So brightly in the dark - Lawrie Brew :P

Hey Lawrie. LOL. that's how you do creepy!!

You know how harsh I was on 'Empire', but this is a much more effective piece. Parts of this were ultra creepy. Loved it.

I don't know if its a bad thing, but at first I was laughing at him; however that made it even more unnerving when the real him came out. He went from a pathetic character that I smirked at, into a really scary creature.

I thought the intro and outro dialogue were a bit too long winded, but maybe that's my MTV generation mentality kicking in - the middle section of this film is really really good however. As I've said before I'd rather see a brave attempt at something different than a mediocre idea executed well. This is however a good idea which in places is executed brilliantly.

While I would say I didn't think it gelled 100%, I loved it, and would watch this several times. Congrats.
 
Hi Lawrie. You suck for slightly making me soil myself. That guy was almost comedic in the beginning - insofar as how inadequate you made him seem. And then he becomes his real self. The predator. I loved how within his character his own nightmare resided. That just added to the extra creepy component for me. Now thats exactly the sort of person I never want to meet.

Whilst this was in true Lawrie style, twisted - it falls into a place where everyone can appreciate it.
 
The VO worked very well in the beginning and at the end but in the middle it just got repetitively annoying. The jump cuts and effects were unnecessary and did not have an effect of making the film more creepy. Simple clear shots would work just fine. For some reason I just didn't feel the kitchen seen was coherent with the rest of the film. The spotlight lighting at night was jarring to me as a viewer I felt like saying, "take the flashlight off him." Good score and creepy sound effects. I liked the story overall but it would have been cool if the fable was original. I did like the red coloring on the exterior and interior shot when he is breaking in. The film doesn't really seem to have a meaning to it. I could not make out what your message was, but overall a creepy film.
 
Thanks for all the different opinions guys :) I'll be sharing mine soon too - and look forward to hearing more of all your thoughts!
 
Meow this was straight up creepy. I was really excited to see the character evolve or rather devolve into the murdering monstercat from creepy nerd. The VO is very effective and very much complimented my favorite shot in the film: your actor tearing up and his psycho scream. whoa. I was afraid that the cat head would be funny rather than scary when I first saw it, but it was def frightening and reminded me of Donnie Darko (a killer film). I didn't think the lip twitch or the 'finger' were necessary, as they didn't seem to support the dark mood which was sickly contrasted to the bright start to the film... instead that moment felt act-y and the finger, goofy. Overall this is a solid short film and creepy as all hell. I'm still not sure what is really going on exactly, ie. the reason for killing (but a murderer's motive is usually tough to understand). In this sense I took him as the VO said, a predator, whom must kill out of necessity. The strangeness worked for this piece. Good work
 
Hi Lawrie,

Here are some words which came first in my mind when I watched your short: the good and bad, experimental, poetical, psychological, ironical

I actually needed to think and discuss a bit about your film to find out what kind of feeling it gave to me after I collected these keywords. The first thing was interesting and different. I love the score and the edeting of the score. The actor seemed to me beeing a little bit ironical and he played pretty good. I like how poetical the voice over is (is that you?). On the other hand, there were so many voice over and texts discribing the films in this fest, what I don't feel it is an intelligent style to make understand the audience what the film about is. In your film it went in the direction of poetical director. It gave the film a charming side, even I felt it a bit over the top. Making a film with simplicity (one location, one actor,....), mixed up with the complexity of the character's beeing and taking so the attention of the audience, seemed to me that you aimed very high. For me it worked nearly, but there also is still a feeling left of not beeing 100% convinced. Certainly your short gave the fest an intellectual and I think I saw it right, an ironical touch too, what I appriciate very much.

Susanne
 
Cheers Susanne and Sebastion :)

Here is the end monologue (posting it for a bit of well girm fun! X) Also if folks would like i could post a link to the full version of Sarah's song.


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]In the heart of every child lies a frightened mortal dying to escape. In their timid utterances I taste their confessions, those sweet indiscretions that so frighten old mothers. There whispered to me, young secrets, from trembling lips. Our intimate prelude to final embrace. Frantic epitaphs are scratched across my brow by outstretched fingers. Our flesh and memory mingling into one. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]We predators speed the unpreventable decay, rescuing those enslaved upon the slow march to oblivion. The goose is spared thus by the fox.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Never have I felt more pathetic than when they called me human. I won't hear it said again, for I shall tear the throat of every infant, and bask in the setting sun of that contemptible race. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Extinction is beautiful. [/FONT]
 
filmcritic said:
.... but it would have been cool if the fable was original.
Click to expand...

