The 5th Short Film Hall of Fame

Malice in Wonderland (1982) -

Overall, I enjoyed this short quite a bit. I'm generally not a fan of films/shows/etc. which turn kids' shows into adult films since the concept been done to death, but I think this short managed to find a unique voice in tackling the subject due to how bizarre it is. A lot of the imagery in the film is memorable, with my favorite bits being those which play with dimension and scale, those which utilize the recursion effect (the woman somersaulting and the tea cup), and some of the phallic imagery. In spite of how much sexual imagery is crammed into this short, nothing feels out of place since the entire thing feels like a nightmare. Really, this is the kind of stuff that animation is made for since I can't see a live action short accurately recreating what this short does. Plus, the film is long enough so that it doesn't end too soon and short enough so that it doesn't overstay its welcome. While it doesn't break any new ground, it does manage to breathe some new ideas into a rather tired concept. I'm not sure if I would want to watch more animated shorts akin to it, but I'm glad I watched this one.

Next Up: Night and Fog

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I've had that on my watchlist for awhile now. Hearing it's genuinely creepy has made me even more keen to check it out.

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There are some short films that should never be allowed because it is considered a bit too shocking and in bad taste?! I guess how that would be described lol

Agreed. I think that it's a critique of the way that guns can become a "when you have a hammer . . . " kind of thing. And we've just witnessed a whole series of slights that could become a reason for a "reprisal".

I just rewatched the last 20 minutes or so of that one a few nights ago. Disturbing stuff, and a great performance from Sean Harris.

Indeed

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Captain's Log
My Collection

I feel I should have some 3D font that changes shape and color as you read it and words that change from one thing to another in a fluid ever-changing sentence. So that when you get done reading it, it says something completely different than what you perceived. Gosh that would be cool!

So yeah, I liked Goodbye Mommy. I thought the animation style was aces, it was like the ever changing-ness created it's own underlying story. I liked the story too, sure it's weird with a giant queen and a strange baby that's been stolen by her king husband or maybe it was never hers in the first place.

But what I liked the most was the detective, he was properly angst ridden over his wife leaving him and I got this emotional insight from the story that they would get back together...or maybe it's just him wishing hard for what will never be again. I actually got a lot out of this short, which surprised me! Good nom.

HEDGEHOG IN THE FOG

I've seen this one a few times in the past. Brother Popcorn can always be counted on to contribute it to my Halloween Cartoon threads that have existed on various forums (fora?) over the years.

Funny that such a harrowing night for Mr Hedgehog can be such a cozy warm-blanket of a movie for Capt. Terror. The design is gorgeous (love that upward shot of the tree), Hedgehog's little whisper of a voice is adorable, the friendship with the bear is adorable, etc.
There's not much of a narrative, so there's not much for me to "review". You either vibe with this or you don't I guess, and I very much vibe with it.

You couldn't have picked a better film for it. How do they generally respond? They're roughly tween-age, correct?

The kids I use it with are like 9-12 years old.

The biggest hurdle is the fact that it's subtitled, as I always have a few students who can' decode at the speed or difficulty required. I usually read the subtitles to them in a low voice as the short plays.

They tend to respond positively. They find the part with the unseen creature thrilling. They always laugh at the part with the owl following the hedgehog.

They are usually able to get to an understanding about how the use of the hedgehog's point of view makes things seem scary (like the leaves falling) that wouldn't normally be scary.

Too late. We've already taken a vote and disqualified you.

You generally keep your rankings private and dm them to the host (jiraffejustin) after you finish reviewing all the nominations.

Night and Fog (1956) -

I've watched this a few times and each viewing cements it as one of the best documentaries and short films I've ever seen. It's hard to watch, but I find the imagery in it highly important given that so much holocaust denial and antisemitism still exists in the world.

While most war films/documentaries hold back on showing the full extent of what was inflicted on people during those times, Resnais shows the worst of what went on in the concentration camps and it makes for a truly powerful and unforgettable experience. This documentary confronts you with so much suffering and misery to the point that some of the images, like mountains of hair and landscapes of dead bodies being bulldozed into pits, take on an otherworldly and alien feel. As I said, a lot of holocaust denial and antisemitism still exists in the world today and, if seeing buckets filled with severed heads, soap made from human skin, or charred remains and skulls don't mean anything to those people, I'm not sure that anything exists on film that can can convince them, as far as I'm concerned.

With that being said, what prevents me from giving this documentary a perfect rating is that it's a fairly straight-ahead experience. As with all works which detail atrocities, they'll likely move you the first time, but after you watch them a couple more times, you'll start to grow accustomed to them. When I first watched this, I found it to be among the most harrowing films I had ever seen. When I rewatched it this time though, its impact was more diluted. To compare it to The House is Black, the beauty of that film never loses its impact for me (and I'm pretty sure I've seen The House is Black more times than Night and Fog), so I prefer that film by a pretty decent margin.

Regardless, as you can see from my rating, I don't mean to imply that Night and Fog isn't memorable by any means. It still is. Very much so for the reasons I listed above. The impact it had on me when I first watched it is truly unparalleled. Given this, it's essential viewing for all cinephiles, even though I've grown accustomed to it over time.

