EEL GIRL

EEL GIRL (2008)
NZ
Directed by Paul Campion

CAST:
Julia Rose - Eel Girl
Euan Dempsy - Obsessed Scientist
Robyn Paterson - Military Officer

PLOT:
     In a secure military laboratory, a Scientist has become obsessed with the strange half-eel, half-human creature he's studying. When she beckons him to her, it's the call of a siren...

REVIEW:
     While researching the fun facts for my reviews I look at what other films the director has worked on or directed. Sometimes they have a very interesting film history and other times it's almost bare. It's when I run across short films directors have done that still fit somewhat in the horror genre I try to do a review of those films as well to sometimes to get a better feel for their works. Some of the fun of checking these shorts out is seeing that a lot of the cast from one film is involved in the shorts if they were made close together. Usually when this happens they film the two back to back or even when filming of the feature length film. One of the good thing about this is that the cast and crew are more in synch after working together. And sometimes these shorts are just one off films made to get backers for a future endeavor or just to get their name out in the market. Yet one of the better aspects of short films is that the creators have complete control and due to this is sometimes better, remember I said sometimes, than the other films they have worked on.

     The acting is in Eel Girl is for the most part okay. No one really sticks out except for Julia Rose who portrays the title character Eel Girl. Rose has to communicate sexualness through layers of makeup and prosthetics, which some of that isn't hard as she's naked throughout the whole short. Due to this her trying to sell seduction works, yet is very odd at the same time. The poor soul of Eel Girl's seduction is Obsessed Scientist played by Euan Dempsy. Dempsy is the odd ball out, as he, or Julia Rose, speak not one line of dialogue the entire film so everything has to be communicated through body language and gesture. Dempsy has to act the letch who sneaks around behind his supervisor's back to get his satisfaction and not get caught. A lot of his actions and gestures, while not meant to be, are comedic due to to him, acting wanton is basically licking your lips very slowly. Needless to say, Dempsy just doesn't sell it very well.

     The story for the short is very simple and easy to follow, which is a creature of unknown origin is trying to seduce a scientist that likes to take looks at said creature and pays the price for it at the end. Even though the short is called Film Girl, it has more in common with the siren stories from myths as the creature somehow is able to ensnare her prey. The makeup effects is genuinely the main reason to watch the short as all special effects shots are done in camera and from what I can tell no CG is used at all through out the production which is a nice considering that most film makers rely too heavily on it now. From what I can tell of the film, this was a demo reel more than anything else to get funding for another film, which I reviewed before this one. The reason I say this is that both films climaxes end very nearly the same with the same effects shot which is the main reason to watch this to me. Yet unlike the other film by director Paul Campion I reviewed earlier, to me this one had the better end effect shot. Campion though knows how to set his shots and get what he wants out of the camera with a limited amount of time the films runs for. The one downside is the story, as it just felt like there was more to tell but couldn't due to this being a short. All in all the film is a fun watch yet is lacking in story and the acting is, meh, at best.
     
BEST DEATH:
     The post bath snack of Eel Girl.

BEST LINE:
     Sorry none really stuck out on this one.

FUN FACTS:
      The small red flashing lights in the electrical panels in the observation room are flashing out the Eel Girl script in binary code.

     45 gallons of black methocyl (KY Jelly) were created by Weta Workshop to fill the bath.

     Director Paul Campion also directed the film The Devil's Rock.