DEAD FRIENDS
Written and Directed: Stephen W. Martin
Produced by Katelyn Mann
Starring: Sierra Pitkin, Dawson Dunbar, Clarissa Lee
Reviewed by: Char Hardin
(1-5): 3.5
Category: Short-Horror

DEAD FRIENDS

October 28-30 New Orleans Horror Film Festival will be going on practically in my backyard, so it is with great joy, that I will be able to attend the festival. In fact, I will be there in the French Quarter the whole three days right in the thick of things is no other place, I would want to be. Many of the short-films I have reviewed have been submitted and only a few were actually accepted. I was disappointed that many, I had hoped to see, were not accepted, however, I am happy to report, that many of them were accepted by other festivals, so it’s all good.

I had recently put out an open invitation to the filmmakers who were accepted, to screen their films and conduct mini interviews once we get to the festival. I had few nibbles and DEAD FRIENDS was one that came my way. Written and directed by Stephen W. Martin, DEAD FRIENDS is a cute short, but don’t let the word “CUTE” throw you there was blood and DEAD beings too.

Stephen said in his e-mail the film was created for the Crazy 8 Film Festival (http://crazy8s.cc/), where the filmmakers were given a budget of $800 and 8 days to make their film. Talk about CRAZY! Well, with his $800 he did a sweet little story.

Lola Turtle has an unusual way of growing playmates. The little girl’s sole friend is a stuffed Rabbit with an eye patch and it is after an act of cruelty on the playground, leads Lola to discovering a “seed” that she waters and grows into a playmate. The playmate is of an unnatural state, who participates in tea parties, dancing and providing companionship for Lola. It is a scene with her new Dead Friend back at the playground, which gives us a taste or the playmate a taste of the girls who make fun of Lola. LOVED THIS SCENE!

The Dead friend becomes jealous of the other friend in Lola’s life her stuffed Rabbit and goes a little rabid and drives Lola to choose Rabbit or Dead Friend…heads will roll when a boy gets between a girl and her best friend…no matter if that boy is Dead and that Rabbit is stuffed…don’t mess with a young girl’s heart.

Look at this review what is missing? Scroll up…see it? Scroll down…anything? My quote for the film! There isn’t a quote because the film doesn’t have any dialogue. It was acted out and the children Sierra Pitkin (Lola) and Dawson Dunbar (Dead Boy) did a great job acting out their roles. Sierra was charming and Dawson’s growling was GRRRR on the money. The story showed a lonely little girl and what cruelty that kids can bestow on other children was paid back in full by Lola’s DEAD FRIEND. And sadly Lola was put in the position by her playmate to choose and I think she chose wisely. Cute, funny, lively Zombie flick and Congratulations Stephen W. Martin, Cast and Crew on being accepted into the New Orleans Horror Film Festival. I am looking forward to meeting up with you at the festival!