Bandit Blood Be Bitter (2022) 💀💀💀💀💀

 

"The Helmers" (Susan and Joseph Helmer) at Hark! Ahoy! have likely flown under the radar of most horror fans. With only a little over 2,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, one could be forgiven for simply passing them by - but it would be a colossal mistake. Home to a series of weird western tales featuring bandit Monty Sprout, these productions are a delightful discovery and are deserving of much greater attention. Take for example, Bandit Blood Be Bitter.

Shot entirely without dialog, the film relies on camera work and the brilliant performances of the cast to tell the tale of a "Famished" outlaw (George Sternlight's Monty Sprout) as he stumbles across the camp of a vampire hunter in the snowy wilderness. The moment we first glimpse Sprout's dull, staring gaze he is so still as to make one wonder if he is even alive. His loud gasp breaks the stillness, followed by labored breathing that assures us of his survival, if not his comfort. There are moments where George Sternlight's portrayal of the hungry bandit walks directly up to the edge of campy overacting, but never crossing it. Instead he somehow manages to play more like Buster Keaton than Tommy Wiseau. Indeed, one can make a fair comparison between Sternlight's Monty Sprout and Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp or Buster Keaton's William Canfield Jr. It takes a great bit of skill to carry off such a role, and here it is masterfully done. 

In addition to the lead role, it appears that George Sternlight also has an uncredited appearance as a delightfully terrifying vampire. Whomever is in the role (and smart money is on Sternlight) drools, sniffs, and creeps in truly disturbing fashion before being dispatched by a vampire hunter. It is here that the film takes a Shakespearean turn towards a comedy of errors.

Sprout (referred to as Famish in the credits), stumbles across the vampire hunter's camp, helping himself to a dead man's jacket (riddled with bullet holes), devours a bulb of garlic, and swigs from a canteen which, as it turns out, contains blood. As he stands, spitting and gagging from the blood and garlic, the vampire hunter returns. To say any more would be to spoil things, but it is worth mentioning that Japhy Hunt's turn as the vampire "Ravish" is another standout in a cast of three near-perfect characterizations.

The sound design of the film is also particularly evocative. Every small movement and minor sound is heightened, the increased volume not only filling the space but making every action feel that much more intimate. The crunch of boots in the snow, the clatter of a wooden stake, the harshness of breath, all carrying a sense of immediacy. There is no separation between the viewer and action as it plays out, more than the filmgoer is a spectral witness as events unfold.

Ragnarsdóttir's intimate framing lends immediacy to each scene while still maintaining an artist's eye. Their choice of camera angles work together to enhance the story, positioning viewers as immediate witnesses to events (an effect heightened by the aforementioned sound design). Each cut anticipates where our attention naturally wants to move, seamlessly guiding us through the narrative.   

"The Helmers" tend to be creative with their credits, naming characters for a trait shown in the film rather than giving them actual names. Using a maddeningly difficult to read font, the film ends by having fun with the traditional roles of film making, making the film making feel more like a piece of  performance art than simple cinema. This is a criminally underappreciated short film that hits every note without a misstep, and viewers owe it to themselves to discover the entire catalog of films of Hark! Ahoy!

2022 ✶ 10m ✶ Color ✶ US ✶ Director: Asdis Guðrún Ragnarsdóttir ✶ Screenplay: Simone Skelly ✶ Starring: Japhy Hunt (Ravish), George Sternlight (Famish), Peter Sternlight (Doltish)  ✶ YouTube.