A Goblin’s Tale
Genre: Fantasy | Short
Director: Peter Dukes
Writer: Peter Dukes
Cast: Tiffany Giardina, Laura Kearsey
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Synopsis: A goblin comes to life from the pages of a storybook, forever changing the life of a young girl who is the owner of the book.
Runtime: 12 min.
View the short film in its entirety at the end of this review.
The Beast
Genre: Horror| Short
Director: Peter Dukes
Writer: Peter Dukes
Cast: Bill Oberst, Jr., Peter Le Bas and Alexander Le Bas
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Synopsis: THE BEAST is a short horror film about the internal struggle that a father faces when his young boy is afflicted with the curse of the werewolf.
Runtime: 12 min.
View the short film in its entirety at the end of this review.
Short films are always the best indicator of the talent of a filmmaker. In this
case, these two short films by Peter Dukes demonstrate a grasp of what thrills us in both the fantastical and the horrific. I loved the premise of both shorts. A Goblin’s Tale delights the imagination while delivering an unexpected twist. The casting of Radio Disney’s Tiffany Giardina as Caroline and Laura Kearsey as the goblin, Vlix, sets up a tangible mirror of innocence with just a dash of wickedness on both their parts.
The special effects makeup by Larry Bones for Vlix is commendable especially considering the nearly non-existent budget of this short. I enjoy a hint of darkness in my fairy tales but I just hope no goblin shows up in my bedroom tonight! I don’t think I’d be as nice as Caroline…
The Beast captured the beauty of the father and son relationship in a moment that tests those bonds. This had me on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding in my chest! The casting and emotional performance of Bill Oberst, Jr. (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, The Secret Life of Bees) solidified this short for me. It is amusing to note that Alexander Le Bas who played the cursed son was actually the son of Peter Le Bas, who played the uncle, but you’d never know with this performance by Alexander and Oberst. I’m glad that the werewolf transformation was not shown and that you didn’t really see the werewolf much. Often times, the downfall of low budget productions is showing off a bad werewolf transformation that breaks the viewer’s reverie of the story.
Dukes has a wonderful grasp on how to craft together the audible and visual aspects of a story. The music, sound and lighting of these shorts is of excellent quality and they do not seem low-budget at all. In both these shorts, the music accompanying each informed and created just the right tone for the story –Jeremy Schieffelin’s score of fantasy in A Goblin’s Tale and Giona Ostinelli‘s score of suspense and horror in The Beast. The production value set by these two shorts raises expectations of what Dukes can do with a funded feature.
All in all, I really enjoyed both shorts. Peter Dukes has the gift of sparking your own imagination through his storytelling. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next.
Short Film: A Goblin’s Tale
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsgzKpW5PdY[/youtube]
I give A Goblin’s Tale Three out of Five Stars.
Short Film: The Beast
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dKecixJico[/youtube]
I give The Beast Four out of Five Stars.
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