To begin with, I would like to express my gratitude to writer and director Stephen W. Martin for giving me access to his online screener of the horror and fantasy short film “Dead Hearts.” The film is only 16 minutes long. In “Dead Hearts,” we follow the story of young Milton Mulberry, a mortician played by Valin Shinyei who is running an established family business. After he sustains a beating from some bullies during lunch in which Lola Littleton (Dalila Bela), one of his classmates, steps in to defend him, he realizes he’s fallen in love and that he is ready to give her his heart. Duncan Templeton, Nancy Bell, and Thomas Orr-Loney play the other roles of the movie as well, with Orr-Loney portraying Old Milton. I had little to no information about this short film before watching it. I checked his filmography and saw that he had some writing credits, and saw this was only his second film. It’s interesting to note that I have a plethora of readers from all over the world following my writings for Adamthemoviegod and Stephen happened to be one of them. I thus decided to repay his support by checking his Canadian short film.
Within Stephen’s film, the premise is intriguing and the themes are global, what truly is noteworthy is the statement behind the film. This is even more astounding when noting how entertaining and heartwarming it is from its first 16 minutes. The blend of comedy and horror gives a Beetlejuice vibe, especially during and after the resurrection sequence. I am a huge fan of the previously mentioned movies and was sure from the start that Dead Hearts had that kind of air about it. The production value is mesmerizing, the camera work is subtle, but so is the choice of shots. A few minutes in, there is a beautifully executed overhead shot displaying a mortician’s utensils, accompanied by an exquisite Milton cutout. Another example of this artistry is a vertical shot from the table turned towards Milton. All these details, put together, overly aid in making Stephen’s film one of the best-looking movies I have ever seen.
The audio levels are clear and the sound effects are at a nice volume, especially during the action scenes in which they are largely utilized. The editing is yet another aspect here that is full of energy. There is sharp zooming and quick cuts while simultaneously graceful editing pans as Lola prepares to leave Milton behind.
My approach to technical detail is somewhat selective, but what captures my attention lies not therein. Rather, it is the speech and imaginative storytelling that unfolds Milton’s story for us, somewhat akin to how your parents would read you your favorite bedtime stories. The speech is the driving force of the entire film and I am filled with glee that whoever did the voiceover immigration accomplished it phenomenally. It is similar to the different worlds that Tim Burton introduces in his films “Beetlejuice” and “Edward Scissorhands” (two favorites of mine). Even though there is very little interaction among the characters, the acting is still commendable. In my opinion, it was Stephen’s delivery of the narration that took over the entire experience, instead of facing passive interactions between the characters engaging in actions meant to reveal information to the audience. The credits of the film are in the possession of both Lola Martin and Luke Moore who are responsible for what we music we hear in the film, which I thought was exemplary Bear in mind that part of the score has Spanish rhythms, blended with that “other world” Tim Burtonesque panel that later glided into some smooth jazz, like those of the classic film noir.
To see Animation and practical effects in Dead Hearts was a surprise, but a pleasant one. In addition, there is an assortment of animated scenes starting from the climax of the story, some of which gore quite a fair bit towards the end with some disturbing randomness. This is the first review of any film I’ve reviewed that will not contain a section titled “The Bad”. In 16 minutes, you’ll be straining your eyes to find something wrong with Dead Hearts. In my opinion, there is only one minor issue and it lies with the stunts at the climax of the film. So, there is some conflict between Milton and the older versions of Lola and the school bully Harold. However, it is so painfully obvious that it seems like they have used child stunt performers to cover those roles. Obviously right? Because seniors don’t usually do their own stunts haha. Otherwise, they might slip a disk or some other injury that we don’t want to imagine. It’s semi-comedic, but a blaring flaw that needs to be exposed, so I’m mentioning it.
These days, it’s rare that I get to watch a film without knowing some of its details or watching the trailer, but once in a while, this turns out to be the best thing for me, just like in this case. To say the least, this one is a diamond in the rough. Speaking from strictly a technical standpoint, Dead Hearts is so advanced compared to most independent films. The camera work is phenomenal, the audio and sound effects are perfect. Each and every member of the cast managed to make their moments on-screen unforgettable and the elocution within the narration gives this kind of film a new fresh approach. The combination of writing quality along with Stephen’s vision creates a superb outcome. There is also an important message of humor inside and to make this even better, there are some fun bloody effects that make this one a big must-see. I’m starting to like short films and projects like Dead Hearts only strengthen that. With this one, I think I’ve found I could be a favorite short film, fantastic job to all those involved!
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