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[absurd-encounters-with-film-blog]

El Ciclo (2003)

Director - Victor Garcia

Writer - Victor Garcia

Running Time - 9 minutes

Country - Spain

     It's another dull Tuesday night, you've got the house to yourself and there is nothing on TV. I guess it's the perfect time to strip down to your birthday suit, take out the ol' boomstick and add to your collection of basement corpses.

     El Ciclo (or The Cycle if you want to be all English about it) sort of plays out like a heaving crescendo of dread. It decides to focus on building a tense and unnerving atmosphere which escalates throughout until we eventually reach the film's payoff, and "holy existential metaphor, Batman!" is it a good payoff. The cinematography is beautifully cold and dreamlike; contemplating the film's tone perfectly, and so does the minimalist sound design. I won't say much about the special effects (in case of spoilers) apart from the fact that they are brilliantly done and create some fucking nasty imagery.

     Overall a great little film and it did win Screamfest 2004's Best Horror Short prize so there's no reason not to give it a look. On a side note, I was going to try and liken this guy's blood, shit and piss soaked accomodation to student living, in an attempt of a joke. But, I noticed that he does remember to purchase toilet paper... so not the worst person to share with (zing).

#El Ciclo #Victor Garcia #2003 #film #short film #horror #horror review #Film Review #Short film review #surreal #strange #body horror #special effects #screamfest #wtf #gore #blood #short horror film #short horror movie #horror movie #horror movie review

[absurd-encounters-with-film-blog]

Kitchen Sink (1989)

Director - Alison Maclean

Writer - Alison Maclean

Running Time - 14 minutes

Country - New Zealand

     Not as if I had ever relished in pulling thick locks of matted hair out of plug holes before this film. But, I am thankful that on not one of those occasions have I also accidentally yanked out a human fetus as well. 

     This is just the beginning of Kitchen Sink; a beautifully gooey and morbid body horror (sort of) about a woman and her homunculus, though to go in to any further detail about the plot would really just spoil the film's dark, unpredictable tone. The visuals are grotesque and the soundtrack... the soundtrack is pure 80's horror synth bliss. There is also a short scene halfway through that makes me think that maybe Takashi Miike watched this while making Audition. And if he hadn't? Well then he should've because its fucking fantastic anyway.

#alison maclean #film #short film #horror #arthouse #horror review #Kitchen Sink #1989 #film review #short film review #fetus #homunculus #surreal #80s horror #black and white #black and white film #short horror film #short horror movie #horror movie #horror movie review