Shadows off the beaten path< < S H O R T S > >
last update 6.Nov.07
See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL
Shot and edited like a period feature, this lively romance tells a tale set in 1952 Bradford, where Louis and Ruth (Liemman and Sawyer) swap clothes on their way to a night out on the town in their respective gender-bending bars. Both are raided by the cops; Louis ends up in jail and Ruth escapes into the night with her friend Maggie (Carpenter). The problem is that they're wearing the wrong clothes. Robinson shows serious skill at telling a story, with sharp camera work and cool editing that plays nicely on the comedy and romantic longing, making a subtle statement without being remotely heavy handed about it. She also gets terrific performances from her cast, and recreates the '50s on-screen superbly despite a limited budget. Definitely a filmmaker to watch.
with Lucy Liemman, Jana Carpenter, Toby Sawyer, Andy Henderson
06/UK 15m
This lively and very slight animated short centres on a guy who finds an enormous penny and can't figure out how to save it, since it's far too big to put into his piggy bank. That's about all that happens in this film so short that it feels like a TV ident. But it's well animated and energetic. And if does have a strong point to it, if you think about it.
with Omar, Fernando Peres, Val Rassi, Lawrence Woo
06/US 1m
Hilariously brief, this witty short is basically a two-minute handshake, as two urban teens (Minniefield and Vargas) meet on the street and embark in an elaborately choreographed greeting -- both a hello and a goodbye. It's simple and surprisingly funny, accompanied by vivid sound effects and a breezy beat by Squeak E Clean. Bernard is an established video clip director whose sense of humour has also been seen in his work with the likes of Beastie Boys, Moby and the Dixie Chicks.
with Donte Minniefield, Michael Vargas, Deshon Hamilton
07/US 2m
Beautifully shot like a fully funded feature, and written with a cleverly circular narrative, this extremely well-made short takes a strongly provocative approach to its story and characters. It centres on an angry man (Mullan) who has let life get the best of him. In a drunken rage, he fatally injures his beloved dog, and things get worse from there, with his dying mother, yet another nasty encounter with the post office worker and family members who won't talk to him. It's like he has used up all the good will he's ever been offered, and the world has given up on him. But one charity shopkeeper (Coleman) takes the time to talk to him, so it's to her that he turns in a moment of dire need. It's a little bleak, but sharply written and filmed, and a great calling card for actor Considine as an emerging filmmaker.see also the feature version: TYRANNOSAUR (2011)
dir-scr Paddy Considine
with Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Karl Johnson, Aston Kelly, Paul Popplewell, William Ruane, Mahesh Soneji
07/UK 16m
See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL
© 2007 by Rich Cline, Shadows
on the Wall