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Directed by: Chris Page
Starring: Luke Crowe, James Noble, Keena Bodine
Running time: 8 minutes 38 seconds
Available at robofilms.com
This creepy short owes more than the music to Mr. Kubrick. A dry almost emotionless depiction of a young man diagnosed with the hideous disease of leprosy (remember Mother Theresa people) in modern times. This film may remind some viewers of those old elementary school films rolled out on a jumpy projector telling us how to wash our hands, brush our teeth (in high school maybe even the proper use or installation of the condom if you were lucky), or the dangers of not looking both ways when crossing the road while exiting the bus--splat. It is effective and well done. Although it can be somewhat distasteful, "The Leper" achieves its narrow goal (presumably satire or parody) with a tongue-in-cheek approach and disinfected humor, whatever that means.
"The Leper" is a film that you can actually watch for free on your computer by visiting the Robofilms website. If you haven't already discovered the joys of the Internet multimedia experience jump on board with the Robofilms' site. These guys offer everything from animated shorts to full feature films.
I plan to watch many of the films hosted by Robofilms and interview a few of the directors. In addition, einsiders.com will have an opportunity to speak with some of the staff at Robofilms and ask them how they can make these great films (some of them actually not so great) available for free.
Please note, watching a film, even a short one, on your PC or Mac can be frustrating especially if you are still using the old telephone line. I recommend that you make sure that you have the right plug-in (I used the QuickTime Version 4.1 to view "The Leper"), and you honestly select the correct speed choice corresponding with your Internet connection. In an interview to come with a member or two of the Robofilms' staff, I plan to ask them how we mere Internet mortals can improve the speed of our downloads and adjust the settings of our plug-ins to enhance viewing experience.
Stay tuned, give me your thoughts and let me know any questions you may have so that they can be addressed in my interview with the folks at Robofilms.
Jonathan Hickman
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