Stumbling across this movie again, I looked up previous reviews and notice one thing – so many dead links, and while it is common, it’s tad alarming, therefore why not take the time to venture back and show some care for this flick. I recalled seeing this movie at the Terror Film Festival (now defunct) held a while back in Philadelphia, PA – I believe was 2007, made the rounds at quite a few festivals including Tribeca and Screamfest. However, what is more interesting what become of the director of this short film, it was Ryan Spindell, who released a highly entertaining anthology movie which also was significantly meticulous on set design entitle The Mortuary Collection [2019]. Ryan, created this film with the help of Florida State University Graduate Film Conservatory and writer Bradford Hodgson, setting the macabre tale in a convincing 1960s era.
The story sets itself in Florida, and gives a true southern feel of the 1960’s, aiding in the setting, Ryan makes sure to capture the scenery as he weaves slowness of essence of life into his story and works to build suspense within his short. When one comes across this quiet building, which was formerly a planation and now Kirksdale Mental Hospital, its atmosphere is to provide a soothing, calming effect over their troublesome patients, thereby reducing one’s painful memories plaguing their memories. Then one summer day, the walls of mental stability tumble down releasing chaos, leaving Dr. Eckert (Greg Thompson (Dark remains [2005]), trying to contain the problems especially the escaping patients, meanwhile two others are faced to deal with their own demons, those belong to a thoroughly misunderstood teenager Molly Walker (Jessica Mansfield) and a young deputy Darryl Pearl (Joshua Mikel (Last Shift [2014]), their sanity is at peril in the growing madness found in this short.
It’s very incredible all the details and fine tuning that Ryan and his team incorporated in this short film and as well as a school project, it shows their passion. Spindell omits the commonplace methodological manner of then and other filmmakers to deploy an informal rude shakycams and explicit ultra-fast cuts, for the traditional structured storytelling well-planned shots and skillful measured scenes. Oh, an interesting note for many aspiring filmmakers, the antique police cruiser was on loan, and since neither the crew nor the actor had the proper insurance, the owner required them to push the vehicle in all scenes, using some trickery of another vehicle cruising in the opposite direction to provide the illusion to the audience that it was fluid framed scene. I must resist giving away any further details as not spoil the treasures found in this short film and your view pleasure.
I do find horror shorts to be a fun way to past time, and break from the future movies, sometimes, these little movies, will great insight into the minds and craft of possibly new filmmakers and some the hidden talents for the genre to count on in the future. Ryan definitely gives plenty of atmospheric horror, tension building moment and fair amount of well-crafted blood and gore.
TAGLINE: Sanity is a state of mind.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1121949/
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Baron’s Rating: 7.0/10