Hell’s Company (Short)
“Hell’s Company,” a short film from writer-director Bradley Grenon, is a very slow burn, but that doesn’t effect it quite as much as you would think. After all, Doc Henry, the old man whose home the film takes place in, has waited for quite some time for the moment that’s about to play out, so he wants to savor it as long as he can.
Grenon’s film has a simple structure to it, as three men- Doc Henry (Paul Kandarian), the Reverend (Karl Kroner) of the small town, and Elliot (Christopher Fisher), the sheriff- each make their way around Doc’s table. There’s not a lot out this way, and Elliot and the Reverend are both in need of assistance, which Doc is welcome to provide. Doc Henry is a legend around those parts, as we gather from when Elliot realizes who he is, but the Reverend doesn’t believe him. It’s only when the Reverend goes to use the phone that Doc’s plan comes into focus.
This is a strong structure for a short film; in a way, when I tried my own hand at filmmaking with “Unwinnable Hand,” it basically was the same structure of three people, around a table, talking as character and story are slowly revealed. Grenon is much better at it than I was, and a big part of the reason “Hell’s Company” works is the mood set from the cinematography, which makes it feel like the film could easily take place in the old west, and the grizzled personalities of the characters. Doc Henry could easily have been Clint Eastwood’s “The Man With No Name” facing off against Angel Eyes and Tuco at the end of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” and it’s a credit to the performance by Kandarian that I can comfortably make that connection, but Kroner and Fisher do strong work next to him. Yeah, there is a bit of scenery chewing that goes with these characters, but it works to the film’s advantage rather than detriment.
I’ve been loathe to reveal much of the plot, because I’d much rather let the film- which is the video linked to here- do that work for you, because Grenon does a pretty strong job of building a specific type of thriller, and doing it successfully, and in a way that draws us in with each passing moment. He deserves to do the honors for you.
