Sweat of His Cow (Short)
In six minutes, John Stuart Wildman makes me wonder why anyone found the Zalman King softcore eroticism of “Red Shoes Diaries” and any number of direct-to-video Shannon Tweed films sexy. To a certain extent, I get the allure, but this comedy short punctures holes into the formula by leaning into the absurdity, and the result is quite enjoyable to watch.
A rancher (director Wildman himself) is milking a cow in the barn when a sexy lawyer doctor (Celena Rae) drives up. She’s out of gas. The next thing we know, they’re in each others arms, rolling in the hay. Tensions flare up, but so does the passion. End scene.
The dialogue, the choreography of the action, the performances, and that saxophone-infused score- it’s all there. What really makes this pop is the way Wildman makes the film look like a long-lost VHS, likely unmarked by owner, less the wrong person find it. That is a wonderful touch that makes this movie work just that much better. “Sweat of His Cow” does what any good short film should do- set up its story, and reach the punchline with confidence, and plenty of entertainment along the way.
