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Directed by John Lynch
Written by Jon Williams-Nobbs & John Lynch
Starring Johnny Vivash, Alan Mandel, & Jon Williams-Nobbs
Short Film Review by Chris Olson
Right from the aerial cross-fades of the introduction sequence, displaying the isolated mountain location of a research facility, short film Eddie has a pedigree about it that runs throughout and feels on a par with classic British black comedies like Sightseers or Shaun of the Dead. And like those films, there is a masterful balance of genres including comedy, horror, drama and mystery, among others, that is expertly handled by director John Lynch.
We meet the eponymous Eddie (Alan Mandel) after he is found wandering the nearly abandoned corridors of the aforementioned research facility. Our central protagonist (Johnny Vivash) is a scientist whose job it is to maintain the establishment, whilst attempting to find a cure for what ails Eddie - who is...shall we say, not quite 100%. Amidst the mindless tedium and babysitting, our Researcher becomes increasingly anxious about the nature of his assignment, which increases in terrorising bleakness.
With a penchant for great comic timing, writers Lynch and Jon Williams-Nobbs know how to handle their audience. The tone is consistent throughout, achieving that very British feel which audiences will find incredibly endearing, whilst not skimping on the heightened threat levels. The short includes some nods of the head to classic sci-fi filmmakers, who have taken this path beforehand, such as Moon or to some extent The Thing.
The central performance from Vivash is superbly delivered, coping well with the heavy lifting of delivering the lion's share of dialogue, without dropping the ball when it comes to balancing the genres or tone. His portrayal meant the film did not slip into any particular category (which it could have so easily done) and instead scooped up the best elements of many. Mandel is a compelling on screen presence, beautifully enhanced by the make-up artistry of Sara Adamson, and is a worthy sidekick throughout the bulk of the story.
What is so commendable about the filmmaking is the extra lengths that the filmmakers have gone to to ensure the piece is more than a low-budget funny horror. The use of spectacular mountain ranges being an obvious example, as is the music from Paul Russell which elicits some wonderfully poignancy from the scenes as well as building the necessary tension and threat of others. The storyline keeps all it's moving parts in order without losing pace, and the characters are vividly sketched so that this isn't just a gimmicky plot.
Terribly funny and wonderfully crafted, Eddie is a knockout comedy short film for 2017. Watch the official movie trailer below...
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