Hey folks, Harry here... Looks like Massawyrm is hitting the screens on CINEMATEXAS this year giving us a look at some really cool Short Films that you should probably keep your eyes open for on the various SHORTS SITES online... They sound awful fun...
Hola all. Everyone's favorite Chain-smoking, Dr. Pepper swilling, indie schilling festival dweller here with a report on the first night of CINEMATEXAS, the fest I previewed some of the shorts for earlier this week. As this has been a busy week, I opted to miss the early shows, catch some rest and attend the opening night midnight screening, a mixed international and UT (University of Texas) shorts program titled "Precious Bodily Fluids". And boy howdy was this indeed the stuff of midnight fare. The program ranged from twisted animation to softcore with enough oddity to go around for everyone.
As I settled into my seat in the newly refurbished Alamo Drafthouse North, I noticed a very weird assortment of folks who were in attendance. And not the usual film fest regulars either, around me sat some old bitties (who became rather appalled once the soft core kicked in), lots of friends of the filmmakers sucking down Schlitz malt liquor like there was no tomorrow, and a group of honest to God physicists. Yeah, it was a fun crowd to be milling with. Of course there was the ever present Hybrid.com critic sitting next to me (for some reason, no matter what screening I go to, I always end up next to the Hybrid critic. I think they're stalking me. That, or there are like, a thousand of them). Needless to say, the drinks flowed, the lights dimmed and our senses were assaulted.
Now, as with any shorts program, this was a mixed bag. Some of the shorts were awesome little pieces of brilliance, and others, well, many of them are student films after all. But tonight, I'm just going to drop the highlights on you, those few shining moments that really made it worth the trip.
The first film that showed, as well as my vote for the best film of the evening, was "Lint People", a brilliantly conceived Burton-esque stop motion animation project about little beasts made of lint that live beneath the floorboards of a building. This film is just beautifully surreal, a strange darkly comical jaunt into a piecemeal world of familiar fragments assembled together into a starkly original form. Marvelous and stunning. This plays once more with this same program next Friday night, the 21st at the hideout (11:30pm). Don't miss this.
Next was Manifest Destiny. Well, I have some issues with Manifest Destiny. You see, although I loved it, I'd seen it before...well, kind of. You see, it's about a drunk who's wife has left him, only to have a puppet show up to help him through his grief. Regular readers of my column may think that plot sounds familiar. Yes, that just so happens to be the plot of H.R. Pukenshette, another fun little short. There are, however, distinct differences between the two films. Where H.R. Pukenshette wallows in gross out humor so vile that you can't help but be both revolted and amused, this film focus's on clever subtle humor and more Muppet-esque antics, including a song and dance number. Don't get me wrong, I laughed my ass off at this short. It was funny as hell in it's own distinct way. But, you know, I've seen a very similar film before, so it was tough to see this as anything but a funny variation on the same theme. Oh, the puppet was perfect in design, puppeteering and voice. Overall, a treat.
Another great short was an uber-cool 2 and a half minute animated deconstruction of a fashion magazine called "The Manipulators". Through the beauty of stop motion, the magazine is doodled upon in the most imaginative, humorous way possible. Models sprout hair on their backs, are devoured by snakes and break wind. Absolutely juvenile and yet deftly original, reminiscent of Terry Gilliam's old animation work for Monty Python's Flying Circus in its brazen use of established photos gone awry. This is a jewel of stop motion genius. Another one not to be missed.
And finally a strange little black and white 16mm piece of strangeness titled "Pleasureland", about a man renting porn from a local store which distorts his VCR into a live woman who is of course ready and willing. This film then follows this man as he descends into addiction to his new form of entertainment and obsesses to the point of becoming what he craves the most. This film is just weird.
I must admit I suffered a whole extra level of surreal displacement as the video store they filmed in was none other than one of my old places of employment. It was just eerie to see something this weird take place somewhere where I'd spent a good part of my life over the course of six months. Very strange indeed. But a good, intriguing short, and the most serious cohesive film of the evening.
All in all, it's an interesting program, mixed together with some pieces some enjoyed while others scratched their heads. Definitely worth the look Next Friday for those that missed it.
Well, that does it for me tonight. Tomorrow night..."You can't fight in here, this is the war room!" I can't wait. The program looks killer. Till next time friends...
smoke 'em if ya got 'em. I know I will.
Massawyrm
