Shorts! + Shorts II (brief films and videos)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Shorts: C+

 

 

In our continuing coverage of any company who issues DVD with short subjects of any kind, we now take a look at two volumes from the Razor Digital Company.  Simply dubbed Shorts, the two volumes to date are linked to the Colorado Film Foundation and are as follows, all in 1.78 X 1 unless otherwise noted:

 

DVD 1

 

What’s Wrong With This Picture? (Jeffrey Travis, 2002, U.S.A., anamorphically enhanced) – A silly brief gimmick piece saved somewhat by its animation.

The Chinese Wall (Sytske Kok, 2002, Netherlands, 1.66 X 1) – A good piece about upset lonely people and how they interpret other people as happy when they are far from it.

Dreamscapes (Sean McBride, 2002, U.S.A.) – Ambitiously animated attempt to capture images of people’s unusual dreams and how abstract they can get.  In black and white.

In Absentia (James Kibbey & Richard Heald, 2002, U.K., 1.33 X 1) – Disappointing and far too brief piece about a man’s longing for a long woman is also a missed opportunity.

John & Mia (Christian Dyekjaer, 2002, Denmark) – Long piece about an older man and younger woman that tries to get inside his mind, but is not always successful.

The World Of Interiors (Bunny Schendler, 2001, U.K., anamorphically enhanced) – One of the best pieces here and it is animated, dealing with a man who cannot seem to get going out of his home.

Dad’s Dead (Chris Shepherd, 2003, U.K.) – Amusing piece about a guy who’s friend is mourning the loss of a relative, or is something more bizarre going on?  Includes some interesting animation.

Ready (Savina Dellicour, 2002, U.K., anamorphically enhanced) – The other big gem on this disc has future star of Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake Imelda Staunton as a woman who is the last in line in her family and wishes for death.

Tenth (Matt Kovalakides, 2002, U.S.A.) – Taped piece about a Laundromat and a possibly sad twist of fate about a customer and her family is not bad.

Pishadoo (Marco Ricci & Michael Canzoniero, 1999, U.S.A.) – Long and sometimes amusing piece about a young man who was interested in hair since a child, how he becomes a barber/hair stylist and an interesting twist at the end that some may not thinks works very well.

Sleep (Matthew Thompson, 2002, U.K., 1.85 X 1) – Another taped project where death is hitting a main character, but this one has two friends.  Has its moments, but maybe could have been longer.

Fish Never Sleep (Gaelle Denis, 2002, U.K., anamorphically enhanced) – Animated piece that is funny at the oddest times about a woman who works in the food industry to the point she has insomnia.

Coda (Kitao Sakurai & Andrew Spark, 2001, U.S.A.) – Mixed piece about male coming of age story at a strict school that is uncertain in how to handle any sexual elements, so it ignores them!

Non-Abductees Anonymous (Phillip Powell, 2002, U.S.A., 1.33 X 1) – Lame one-joke piece mocking groups who think aliens have grabbed them.  Wrong subject to tackle and David Fincher’s Fight Club did better with this idea more or less.

Earthquake! (James Brett, 2002, U.S.A./U.K., 1.33 X 1) – Hand puppets and the title event: do they mix?  Another one-joke piece that you will either like or despise.

 

 

DVD 2

 

Dear, Sweet Emma (John Cernak, 2003, U.S.A., 1.33 X 1) – An animated work about an old woman who has a husband who is suddenly lost.  Not totally logical, but amusingly odd.

Life, Liberty & The Pursuit Of Happiness (Tiffany Shiain, 2003, U.S., 1.33 X 1) – A too-jokey-but-smart piece about humans and freedom that uses mostly stock footage with some animation and newly shot footage to make its points.

Child’s Pay (Charlie Fisher, 2004, U.S.A.) – A brief attack on the national deficit.

Milton Rogovin: The Forgotten Ones (Harvey Wong, 2002, U.S.A., 1.33 X 1) – Terrific piece on the great still photographer and the trials and tribulations his art caused him for no good reason.

The Firefly Man (Todd Fjelsted, 2002, U.S.A., 1.66 X 1) – Oddball animated tale in Fantasy genre for all practical purposes about one man’s closeness to life and death.

Coyote Beach (Markus Griesshamer, 2003, U.S.A.) – Overlong relationship in the middle of nowhere piece on tape that was done much better in Italy and France post WWII.

The Fine Art Of Poisoning (Bill Damonkos, 2003, U.S.A., 1.33 X 1) – a mix of stills and animation styles throw us back to an early favorite murder method, especially of early Mystery fiction.  Nice monochrome throughout.

Family Tree (Vicky Jensen, 2003, U.S.A., anamorphically enhanced) – Harlan Williams and Talia Shire head up cast of 31:25 comedy/drama piece about families that has its moments.

Mouse (Wojtek Wawszczyk, 2002, Poland, 1.66 X 1) – Can one man live with his mouse when they move?  Animated.

Here Was The Anthem (Sergio Umansky, 2003, U.S.A., 1.85 X 1) – Filmed with burned-in English subtitles piece about two hoodlums whose lives are about to take a strange twist.

And The Redman Went Green (Ruth Meehan, 2003, U.K.) – Crossing the street almost turns into a Musical moment in this amusing brief.

Space Off (Tina Franco, 2002, Italy, anamorphically enhanced) – Overdone piece about waiting for Mars images that is too giddy for its own good.

Good Night Valentino (Edoardo Ballerini, 2003, U.S.A., 1.85 X 1) – Popular short about one of the last days of the great film star Rudolph Valentino and his meeting with reporter H.L. Mencken; well acted and good looking.

Home Road Movies (Robert Bradbrook, 2002, U.K., anamorphically enhanced) – This is an excellent piece about the filmmakers’ childhood of traveling Europe with his family in a station wagon, and the father who made it all happen.  The narration and art design of this combo of animation and model work is a must-see.  It looks and sounds better than it did in The Best Of Resfest V. 3 DVD due to the anamorphic factor.

The Most Beautiful Man In The World (Alicia Duffy, 2002, U.K., 2.35 X 1/J-D-C Scope) – Pleasant, disturbing piece about a lost girl and a man who is either a threat or father figure works well for being so brief.

The Winter People (John Stimpton, 2002, U.S.A.) – A daughter and her mother go to close up a house they own, but they are not alone.

The Morning Guy (Mark W. Gray, 2003, U.S.A.) – The poorest one-joke piece on both sets about a woman who wakes up to her radio and has to hear the host talk on and on and on and on. 

 

 

On DVD 1, the animated pieces that are anamorphically enhanced look the best, while the live action pieces that get the same treatment on DVD 2 are the image winners for the most part.  Many of the shorts, film or video, just look softer than they should.  However, that is the nature of many of these compilations to date.  The sound is always Dolby Digital 2.0 of at least a simple stereo nature, but some have Pro Logic surrounds, and some have a Dolby 5.1 option.  In those cases, the sound is more like spread-around ambiance than solid 5.1.  As for extras, almost all include at least one audio commentary and a few have featurettes.  Family Tree has deleted scenes.

 

Though not always satisfactory, these Shorts discs try to be innovative in their presentation and that is a plus no matter which title you like or not.  Check out these and other collection elsewhere on this site.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo