The Valley of the Cats
Shot on Tape • Adventure, Short Films, 29-Sep-2020
Two brothers steal a car in Lisbon, Portugal and head for a lighthouse. Directed by George Daniell, “The Valley of the Cats,” is an inventive lo-fi comedy adventure, shot on 8mm tape, part road movie, part descent into madness. Dead Eye and Square Hands, as the brothers are known, make their way through a picturesque European capital in search of somewhere to stay for awhile. Along the way they get lost, sleep in their car on the side of the road, and come across a mysterious rave. Eventually they make it to the lighthouse, a place to unwind, play music and games, and drink booze. But something is off there — paintings on the wall appear to speak, the chess board plays itself, and the boys start to lose their minds. Daniell’s film is a spirited endeavor, made with a crew of one and filled with playful camera techniques, stop motion animations, and anything-goes plotting (car hijacking, chase scenes, musical montages, the like). It’s an endearing bit of DIY filmmaking that roams free, finds a destination, then heads off for another. Director / DOP / Editor: George Daniell. Cast and music: Frederick Douglas, Markus Treppo.
Up Next in Shot on Tape
-
Returning, Again
After distancing herself from a complicated relationship with her father, 22-year-old Kate Young returns home for the Thanksgiving holiday. “Returning, Again,” directed by Jinho Myung, is a family portrait shot on Mini-DV that details a persistent family divide, doing so with an astute sense of p...
-
There Is A River
Four music videos flow together in this dreamy and entrancing short film. “There is A River” includes tracks from the indie pop musician Okay Kaya’s second album, “Watch This Liquid Pour Itself,” to create an experimental work of beautifully captured moods and places, delivered with a mix of Mini...
-
Townsend’s Last Night
Across a freezing night, confused dropout Cooper Townsend tries to make it home. “Townsend’s Last Night,” directed by Rhys Scarabosio, is a chaotic, lo-fi fever dream about a young man who has lost his way. Left desperately clinging to his only refuge — scribbling lyrics in an old notebook — the ...
