Zoetrope

This amazing short film from imaginative music video director Charlie Deaux, who has done videos for Mortiis and System of a Down, unfolds in stunningly-contrasted black and white, and blends live action with animation. Deaux collaborated on the animation with Robert Beebe, while the sound was designed by Lustmord (Brian Williams), known for his work on films such as THE CROW, UNDERWORLD, and FROM DUSK TIL DAWN. The dark, brooding film is based on Franz Kafka's IN THE PENAL COLONY, and impeccably evokes the mood of the story. A man is imprisoned in an apocalyptic penitentiary, tortured by a bureaucrat in military garb who spouts empty philosophy while tending his machine. The nightmare grows darker as the prisoner approaches his unavoidable fate, and never discovers the nature of his crime. Fans of David Lynch and the Brothers Quay will find a kindred spirit in the fearsome beauty and chilling atmosphere of Deaux's film.