HSFF ’16: Night of the Slasher

You have never seen Star Trek’s Spock like this before. However, you will certainly be familiar with the horror film motifs that are about to be satirized. Jenelle knows them too. She is deliberately breaking all the slasher movie survival rules for a reason: revenge. Of course, preternaturally resilient stalkers are as hard to kill as final girls—a fact viewers will see for themselves over the course of Shant Hamassian’s wickedly sly short film Night of the Slasher (trailer here), which screened during 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival.

Basically, Slasher is like all the genre satire of the Scream franchise compressed into the now legendary prologue—arguably the best part. In a way, the short also represents a sequel of sorts. Let’s just say there is a good reason Jenelle is so self-conscious about the scars on her neck. Apparently, she knew what she did wrong the first time or had Jamie Kennedy to explain it to her. She intends to do it all again, but this time she will be prepared for what follows—or so she thinks.

Hang onto your Drew Barrymore collectible figurines, because Slasher is a heck of a horror roller coaster. You generally know where it is going, but the way Hamassian keeps upping the ante is pretty awesome. He definitely knows his 1980s horror, including the Star Trek connection to Halloween (that Michael Myers is wearing a beached out Shatner mask).

The film looks pitch-perfect and the physicality of leads Lily Berlina (as Jenelle) and Adam Lesar (as Killer Spock) is impressive. This might be a proof-of-concept short, but it is hard to imagine how Hamassian will top the sinister lunacy he has already wrought in this world (but we’d like to see him try). Highly recommended for old school horror fans, Night of the Slasher next unspools this Wednesday night (8/17) at the MidAmericon II Film Festival, following its screening at this year’s HollyShorts.

HSFF ’16: Princess Yun

A princess is expected to relinquish her heart to serve the throne. She must marry for expediency’s sake and potentially lead her subjects into the ravages of war. This particular princess has the additional task of safeguarding the Centrum, a cosmic artifact that can foretell the future. She will always do her duty, but that does not leave any room for sentimentality in Tiger Tse’s visually stunning sf-fantasy wuxia short film Princess Yun (trailer here), which screens during 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival.

It is the House of Li’s responsibility to protect the Centrum, while the House of Yi is charged with safekeeping the Actus, a relic that holds power over the past. For years, the two houses have maintained a peaceful equilibrium that Princess Yun expects to continue when she marries Yi’s Prince Jade. It is not just an arranged marriage. Ever since they were children, they had real affection for each other.

Unfortunately, that trust is dashed when a well-organized band of ruffians attacks the betrothed royals’ party, injuring the Prince and stealing the Centrum. With the natural balance shifted, the ambitious General Song exploits the resulting fear and uncertainty to stoke her plans for war.

You are unlikely to see a short film more visually and technically accomplished than Princess Yun in a month of Sundays. As an added bonus, it is also a film of considerable originality that spans and stretches genres. You rarely find a wuxia period piece that also incorporates time travel themes, while maintaining it ancient roots. Frankly, it is one of the few films of any length that could be described as both visionary and archetypal.

Tse has an eye for grand spectacle, but he also renders the classically tragic personal drama with great sensitivity. He is clearly ready for the big leagues and so is art director Ma Jun, whose grand sets and lush trappings overachieve and then some. Cao Jing’s costumes are similarly rich and cinematic. Chen Xiner wears them well, while subtly but powerfully conveying the complicated, conflicted feelings of the title character.

Princess Yun is another terrific example of how wuxia and related Chinese historicals give disproportionately strong roles to women, compared to action films in other countries. Princess Yun, her mother Queen Jingxi, and General Song are all forceful, commanding figures, whereas Prince Jade is the passive one. Highly recommended fans of all pertinent genres, Princess Yun screens this Tuesday night (8/16), as part of the “Action” block at this year’s HollyShorts.

HSFF ’16: Legend of Dark Rider

In a fantasy world roughly based on Medieval Europe, the monarch and his men-at-arms expect to hold a monopoly on murder. Therefore, when a mythic savage continues to kill with impunity, it is rather bad for business. A detachment of the king’s guard has been dispatched to hunt down the half beast-half outlaw, but winter is coming and its coming for them in Titus Paar’s massively Grimdark Legend of Dark Rider (trailer here), which screens during 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival.

The Captain of the Guard clearly resents his posting to the snowy provinces to track what he assumes is a Medieval analog equivalent of an urban legend, so he intends to take out his frustration on the locals, starting with an unfortunate barmaid. However, the mysterious and hirsute (even by the local Nordic standards) Vlademir has a story that will stop the abusive soldier dead in his tracks.

It turns out Vlademir might be the person to survive an encounter with the Dark Rider. Admittedly, it was more of a distant gander, but that is more than anyone else can say, especially the captain. After all, his boorish behavior and disrespectful talk about the Rider is bound to generate some massively bad karma.

Legend is obviously a proof of concept short, but it is an insidiously effective one. Paar sets the hook quickly, while pulling off some remarkably fast and economical world building. Granted, we are probably expected to use Game of Thrones as an unofficial foundation, but most viewers will be immediately intrigued by the Rider legend and quickly primed to root for a revolution against the oppressive social order, even before the revelatory ending.

By now, there is a huge potential audience out there for a property like Dark Rider. Paar keeps it tight and tense, while the rugged cast look and sound perfect growling and fighting together, especially the exceptionally grizzled Ralf Beck as Vlademir. He can certainly tell a tale. If Paar, can maintain the tone and energy, the world of Dark Rider could be the first original fantasy franchise to rival those based on best-selling novels. Recommended for fans of GRRM, Joe Abercrombie, and Steven Erikson, Legend of Dark Rider screens this Monday (8/15) as part of the “Sci-Fi/Fantasy” block at this year’s HollyShorts.