Honourable Mentions: Blood Runners

This was a 4 minute long 2010 short by Jaime Lucero Jr. and two things immediately struck me about the short. Firstly, in the look. The short is in a crisp black and white, almost graphic novel-esque format that reminded me very much of Sin City. The next thing was the content that look at discrimination in what might be described as a post-True Blood kind of way.

the runners

It starts with two men, Ronnie (Adam Serafino) and Clint (Robert Moore) although who was who I can’t really say, in a car. One of the two starts going on about the recent elections and he can’t believe *one of them* was elected President. The rant is clearly inspired by racist anti-Obama diatribes and it is only when we get to the point where he says that they aren’t even human (to which his companion retorts that they are, just different) that you know (or sincerely hope) that the conversation is about vampires and not race.

Matthew R. King as Alefred West

These two are Blood Runners and the second cannot understand why his bigoted co-worker would take a job like that if he hates vampires so much. He admits it is for the money. When they make their delivery to Alefred West (Matthew R. King) the bigot's opinion shines through his attitude. West clearly cannot help but bait the man by pushing an overtly sexual line at him. The bigot takes the bait and has to be dragged back to the car by his co-worker.

an ordinary joe

When at the car, and having been told several times “Not on the job”, the bigot lands the final blow by voicing the idea that if he hates anything more than vampires, it is gay vampires. However, if you are expecting a morality lesson to be delivered you are going to be severely disappointed. The film leaves you there, at the credits with no resolution, no lesson learnt, just an uneasy feeling knowing that such bigotry – about any difference – exists. The film leaves you to ponder the situation and offers no solution. Then, after the credits, the camera returns to West sat, slovenly on his couch like any one of millions of couch potatoes across the globe – how different can he really be?

A piece that makes you think. The imdb page is here.
;)Q