Well, I think it was actually - I believe only the first few words came from the book, the rest was pure Lawriejaffa, am I right Lawrie? I'm hoping it was, because it's a beautiful piece of writing: I'd prefer to call it a poetic accompaniment to the film rather than a voice over. You really put yourself on the line doing that but I think it came off very well really (and it fit in very well with Sarah's beautiful, and very varied, score). A sort of cinematographic version of Nick Caves "Murder Ballads". It also brought to mind Terence Davies' poetic commentary to his documentary on Liverpool "Of time and the City" which we watched recently (a truly beautiful film). Those are two really big compliments so maybe I'd better add that you are not quite there yet :evil: but if you did write it you're not so far off.
I think your actor's performance was probably better than in any of your previous films. He really did look like a cat as he comes across the garden in that opening scene, but not in too exaggerated a fashion. As I said the score was great - especially Sarah's (?) voice unaccompanied while the actor is dressing and the "church choir' music in the red street scene, but the unnerving sound effects were good too. The ending was satisfactorily ambiguous and confusing for a Lawrie Jaffa film, but I don't think that mattered, probably helped make it creepier actually. Obviously there's some sort of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde thing going on: "In the heart of every child lies a frightened mortal trying to escape".
Great entry.
 
Yo!

I really enjoyed your film Lawrie! It had a very David Lynch / Richard Kelly feel to it's weirdness. Sick and demented, but also somewhat comical. Top 3 for me man. Good show!
 
Thanks guys your comments are really appreciated :)

Horncastle your right about the fairytale. I'm pleased to tell you that is what i did :) - here is the script part for that.


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]One day the fox succeeded in catching a fine fat goose asleep in her garden. He dragged the poor damsel down onto the grass and hissed, [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]'Why my pretty, I will strip your flesh to the bone, pale and naked before the moonlight night.' [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Worried mothers watched from afar, their inward clucking deafening her cries, while misheard over television sets, no fathers came. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The blade of a foxes sharpened tooth had bound the girl to death's companion.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Come sunrise, she was found, a half eaten meal picked and strewn, scattered like dirt. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Yet as the fox slinked into its lair, gleeful at its fine catch, gloatful over its full belly, he forgot that predators too can make fine prey by windows unlocked. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Ancient, that nightime hunter, the cat, prowled down darkened hallways towards the foxes crib. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]There I waited, breath held, with moonlit claws and eyes unblinking, I awoke the fox and whispered gently, [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]'Beautiful killer, your meat tastes sweetest of all' [/FONT]
 
Well, that was pretty weird Lawrie. One thing I've learned about you is to expect the unexpected. I really enjoyed your last endeavour seen at sxsw.
You definitely have developed a unique and recognizable style.


'Beautiful killer, your meat tastes sweetest of all'
Click to expand...
That is my favorite line.


The story telling reminds me of Edgar Allen Poe. I had to imagine it being narrated by Vincent Price.


Sarah's music in the middle section really brought out the creepyness.

Thanks for entering Lawrie. I must say your entires are always interesting and always unique.


-Gord.
 
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Wow - that was really odd! Nicely done - the narration was lovely, though occasionally hard to hear. I am a sucker for a Scots accent, btw.

Shades of the movie "Strangers" from a couple of years ago, but more lyrical.

Thanks!
 
Excellent work Lawrie. I enjoyed this. You definitely take a step out of reality with this, and in a great way!

Some great images, I love the clothesline.

Big fan of the cat hat. Great sound.

Bravo!
 
Hey Lawire, can I ask something? The theme of this film seems very much about a predator, now becomming the prey. The protagonist who takes on the cat persona is wanting fox meat for himself (as it's the sweetest of all.)

So was his victim also a predator (a fox)? Or am I reading this completely wrong? I expected him to go after someone who had in metaphorical terms 'ate a goose'. The set-up seemed pretty specific in the hunter becomming the hunted. We didn't actually find out too much about his prey and why he considered them to be a fox. That would have completed this for me... I probably am missing the point, but when I said I didn't think it gelled 100% this was my thought.

But it's seriously creepy, you avoid convention, and show us the truth that real horror comes from within. The exploration of a fragile mind, done well, is a disturbing sight. You nailed that.
 
Hi there guys thanks for the comments!

Darkline (spoilers)
Oh thats a tough question because you extrapolate a specific meaning from a very distorted narrator who proves contradictory and perverse in his storytelling. You won't find straight absolutes in what he tells you, but perverted loops, cycles as it were where 'truths' repeately unprove themselves in order for him to maintain a facade. I don't think he ever espouses a love of mankind though or a desire to protect them from serial killers.

Of the general themes, (which for me) are nihilism, predation and loss of humanity you certainly seem to nail it on the head!

I'll pm you with a bit more info specifc to your fox question and im honoured you took the time to watch it buddy.
 
Ok, I can buy that because these people often invent whatever they can to convince themselves they need to prey, even if that reasoning is flawed and contradictory.

I didn't pick up on him unproving the truths he speaks. It's probably deep in the spoken text.
 
Well just to offer you an example, where you personally imagined or saw the catman as a kind of vigilante type hunting other 'foxes' ie. killers, well... in the end monologue - he talks about killing children and cutting the throats of babies. I don't know what more he can do to unprove any vigilante tendencies X

Cheers for the comments, i mean im always happy to go into detail over pms, but dont want to get too much into back story - ideas/ on the boards just cos i like to retain some mystery for it haha!
 
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yup. PM'd you in a bit more detail so my readings are not hogging the thread, people should bring their own interpretation to it.

I didnt see him as a vigilante tho. Although seeing him in a spiderman outfit would have had its own twisted pleasure..lol
 
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