The Canyons is definitely an intriguing movie. Despite having Paul Schrader directing and a script from American Psycho’s Bret Easton Ellis, it was part funded through Kickstarter. It also stars the human trainwreck that is Lindsay Lohan, and porn star James Deen.

Last week a fascinating article did the rounds about the difficulties the production faced – many of which were due to Lohan, who comes across as someone desperate to turn things around but simultaneously oblivious to how self-destructive she’s being. This week there have also been suggestions it’s her erratic behaviour that caused the Sundance organisers to reject the movie (although it will be screened privately for potential buyers at the end of the month).

From what we’ve seen so far it’s been a little difficult to tell exactly what the movie is, as the ‘spoof’ trailers we’ve had, have painted it as a grindhouse movie and a 50s noir, even though it’s actually a contemporary LA thriller. However now we get our first lengthy clip from the movie, featuring Lohan creeping around looking for her phone while Deen sleeps. We have to say, the acting shown by the leads isn’t amazing, but we’re certainly intrigued to see the final film.

When you see the acting in this new teaser trailer, you may be wondering what sort of dreadful rubbish this is, but the hamminess is very deliberate, with the vlack & white photography giving this a hint that this a take on cheesy 1950s b-movie noir melodrama, but with a more modern take on sex and relationships.

As the trailer points out, it was partly funded by Kickstarter, but while that’s a platform that usually reserved for unknown filmmakers, this one if directed by Paul Schrader (screenwriter of Taxi Driver),with a script by American Psycho’s Brett Easton Ellis. They went to Kickstarter as they were afraid of the type of censorship traditional funding normally demands.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘The Canyons is a contemporary L.A. noir from director Paul Schrader, writer Bret Easton Ellis, and producer Braxton Pope about the dangers of sexual obsession and ambition, both personally and professionally, among a group of young people in their 20′s and how one chance meeting connected to the past unravels all of their lives, resulting in deceit, paranoia, cruel mind games and ultimately violence.’

Lindsay Lohan stars opposite James Deen – a man who made his name in hardcore porn but is now going legit.

While a few porn stars have had minor success in legit movie (Traci Lords probably being the most famous), James Deen (born Bryan Matthew Sevilla) is making his bid with the Canyons, which also stars Lindsay Lohan and Gus Van Sant. Bret Easton Ellis is behind the script, with Paul Schrader directing. Now a teaser trailer has emerged, suggesting this is a tale that will have a very grindhouse, sexploitation feel. Here’s the synopsis: ‘The Canyons is a contemporary L.A. noir from director Paul Schrader, writer Bret Easton Ellis, and producer Braxton Pope about the dangers of sexual obsession and ambition, both personally and professionally, among a group of young people in their 20′s and how one chance meeting connected to the past unravels all of their lives, resulting in deceit, paranoia, cruel mind games and ultimately violence.’ No release date is currently set.