Can a Short Film Make a Feature?
Sex, Love & Z-Parts Tries to Build Buzz
A short film is an art form all its own. It forces the artist to focus on the bare essentials of a story while still maintaining the meat of the plot. In a way, the audience gets a sense of what's going on, but never gets to know the characters on a meaningful level. It is, if you'll pardon the comparison, like the act of sex rather than love. In Sex, Love & Z-Parts: The Prequel, the short story is merely an invitation hoping to woo audiences and investors into a more meaningful relationship.
Written by: Marcus D. Russell
Starring: James Gohr, Gathering Marbet, Dyan Kane, Marcus D. Russell, Germond Byars, Damon White, and Paul Willson
Rated
Running time: 28 min.
FilmGuru's Rating : 7 out of 10.
The story begins with an extended driving sequence that ends with Disco (James Gohr) abandoning his 280Z by the side of the road. He needs money for parts, but the car is the least of his worries.
Having failed to fix a minor league baseball game, he has cost the local mob (affectionately called "The Pep Boys") a bundle of money.
A lot of people are looking for Disco. Some want to help him, some want to hurt him, but almost everyone wants to hit him. It's very clear that he and his friend Mitch (Marcus D. Russell) are running out of options.
Like a prolonged joke, Disco keeps saying "I can put this right. I just need to see a guy." Unfortunately for Disco, he owes everyone and can't hope to make this right.
The comedy in SLZ cannot be denied. Whether it's the physical comedy of seeing Disco repeatedly beaten or the witty dialogue of the Pep Boys arguing over a game of Uno, this film is funny. It's dark humor, to be sure, but it's original.
Because this is a prequel to a proposed feature film the story is a bit confusing. It is clear that Disco is having a horrible day, and it's also clear that things are only getting worse. The narrative, however, is disjointed and sometimes hard to follow. Actions and motivation make more sense on repeated viewings.
I enjoyed seeing the variety of characters converging in the story. The cab driver is inspired. The Pep Boys (including Paul Willson from Cheers) are a riot. The only point where the film seemed to fall apart is in its characterization of women. The film is obviously a guy film, and women are either eye-candy or obstacles. I didn't see any women in the story that struck me as interesting.
The short will undoubtedly draw comparisons to other films and directors. (I saw flashes of Tarantino throughout.) Written and directed by Russell, the film is a little rough but still has some high production values.
While some may think that spending $50K on a short film is crazy, Russell has a method to his madness. In his own words, "(T)he prequel indicates that we have a look, and that we have style; but more importantly that we are responsible and can handle the pressures of a larger production."
Bold words for a budding filmmaker. Yet, if Sex, Love & Z-Parts is any indication, he might find that golden investor.
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