Short Film: the Night Life

Just under 6 minutes is a very short time frame to put a story together in but that is what Lee Arter has attempted with 2009 short the Night Life and done it without any vocal dialogue.

Before the credits we are in a bar and, without actually shooting detail we see a couple clearly getting friendly. The non-focused camera gives us the impression of alcohol being imbibed.

The next morning and Max (Ace Marrero) wakes up on the floor. His first instinct is to check for his wallet, it is there and has a pair of panties with it! He stretches and we see the bite marks on his neck. He goes to the window but burns his finger in the sunlight, the finger goes into his mouth and he pricks his finger on his new fangs. He heads down the stairs, getting out of the apartment when the sun has set.

look, fangs

He goes to a gym and sees he has no reflection. He stalks a young woman, Alex (Laurel Vail), who is heading for an apartment. He lunges at her but she grasps his throat and holds him back, displaying prodigious strength. His fangs are showing and she starts to laugh. She is a vampire too. She heads away from the flat and motions for him to come. She’ll take him hunting.

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The hunt is where the film ends and whilst I realise that stereotype and trope helps communicate concepts quickly, perhaps it would have been fresher to not have the car thief as black as that stereotype is particularly tired, verging on simply racist. Be that as it may the attack on him is particularly visceral and well done.

The imdb page is here.