Amontillado
is a sherry, whereas rioja is a fruity red, but they can certainly serve the
same purpose. There have been a few adaptations of the Edgar Allan Poe story
over the years, but Vincent Price and Peter Lorre still probably claim the most
iconic take in Roger Corman’s Tales of Terror.
However, Neville Pierce updates and crystallizes the Poe classic quite distinctively
in Bricks (trailer here), one of three of
his recent short films releasing today on Vimeo VOD.
Clive
is a tradesman renovating the wine cellar of William, a well-heeled country
gentleman. Of course, he doesn’t think that makes his employer any better than
he is. Perhaps a little deference would have been advisable in this case.
Anyway, enjoy the rioja.
Blake
Ritson and Jason Flemyng are quite a well-known duo to appear in a shot film,
but Bricks was probably too much
juicy fun to turn down. Ritson is delightfully twitchy and villainous as
William, fully in keeping with the Poe-Lorre tradition. Likewise, Flemyng is
believably but tragically oblivious to the danger of his situation, rather
blinded by his egalitarian workman’s pride. It all looks spot-on, thanks to a perfect
set and Sam Renton’s darkly evocative lensing.
In
the case of all three shorts hitting VOD, Pierce collaborates with scribe Jamie
Russell, who has sole screenwriting credit for Ghosted (trailer
here).
Flemyng also returns in a supporting role, but the lead is clearly Alice Lowe,
an emerging genre star, thanks to Prevenge,
Sightseers, and The Ghoul. This is
definitely a lighter film from her, but she is terrific as Rebecca, a widow,
who has the ghost of her philandering late husband tagging along on her
internet-arranged dates.
The
premise is reminiscent of Robert Mulligan’s under-appreciated Kiss Me Goodbye, but it has a really
endearing twist at the end. It also looks great, thanks to Flemming Jetmar’s
stylish black-and-white cinematography.
That
leaves the competent but disappointing Lock
In as the weakest of the trio. Pregnant Lucy is alarmed when an agitated
young man barges into her former teacher father’s public house at closing time,
accusing him of unspeakable abuse when he was a student. They go into full
barricade mode fearing an attack from his mates outside, but in cinema today,
an accusation of molestation is tantamount to proof, so we know it is just a
matter of time before Lucy starts to suspect the worst. It is all pretty predictable,
but at least Lucy Boynton, from Blackcoat’s Daughter and Murder on the Orient
Express is quite good as her namesake.