Search - Short 10 - Chaos on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 10/24/2021...

A must for George Lucas fans to see his first film and other shorts.

Short s... the race for new film makers.

Jose Adrian Mazoy Rojas | HUIXQUILUCAN, EDO. MEX. Mexico | 10/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Why buy a magazine on dvd if you can get movies? It's simple. Short delivers a variety of new film makers with fresh ideas; with short films from around the world, short gives your dvd a new horizon difficult to find for the VHS format: the short stories. Remember those times you want to see a film but you are running out of time? Here is the solution. Animation, documentary, narrative, experimental; whatever your interest, this magazine delivers, in every single issue, a new world to be discovered. Billy's ballon, Mr. Resistor and The Last Supper, are a few of the examples of short films featured in prior issues, all of which were worth the price of the dvd itself all alone. Most of the films contained in the short collection won't sound familiar, but, who ever said that great films are allways popular? This collection of short films is a most for a real dvd fan!"

A student film by someone named Lucas, among other things...

cookieman108 | Inside the jar... | 01/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Who wants shorts? Short films, that is...well, here's twelve interesting little ditties, some Academy Award winners...along with student film by some guy named George Lucas, entitled Electronic Labyrinth (the original title was Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB but was changed as to the shorter version as not to confuse it with a film he later released titled THX 1138). This is actually number 10 in a series called Short, which highlights the art of short films.



The DVD is broken out into six sections, listed below;



The first section is called Chaos, and features three films, all titled Chaos, which is also part of the title of the DVD itself (let the confusion begin)...anyway, the first short is a one-minute bit featuring skateboarders wiping out. I don't know why, but I seem to enjoy watching smug little punks rack themselves on crossbars. The second clip in this trio is a hand drawn animated bit that last all of 20 seconds (don't blink, you'll miss it). The third feature (5 minutes) is quite good, and shows what happens when men in animal suits are allowed to mingle within society unchecked...



The second section, titled Classic, features George Lucas' first short film titled Electronic Labyrinth (about 15 minutes in length), made in 1967, and tells the tale of a man trying to free himself of an oppressive society where the watchers are always watching...also included are three small pieces (entitled The Myth, The Truth, and The Legacy) that talk about George Lucas and his relationship to his former film school USC. There's also a little bit about his THX sound system, and productions notes (oh, by the way, in case your curious, the short appears to be presented as it was originally released, without any alterations or special effects added...most of George's later releases weren't so lucky).



The third group is called Narrative and includes three films, the first titled Five Feet High and Rising (29 minutes) about the awakening of sexual awareness among some inner city kids and includes a companion short, extra scenes, and production notes. The Fly (3 minutes) depicts life (and death) through the eyes of a common housefly...this was one of those Academy Awards winners I spoke of early. It also has production notes. The last is an animated feature titled Kebabaluba (2 minutes) and takes a humorous look at a Turkish kebab stand. Include is a recipe for kebabs and production notes.



The fourth group is titled Student and includes three shorts, the first titled Still Revolutionaries, a 16-minute documentary that focuses on two women and their involvement with the Black Panther Party. Included is a directory commentary and production notes. The second entry, titled deliriouspink (4 minutes) is a black and white short featuring Xeroxed pictures filmed in sequence to tell a story. The third and final short from this group is titled The Bottomless Cup (15 minutes) and is about a young man stopping at a roadside diner ultimately having a Twilight Zone experience (it would have never happened to me as I dislike coffee). Included with this short is a director's commentary, an interview with one of the actresses, behind-the-scenes photos, and production notes.



The fifth group is titled Experimental, and includes only one short called Po Mo Knock Knock (3 minutes). Normally I dislike experimental films, and I tend to think they're pretty pretentious, and here is no different. Included is director's commentary, writer/actor/director commentary (so much commentary for 3 minutes of film), a special edition track, a making of documentary, and production notes.



The sixth and final group is called Music, but it's a bit of a misnomer, in my opinion. The short here, titled Burnout (6 minutes), might be considered a music video, if your definition of such includes a gravelly voiced narrator speaking over background music. The box indicates this is an official selection of the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, if that means anything to anyone.



Along with the material listed above, there are some extra features including a listing of other DVDs in the Short, Circuit: A Music Journal, and Afrocentricity series, and trailers for the films The Perfect Storm (2000), and The In Crowd (2000). There is also a feature that, when clicked on, will issue a different, random short (each seemingly about five seconds long). Did you ever watch a show called Image Union? It featured independent short films, and was shown in here in Chicago on the PBS station, usually later at night, on the weekends, and after the British comedies. If you managed to catch it, then you will have an idea of the kind of material contained within this DVD...it's certainly not going to appeal to everyone, but if you have an adventurous nature, then you should give this a chance.



Cookieman108

"

Another Great Entry Into A Compelling Short Film Series

Howie | United States | 02/03/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you are even remotely interested in short filmmaking, then this series is a must-have! If your level of movie sophistication doesn't rise above titles like "American Pie," then skip the whole short film thing - the talent represented here is obviously wasted on you!This collection includes "Electronic Labyrinth", George Lucas' notorious student film which led to THX 1138 (the rest, as they say, is history). There are some other excellent short films here, including "The Fly," an Oscar-winning animation from the fly's point of view; "The Bottomless Cup," a story about a poor soul trapped in a diner; "Deleriouspink," a xerox-animation; and "Kebabeluba," a hiliarous animation about a Turkish donor kebab merchant. Many others.Some of the quasi-documentary films don't appeal to me, but I'm not a big fan of this type of filmmaking.It's nice to know there is an outlet for short films, which tend to be riskier and more adventurous that Hollywood fare. Most short filmmakers have nothing to lose: they aren't tied to budgets or studios, they don't have egomaniacal executive producers breathing down their necks wondering how much money their film is going to make, and they are often the technical experimental ground for new talent and visions in filmmaking.Once you get hooked on the short subject film, Hollywood product will seem rather silly.Go for it."