Length: 06:40
Logline: A visual representation of a Peter Reading poem.
This starts off with filmed footage but with a stop motion effect which has a nice quality about it before dipping into hand drawn animation then into montage. But it doesn't take long for the fairly repetitious content to become highly uninteresting after a while. It seems like half the length of this short is used up developing set up. Narration, by Peter Reading comes in at midpoint and so the film already runs a high risk of audience tune out before anything interesting happens. Okay, so it's based on a Reading poem (never a great start for a film) and tries to build upon that deliberate staggering verbal repetition, and I guess it works in that way but for me, it's not a good translation onto screen.
The pace builds in the third act where the narration and edit become manic. It ends up in a bitter tone which is at least evoking some other emotion rather than boredom. The plot seems to follow some habitual smoker (for whatever reason) sending a valentines card then being rebuffed and taking it quite hard. That makes it sound more interesting than it actually is. Readings reading of the poem is quite emotionally engaging but the film doesn't quite do it justice. Looks like a ramshackle animation to me which lacks substance and originality.
This starts off with filmed footage but with a stop motion effect which has a nice quality about it before dipping into hand drawn animation then into montage. But it doesn't take long for the fairly repetitious content to become highly uninteresting after a while. It seems like half the length of this short is used up developing set up. Narration, by Peter Reading comes in at midpoint and so the film already runs a high risk of audience tune out before anything interesting happens. Okay, so it's based on a Reading poem (never a great start for a film) and tries to build upon that deliberate staggering verbal repetition, and I guess it works in that way but for me, it's not a good translation onto screen.
The pace builds in the third act where the narration and edit become manic. It ends up in a bitter tone which is at least evoking some other emotion rather than boredom. The plot seems to follow some habitual smoker (for whatever reason) sending a valentines card then being rebuffed and taking it quite hard. That makes it sound more interesting than it actually is. Readings reading of the poem is quite emotionally engaging but the film doesn't quite do it justice. Looks like a ramshackle animation to me which lacks substance and originality.
Best Bit: The end titles.
Worst Bit: Sound of licking envelops.
Final thought: Yes, it is quite old isn't it.
Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.
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