Next Up: Nu

That is a direct quote from Lewis Carroll's iconic novel Alice's Adventure in Wonderland. Alice goes down the rabbit hole, ends up in a hall with a small door, drinks the potion and shrinks so he can fit through the door. But this is not Carroll's "wonderland", but rather something... stranger.

Malice in Wonderland is a short film directed by Vince Collins *loosely* inspired on Carroll's novel. It takes ideas from its narrative and presents them through a series of bizarre, trippy, and sexually charged visuals and sounds that include fluids, appendages, vulvas, screams, and laser sounds.

The animation style is extremely aggressive and in-your-face with a non-stop flow. Even though it borders "closely" to sensory overload, there is still a hypnotizing quality to it all. It is also nice to recognize how Collins and graphic designer Miwako interpret the different elements from Carroll's story, like the Cheshire Cat, the Queen, the Rabbit, etc. in their own way.

There's really not much to say about it. If you're into a visually arresting, dizzying, yet mesmerizing experience, then taste it, and if you find it very nice, maybe you'll finish it off.

Grade:

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A GUN FOR GEORGE

This is the third and final short that I'd already seen prior to this challenge. (And it's also my nomination)

The comedy here is very much my thing. (The "disquieting ball fixation" line never fails to crack me up, mostly due to the actor's delivery.) And the aping of 70s grindhouse trailers is near flawless. But the reason I deemed this worthy of a HoF nomination is the underlying unease that's always there. This becomes less underlying and more "overlying" at the end, but it's even there in the early going. When Terry calls the male librarian a "slag" it's with way more intensity than the banal situation would seem to merit. We've discussed the ending elsewhere in this thread, but that twist in tone is the cherry on top for me. I like when comedies give me a little bit more to chew on besides just the laughs.

Like others have said, this is good enough to make me wish that Holness was more prolific. I've seen two short films (The Snipist is also a good one) and his one feature, Possum and liked them all. Looking forward to his next project.

A Gun for George

This is a sometimes funny and sometimes sad short film with a "be careful what you wish for" story that wouldn't be out of place in a Twilight Zone episode. Matthew Holness nails his portrayal of his creation Terry Finch, a man who is carrying around a big pile of rage that for the life of him, he cannot unload. His Z-grade vigilante novels nobody is interested in (besides Ron, the one guy who should have been the last person he read them to) and the daydreams that inspired them - their music and period details pleasantly recalling "The Bishop" sketches from Monty Python - are a hoot, of course, but I also approve of the more subtle examples of Terry's impotence. Highlights are him inconveniencing the local librarians to flipping off his tormenting gang members.

While I label Terry as an "angry white guy," I like that Holness makes him more David Brent from The Office than Michael Douglas's character from Falling Down, i.e., more sympathetic than pathetic. Besides giving him a justifiable reason for seeking justice in the murder of his brother George and the trashing of his prized automobile of the same name, I held out hope until the very end that Terry would take what Ron left him as an opportunity to turn things around. Alas, in true Twilight Zone fashion, he gets what (he thinks he) needs, but what we know he really should not have. The tone at the end captures this perfectly, which substitutes the up-tempo jazz you'd likely hear when the hero gets his gun in the movies Holness lampoons with mournful organ music as well as a bang with a whimper. It ends up being a short I'll likely think about for days for how well it captures that feeling of having a sob story that no one wants to hear. It doesn't provide a solution for dealing with this feeling, but it certainly calls out a non-solution, doesn't it? Oh, and that it does all of this while geeking out on the style of '60s and '70s vigilante movies is icing on the cake.

Have you watched any Darkplace yet?

Just finished Nu and does anyone know have a translation for the dialogue at the end? I can't find a subtitled version of the short. Not a huge deal, but I'm still curious.

Quick update: I plan on getting everything updated on the OP and get through more of my own viewings ASAP. My real life has been more hectic than I anticipated when we started, and I already anticipated being moderately busy. Without getting into too much detail, I'll be moving soon as I accepted a promotion. I should have a brief reprieve from business after Monday and until I move, during which time I should be able to finish up my viewing obligations and try to keep the OP updated semi-regularly. I'm not sure on whether or not I'll have to push the reveal back as it is possible that that could be the week of my move. But I'll keep y'all updated on that based on how much effect it has on this.

Yes! I watched the first episode last week. I felt personally attacked, though, because "Darkplace" is a show I would 100% watch if it was real. Good stuff.

MALICE IN WONDERLAND

Wacky 70s/80s animation is very much my thing, so this was a nice discovery. Reminded me a bit of Belladonna of Sadness, but also reminiscent of Bruce Bickford's work, with the ever-changing figures.

I'd have to watch it a few times in order to discern any kind of story/theme/message, but I definitely enjoyed the ride. I was not familiar with Vince Collins before now, but he seems to have a lot of stuff online so it looks I'll be going down that rabbit hole soon. (<-- unintentional Alice joke there. )