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TWISTED REALITIES
Directed by Herb HendersonIn the past few months I’ve received a number of short film anthologies. Like the old Clint Eastwood movie, the shorts range from good to bad to ugly. And yes, I know I’m wearing that expression into the ground, but there is no better way to describe them. Even when coming from the same source, the varying quality is astounding.
TWISTED REALITIES comes to us from Dept.13 and director Herb Henderson. I’m pleased to say there isn’t an ugly film in the bunch, not even a bad one. The three short films all come from the O’Henry school of story telling where every story ends with a twist, some you see coming and some you don’t. As for the quality, they range from the “not bad” to the “pretty darn good.”
First up is "Three for the Pit", written for Henderson by Bob Epperson. The story revolves around a pair of redneck graverobbers who are hired by dying geezer to retrieve the corpse of long-dead town elder. Rather than focusing on the dark side of humanity, the filmmakers play up the comedic. The result is a black comedy where everyone gets their just deserts. Looking back, this is probably my least favorite of the bunch. While sharply made, the ending is as clear as glass.
The next up is "The Mistress". This time Henderson both writes and directs, ultimately creating the best short on the tape. This Fatal Attraction for the Gen-X crowd is highlighted with competent acting and great, film noir black & white photography. The tales benefits from a structure that twists back on itself many times before it finally reveals the full punchline. Not only is the best short on TWISTED REALITIES, it’s one of the best shorts I’ve seen this year to date.
Rounding things out is my favorite of the bunch, "Pillow Talk." Mind you, this isn’t the best on the tape, just my favorite. From a filmmaking standpoint it’s probably the least proficient, but it’s by far the most entertaining. Again, Henderson lets Epperson handle the writing choirs in this tale of two idiots, Vince and Neal (played by the same gents as the graverobbers - hmmm, typecasting), who happen across a witches’ book of spells. Not fully grasping what they’re reading, our heroes use their Hooked on Phonics knowledge of witchcraft to sound out a demon from hell. Rather than relying on awful no-budget effects to create the monster, the filmmakers instead have the creature posses an everyday household item. I won’t tell you what it is, but I will say I laughed so hard I cried, something I haven’t done since reviewing WOW!! last year. Be sure to look for a few nice exterior animation shots that I have no idea how Henderson was able to pull off.
If I had to lay odds, I don’t think any of the short films on TWISTED TALES are award-winning material, but I feel they are all winning material. Herb Henderson is able to keep his tongue planted firmly in cheek in three tales of the supernatural that could have lost their charm if they were treated seriously. That’s a big problem with many of the short filmmakers of today, everyone wants to save the world and nobody wants to have fun. Filmmakers from all over could take a lesson from Herb Henderson. Don’t just love what you’re doing; make sure others love it too.