Eye For Film >> Movies >> Gash (2004) Film Review
Gash
Reviewed by: Martin Gray
Biting the hand that feeds it, Gash sees a presenter provide a step-by-step guide to social realist film-making.
Which sounds terribly self-indulgent and clever-clever studenty - but the joy of shorts is that ideas don't outstay their welcome.
Thus, films must be gritty, feature poor people, crack-addicted criminals and film-makers should always remember that "a garden is not social realism unless you are digging a hole to bury a foetus".
Eisenstein's theories are referenced as regards the viewer reading their own meaning into impassive faces, but not by name - still, it's nice to see that someone has been paying attention in Film Studies.
Really, this isn't a short to overanalyse - it's amusing and invites film-makers to think a little more originally, surprise the audience. I'll be surprised if you don't enjoy it.
Reviewed on: 20 Sep 2005