The Bus Stop (1998)

The be-speckled Tyler draws a comic-book fight ("Kapow!") one morning just before his mother tells him that he'll have to take the school bus today. He walks reluctantly and with ... See full summary »

Director:

Will Hartman

Writer:

Will Hartman

Stars:

Ari Barak, Brooke Garrett, Eric Austin

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ari Barak
Brooke Garrett
Eric Austin	...	(as Erik Austin)
Andreas Michael Lamelas	...	Tony
Joshua Boyd
Mario Rendon
Vidans G. Castro
Lindsay Arthur
Emma Jane Stewart
Andrew Roa
Richard Abraham
Sandra Fay Stevens
Laurel Melagrano
Amie Lynn Wahl
Matthew Wahl

Storyline

The be-speckled Tyler draws a comic-book fight ("Kapow!") one morning just before his mother tells him that he'll have to take the school bus today. He walks reluctantly and with trepidation toward the corner of Owl Creek and Bridge, where lots of kids already await the bus. The boys pick on Tyler, and before the bus arrives, he's been knocked down and his lunch vandalized. Then, after the bus is hijacked by three armed men - at least one has an Arabic name - who use a cell phone to demand money and the release of political prisoners, Tyler opens his portable chemistry set and sets to work on an escape plan. Is heroism just around the corner?

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Plot Keywords:

independent film

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1998 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

15 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Will Hartman's "The Bus Stop" is an exercise in classic filmmaking.

Will Hartman's "The Bus Stop" is an exercise in classic filmmaking. The script is a solid, appropriately sentimental expose of the tribulations of a young boy. The script is not laden with dialogue, but rather uses a very pointed sense of action to tell the story, along with a clever bit of Ambrose Bierce-like irony.

The cinematography is quite good. The images are brilliant, and the shot coverage is rock-solid, with several striking crane shots balancing out numerous revealing close-ups. All of this is structured with some very intelligent editing. Quite simply, it achieves what any director strives for: it is a film which can be fully understood with the sound turned off.

But that's not to say the sound in this film can be overlooked. One of the more striking components to the piece is the score. It has all the intensity, and furthermore subtlety, of a much more expensive action film. The score really gives the film a distinguished quality.

The acting is strong, which is a particular testament to Hartman's directorial skill, considering most of the actors are children. Hartman manages to keep the intensity high, without allowing his performers to go over the top.

In short, "The Bus Stop" is a very enjoyable short, professionally shot, and technically sound. I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more of Will Hartman in the near future.