Dorothy (Short, 2011)
Scott Hallam
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Starring Courtney Monsma, Darrell Plumridge, Andrew Nathan
Written and directed by Eros Romero
This 15-minute Australian short manages to accomplish more in a quarter of an hour than many films do in an hour and a half. Dorothy is a film that drops us into a situation loaded with mystery and real tension. What we have are two men dressed as clowns apparently being held captive by a little girl and her doll. Of course, the little girl happens to be demon possessed, and the doll is more than it appears to be as well.
All you coulrophobics out there will love seeing the clown population finally getting their comeuppance. For too long clowns have been the aggressors in horror films, scaring the holy hell out of everyone. For once the big floppy shoe is on the other foot. And there’s nothing sadder than a scared clown.
The clowns are tasked with one simple chore to escape. All they have to do is make Dorothy laugh. That’s it. Should be easy, right? That’s what they do. Unfortunately, Dorothy is a bit twisted and isn’t amused by pratfalls and squirting carnations. She more apt to giggle at split skulls and oozing brains. Quite the conundrum our clowns find themselves in. We are never actually told how the clowns managed to get themselves into this pickle of a situation, but it really doesn’t matter. The film explains just enough, and we sit back and enjoy the experience.
Dorothy takes some unexpected turns that are really entertaining. And the ending is great! Unexpected and unavoidable at the same time. There’s not much in the way of blood or gore in this one, but it’s not really needed. Dorothy is a quick shot, psychological mind screw. Really entertaining in spite of its brief running time. Well done!
4 out of 5
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