Come the Nightfall Review
“We have a bunch of Goddamn crazies running around…” – Henry
Here’s an extra treat for Halloween, a short horror film that’s been doing the rounds on the film festivals and if you need any recommendation (other than mine) consider that Come the Nightfall has been nominated so far for 282 awards and has won 263 of them.
Here we go…
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and there’s no more inventive creature on the planet than an indie film director with a miniscule budget. John Carpenter was the epitome of the concept with Halloween in the late seventies. Now along comes Tom Michaels with his short feature Come the Nightfall – just in time for Halloween.
Tom Michaels wrote, directed, co-executive produced, supervised the wardrobe, location scouted AND plays the lead in this taut slasher horror which runs a tight 23 minutes from titles to credits. His creativity seems as boundless as his work ethic, and his track record as far as winning awards for his films speaks for itself.
Come the Nightfall is an effective slice of paranoia, begging the question; who can you trust, even when desperate? Opening with a point of view shot of Victoria (Vanessa Beck) she basically breaks up with us at a winery, and drunkenly stumbles home before being accosted by a hooded stranger. Accosted might be putting it lightly, she’s attacked and slaughtered by a meat cleaver wielding maniac. (I say maniac because, come on, they’re slicing people up with a butcher’s instrument of choice.)
A week later, Bill (Tom Michaels) visits the local convenience store, and on his way home, he happens upon a stranded driver, Joanna (Jade Warwick). As there aren’t any motels in the vicinity, he offers her a bed for the night. She really has no option but to accept. His house is large and opulent, but there are the belongings of a woman around, but Bill reassures Joanna that they belonged to an ex.
That night, in bed with Joanna, Bill hears someone downstairs…
It is said all too often that there really isn’t anything new in the slasher movie sub genre, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that Come the Nightfall didn’t owe something to Hitchcock’s classic Psycho in its structure, for example in the opening scene we’re convinced that Victoria will be at the centre of the story, as we thought Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) was in Psycho but she’s merely the opening act. But if you’re going to take inspiration – then take inspiration from the best – right?
Jade Warwick brings a palpable sense of unease and paranoia to her character, succumbing to Bill’s request to change into one of his ex’s dresses for dinner, her performance perfectly complimented by the charming Bill, exuding his control with a quiet, understated calmness and kindness.
The budget for the film, as I understand, was a very lean $75,000 and every last cent shows up on the screen with Michaels’ tight direction and pacing.
It’s an old showbiz adage that you always leave ‘em wanting more – and Tom Michaels’s talent in telling a story with style overshadowing economy certainly does that.
Rob Rating = 8
