A dead soldier comes back from the grave to avenge his mother.A dead soldier comes back from the grave to avenge his mother.A dead soldier comes back from the grave to avenge his mother.
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Micro-Budget Cinema and the Successful Art of Less is More
Of course, the Internet Movie Database is littered with ill-considered wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding the inadequacies of low (or even micro) budgeted movies. This review is not for the likes of those people, rather it is for those of us that appreciate the difficulties of getting something on screen and love to see non-professional film-makers succeed.
Here, Brian Gregory adapts from his own short story 'Daniel' that was published in the 5th BHF Book of Horror Stories. In many ways, this is a modern British take on Bob Clark's 1974 Canadian classic Dead of Night. In other words, it's about a young man returning home from the battlefield. In both pieces, the audience cottons onto the idea that the soldier might not be all that he once was rather quicker than the parents.
Gregory makes the most of what he's got - the acting is good for a micro-budget project, but the director cleverly limits the amount that the performers have to do, and edits quickly and cleanly to emphasise effect.
The choice of black and white film also benefits the production greatly, light and shade, vague shapes, pulls in and out of focus that are not overplayed but add to a sense of ambiguity and surrealism. There is an easily established creepiness running through the sharp, stark look and the soundtrack rotates between eerie compositions, the sound of thunder and frequently spare dialogue.
There is a striking stillness to the early close-ups of Daniel (Adam Eveson) and a patient lack of speech, keeping the film short's powder dry until necessary.
David Keyes as Jack, the Dad, is a well-drawn character (not caricature) who is inherently racist, casually nasty and betrays a creepy need to invite everyone into his nauseous world view.
The make-up on Daniel does not overplay its hand (perhaps a successful mantra for the whole production). The ear is a surprise (I'm not telling you how!) but otherwise the battle-marked face is suitably suggestive without giving all the answers, even if we think we know where we are being led.
A final blast of gory colour leaves a lasting impact suitable for a film that overall does likewise.
Is it Hollywood standard? Well, no. But it offers a glimpse of talent and good movie-making sense on a shoestring and is well worth your time.
Here, Brian Gregory adapts from his own short story 'Daniel' that was published in the 5th BHF Book of Horror Stories. In many ways, this is a modern British take on Bob Clark's 1974 Canadian classic Dead of Night. In other words, it's about a young man returning home from the battlefield. In both pieces, the audience cottons onto the idea that the soldier might not be all that he once was rather quicker than the parents.
Gregory makes the most of what he's got - the acting is good for a micro-budget project, but the director cleverly limits the amount that the performers have to do, and edits quickly and cleanly to emphasise effect.
The choice of black and white film also benefits the production greatly, light and shade, vague shapes, pulls in and out of focus that are not overplayed but add to a sense of ambiguity and surrealism. There is an easily established creepiness running through the sharp, stark look and the soundtrack rotates between eerie compositions, the sound of thunder and frequently spare dialogue.
There is a striking stillness to the early close-ups of Daniel (Adam Eveson) and a patient lack of speech, keeping the film short's powder dry until necessary.
David Keyes as Jack, the Dad, is a well-drawn character (not caricature) who is inherently racist, casually nasty and betrays a creepy need to invite everyone into his nauseous world view.
The make-up on Daniel does not overplay its hand (perhaps a successful mantra for the whole production). The ear is a surprise (I'm not telling you how!) but otherwise the battle-marked face is suitably suggestive without giving all the answers, even if we think we know where we are being led.
A final blast of gory colour leaves a lasting impact suitable for a film that overall does likewise.
Is it Hollywood standard? Well, no. But it offers a glimpse of talent and good movie-making sense on a shoestring and is well worth your time.
helpful•10
- bige70
- Mar 19, 2023
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