Dream Seekers Productions is back with another short horror film to add to their collection. With this slightly longer than three minute feature, (that’s right, I said “three minute feature”) producer/director Peter Dukes has challenged himself to tell a full story and entertain the audience. This is not as easy as it sounds when you consider that every action of each character needs a moment to sit in with the viewer. As they say in life,”timing is everything.” However, Dukes pulls it off yet again.
If you are not familiar with Dream Seekers’ works, I suggest that you drop by their YouTube channel and breeze through. Stunning camera visuals, low light settings, and beautifully horrific makeup work are staples to Dream Seeker features. DANIEL is no exception to their creative styling’s of their past shorts with the exception that it deals with a slightly darker subject matter and tone than most of their other works. Not to fear (pun intended) if you are familiar with Dukes’ all age inclusive brand of horror, you will know that DANIEL still falls well within his typical parameters.
The horror in DANIEL is cerebral and does not depend on splatter/shock imagery to carry a frightening story line. Like a haunted house attraction, the gore scenes are shown as past tense, as the viewer is left to catch an after shot, leaving the scares to the viewer’s imagination. With Peter Dukes, story is everything. DANIEL is a story with a twist that will leave the viewer feeling like they took a wrong turn on the story highway. Using the element of surprise, one will definitely want to view the movie again to be sure that what they had just witnessed, is really what they had just seen (after all, it is only three minutes).
Being though that it is a (very) short film; it is not what is shown that will leave its impression on the viewer; it is what is not shown! There is enough story present in DANIEL to allow the viewer to piece together the remainder in their mind. The imagery of a home intruder, Ouija board, and a dead mother on the floor is disturbing enough to allow the viewer to carry and build tension before rupturing for the final scare.
Over all it is a visually appealing execution of a well manufactured story. It works well in the short film version but has the possibility to be expanded to a full length feature that I would absolutely pay to see. As always, I am a fan of Peter Dukes and Dream Seekers Productions and all their offerings. Now with the release of DANIEL, I have to say that this one will fall toward the top of my list of favorites for the company.
Watch DANIEL on Dream Seekers Production’s YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/dukeslighthouse
DANIEL stars Dominic Pace, Varda Appleton, Peter Le Bas, J.P. Giuliotti and Jake Ryan Scott.
Produced by Peter Dukes for Dream Seekers Productions.
Photographed by John Snedden.
Music by Giona Ostinelli.
For more information on Dream Seekers Productions please visit them on Facebook, Twitter, and at http://www.dreamseekersprods.com/projects.html