Detroit Jewel (2000) User Reviews

Why was this made?

[Havan_IronOak · 5/10 · 8 February 2003]

This is another of those shorts that screams "film school". The film has a quirky vision that makes it somewhat interesting as a short but it would have been a failure had it been much longer. The filmmaker incorporated a lot of the elements of a good film and ended with an OK short but next time he should try incorporating a good central idea.

Detroit Jewel is amazing

[fdeeodeeo · 10/10 · 21 May 2006]

I just saw Detroit Jewel on YouTube and I think it's an amazing film. Not only technically(still not sure how those aging effects and lost loops effects were done) but comically. I have never laughed so hard at a short film. Not only was the post dubbing brilliant and unexpected, but the script itself was very inventive. Some of it was very unmotivated and fractured. That gave the film a non fluid narrative that added to the comedy very much. The only thing I wasn't too crazy about was the choice of music. I think it would have been better to score an original piece and not use stock. But that is small nit picks. I e-mailed the writer director Tom Megalis asking him for a better copy of the film for my archives. I heard back from him and he told me the film was at Sundance a few years ago and he'd gladly send me out a copy. I think Tom Megalis is a comedic genius. I can't wait for him to do a feature so I can laugh longer!!!!!! He's the new Woody Allen in my book.

Detroit Jewel is a little gem

[Torq107 · 10/10 · 9 August 2006]

I viewed the short Detroit Jewel a few years back at the Sundance Film Festival. I am also a video artist and appreciate the film's playful, artistic tone. The writer/director Megalis clearly enjoys the medium of film. However, the film is too short and there is simply not enough time to develop much of a story line. And the narrative is very disjointed, it is over dubbed and the film is partially destroyed with scratches and jumps. Like I said, Megalis seems to love to play. But Detroit Jewel is very funny and well worth seeing if you can find it. Tom Megalis is also an actor in this film. His portrayal of the detective is strange, funny and memorable.