 |
| Images Courtesy of The Elytra Collective |
Anthony Leroy
returns with what might possibly be his magnum opus. One of social
media's most creative independent filmmakers, his latest short, Bum is
nothing short of a grimy, gory, and completely inappropriate grotesquerie, and
that is most certainly a compliment. Fusing a shot on video approach with
found footage horror and irreverent comedy, Leroy and his rogue's gallery of
guerilla crew members weave a lo-fi nightmare that brims with uncomfortable
visuals, vulgar displays of human anatomy; bodily fluids, and a unique
mythology of urban terror that births a disgusting dime store Candyman
cousin into our poisoned reality.
Girth Brooks
and his underground news team are on the hunt for a vagrant who is performing
atrocious acts of chaos in a community that is being slowly overtaken by a
possibly evil real estate magnate. What follows is a night of mayhem and
unparalleled violence, in which the would-be investigators get far more than
they bargained for. Leroy stars as Girth and it is his awkward and
inappropriate comments that drive the insanity while also demonstrating Leroy’s
deep commitment to this project.
Grant Moore's
performance as Lackey, the real estate mogul, particularly in the first act is
chilling, and sets the tone perfectly. Bum walks the spectrum of
gross out comedy, horror, and suburban distress with ease, and it is monologues
like Moore's that make this possible. Rounding out the cast is Leigha
Stiles, who duplicitous turn as the reporter of the ragtag group is a welcomed addition
to this carefully curated vision. On the
surface things appear haphazard and chaotic, but as the story solidifies, Leroy’s
careful planning and excellent staging are revealed and showcased by his
actors.
Leroy and Josh Murphy's delirious cinematography is the bonding agent of
this ambitious endeavor. When combined with Leroy's meticulous editing,
the final yield is a kinetic storm of red soaked optics held together by
strange monologues and cryptic visuals. As the news team descends from
day to night, from reality to hell, the visuals become more confusing and
panicked, echoing the unfortunates as they progress closer and closer to the
titular entity and the climax is sheer madcap perfection.
Now available
on YouTube, Bum is a sterling example of shoestring budget film making
done right. Leroy and his team continue to create artwork that not only broadcasts
their love of the medium, it also displays a growing powerhouse of cinematic
creativity with terrible, nightmarish concepts waiting to be unleashed upon
us. I for one cannot wait for more.
--Kyle
Jonathan