Moses vs. Godzilla (1999)

Studio Notes (1999)

Let's Meet Johnny (1999)

Bathtub Bully (1999)

The Good Heart (1999 )

These 5 shorts were shown with "Lotto Lizards" (which I had to miss) at No Dance. They all contain the theme of "film" with the exception, for some reason, of "Bathtub Bully." This is a short claymation film where Play-dough figures fight in a bathtub. It was nothing new, the kind of thing we've seen a hundred times.

"Moses vs. Godzilla" was absolute crap. What cracks me up about it is that it was originally intended as a piece to be shown at the Dreamworks wrap party for "Prince of Egypt." The film, if you were highly religious, would offend the fuck out of you. It's a stupid parody of a film trailer where, guess what, moses fights off godzilla with Ninja moves and a staff that shoots fire. what unimaginative crap. Dreamworks should insist on getting the footage back and burn it.

"Studio Notes" was a funny and clever film that used ht elife of vincent Van Gogh to parody modern film studio mentality. Van gogh works to get a "3 picture deal: and constantly reworks his paintings to try and appease his "studio." it was very funny, well acted and looked great. The whole film had a golden hue which evoke the spirit of the time setting beautifully.

"Let's Meet Johnny." Let's not. Don't waste your time. I'm not gonna waste mine writing about it. Typical junk.

And the piece-of-resistance (okay, my French sucks, so...), "The Good Heart." The short consists of one static camera shot supposedly self-recorded by a screenwriter who has just shot himself in the chest. For 20 minutes, the writer bemoans his present state of affairs to the camera. but this isn't a writer who can't get work. Surprisingly, this is a writer who is sitting on the top of his game. He quotes reviews that glow about his work while his inner feeling of self-worthlessness is slowly unleashed verbally onto the viewer. it's a great and complex character study. However, it's probably more a tribute to the actor and the scripter of the piece than the director to praise the film. The direction, setting a camera on a tripod and getting one continuous shot, couldn't have had too much to do really, other than, of course, getting everything set up to be able to present it this way.

No Dance didn't have press info for many of these shorts, so I don't know many of the filmmakers, actors and names involved. the only flyer/card I could find was for "Studio Notes" which lists the writer and director as Mark Goffman.

Report Card

Moses vs. Jesus: F

Studio Notes: A-

Let's Meet Johnny: F

Bathtub Bully: D+

The Good Heart: A+