Channeling Alphonse (2003)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Peter Atencio

Writer:

Jeremy Catalino (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Tagline:

Sometimes other people's pasts come back to haunt you.

Plot:

Four demure Catholic School girls, home alone one night, experiment with alcohol, coarse language, and the spirit world...

Plot Keywords:

Catholic | Ouija | Seance | Sex Offender | Blaxploitation

Cast

Aliza Finley Richards	...	Mary-Marla (as Aliza Finley)
Kelly Olson	...	Mary-Theresa
Deborah Baker Jr.	...	Mary-Beth
DaNae West	...	Mary-Francis (as Madison Dillon)
Blair Franklin	...	Alphonse Washington III (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gariana Abeyta	...	Bag Lady
Andrea Jones-Shiver	...	Mother (as Andrea Jones)
Edwin Klein	...	Father

Runtime:

USA:11 min | USA:12 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Burning Sky Pictures

Quotes:

Mother: Excalibur!

Soundtrack:

May Mourning

The funniest short I've ever seen!

I've had the privilege of seeing "Channeling Alphonse" TWICE at festivals. I first caught it at the NYC Midnight Movie Madness last year, and again this past January at Tromadance in Park City. It left the audience holding their guts both times. It tells the shocking story of a Catholic school girl (a doe-eyed Aliza Finley -- a lovable cross between Tatum O'Neal and one of the Gelflings from "The Dark Crystal") who gets possessed by a black sex offender/pimp from the 70s. It's offensive, sexually deviant and uproariously hilarious. The last shot rivals "Citizen Kane." Kudos to Peter Atencio for his subtle direction, Blair Franklin for his inspired voice over and to Jeremy Catalino for his fractured soul and glass-cutting dialogue (see also Catalino's mind-bending sci-fi short, "Bobby Loves Mangos," available on Atomfilms.com -- another brilliant stunner). A great effort all around. If there is a God, someone will inflate this baby into a feature.