The Doors

I recently received a short film in the mail from someone I know who asked me to check it out. I’m always up for seeing new things, especially when done independently. I guess it’s ’cause I’ve always aspired to be a filmmaker but never got anywhere with it…so it’s exciting to see someone actually complete something.

“The Doors” is surrealistic journey by Kenneth Smith that plays with the notion of what might happen to someone who has just died and, well, might not know it yet. There is no dialogue, the soundtrack is minimal (but effective), and there is only one main character. And although it clocks in at around 9 minutes, Smith manages to chock it full of suspense, location shots, and a couple genuinely creepy moments.

I especially enjoyed the various locations in which he shot this film. A deserted small town main street, for example, was expertly shot and greatly increased the production value of the film…something important for all indie filmmakers to consider. That, coupled with a well shot surreal scene in a bedroom featuring smoke billowing underneath a door and a fire-like like cutting through the darkness helps give the film quite an impact.

However, I couldn’t help but feel that the acting, although there were no words, was a bit amateurish. The fact that there was hardly any dialogue meant the actor had to get by mainly body language alone…which is harder, in my opinion. It just came across as stilted in some sequences, and not completely natural. The editing also had a dis-jointed feel about it. While I could see that lending itself to this type of film, I’m not sure that was meant in this case. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I think it had to do with constantly using fade outs for transitions.

Over all, I applaud Smith’s efforts here. I think the film is a great exercise in taking a simple, but effective concept and playing with it in a unique way. You can see more of it here: http://www.myspace.com/thedoorsfilm