Censorship sinks drug-fueled flick

The directorial debut of Jonas Åkerlund, "Spun" is based on the true epic meth binge of its screenwriter, Will De Los Santos. Åkerlund has managed to capture one of the most repulsively kitschy cool atmospheres since Harmony Korine demonized Mulberry in "Gummo." Somewhere between "Fear and Loathing" and "Requiem for a Dream" lies the tweaked-out world of "Spun," twistedly amused with its own warped humor and not afraid to show you the human beings behind the wreckage. Appropriately so, the wreckage can be disturbingly intense -- speed and sex linked like maggots in a mortuary. With a memorable, nearly unrecognizable ensemble cast, it's Mickey Rourke who makes a comeback powerhouse with his meticulously nuanced balance between heavy and mysterious as the Cook.\n Nonetheless, the version that has been released to the public is a washed-up version of Åkerlund's washed-out wonderland. "Spun" comes up empty on any bonus features, the deleted scenes feeling more like randomly chosen strips of celluloid picked up off the editing floor. In a blow of deft censorship, the more graphic depictions of this film have been blurred over, bleeped out and black boxed. Thanks to the Moral Police (read Motion Picture Association of America), Åkerlund's film, being deemed a ground-breaking masterpiece at early uncut screenings, has been brutally hacked to an easy-to-swallow, candy-coated piece of commercialism that's not worth the money to buy. "Spun" is worth the time and money to rent, but its only salvation lies in that treasure of all cinephiles alike: the Special Edition.