over 30 years and visited by professionals from all over the world).
Sandra takes a light hearted and entertaining look into the hopes and dreams of ventriloquists and their different approaches to utilising this ancient craft.
An accomplished and skilled ventriloquist herself, Sandra's pal "Pedro" (with little to no lip movement from Sandra) is very real despite his unusual appearance and banters with other vents in a jovial manner.
For an insight to the world of ventriloquism this movie is a must. Candid and well presented Sandra and Pedro offer the viewer a real world into this small world of the entertainment industry.