You’ve read the story of Jesse James--
How he lived and died;
If you’re still in need
Of something to read
Here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
In January 1934, Clyde Barrow orchestrated the famous “Eastham Breakout,” leading to the escape of several dangerous inmates and the killing of a guard. This breakout established Clyde’s goal to seek revenge on the Texas Department of Corrections for what he suffered while being incarcerated. Unfortunately for the Barrow Gang, this incident also led the Department of Corrections to hire former Texas Ranger Frank A. Hamer to track the fugitives, ultimately leading in their gruesome demise four months later on May 23rd.
Based on the award-winning one-woman play “Inside Bonnie Parker,” this short film is set in the time immediately preceding this infamous breakout. Bonnie is injured, presumably following a robbery or some other such exploit, and she and Clyde have set up camp inside a barn. Clyde is preoccupied with his desire for revenge on the prison system, and is beginning to formulate his plan.
Content
The lives of Bonnie and Clyde have always held intrigue and mystery. While they were still alive, they were seen by some as mythic Robin Hood-type figures. And nearly a hundred years after their deaths, their names still evoke all manner of romantic imagery.
I really loved that this film opened and closed with lines from a poem written by Bonnie Parker and entitled, “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.” I initially thought that it was composed by someone involved in making this film, or by a Barrow gang enthusiast, but in doing research into these characters, it was even more intriguing to learn that Bonnie herself had written it. Not only is it a great glimpse into the psychology of the famous outlaw, but it’s a testament to the preparedness of the filmmakers in making this movie.
The end credits were also quite creative in the fact that, rather than playing music, there was audio of a radio broadcast that announced the prison break. This was a great ending for those unfamiliar with the story of Bonnie and Clyde, because during the film Clyde had talked vaguely of revenge, but it was unclear what type of thing he had in mind. For the history buffs, this would also serve as an indication that the infamous outlaws were nearing the end of their lives. Plus the fact that it’s just a really nice historical touch. (Although I don’t know for sure if this broadcast is authentic or just a recreation.)
The only problem with this film is that it might be difficult for some people to figure out what exactly is going on. There’s no indication given as to how Bonnie’s arm injury was caused, and one can’t really get a clear timeline until the end of the film. Though the goal of this short film was to get funding for a feature-length film, I, for one, still think it ought to stand on its own a little better. Perhaps a flashback or two, some old photographs, or a few snippets of old radio broadcasts would be enough to set the stage for Bonnie and Clyde’s current predicament.
Visual Look
One really nice visual touch was the fact that this film opened and closed with sketch-like images that dissolved to and from the actual footage. These images blended nicely with the words of the poem, as well as with shots of the paper that the poem had been copied onto.
Another interesting aspect is the fact that there was only one setting – the barn. There were indoor and outdoor shots, but the location never changed. The use of few locations can make life much easier for microfilmmakers, but sometimes an audience can get bored. This film deftly sidestepped that boredom by varying shots and angles, moving the camera, and going both inside and outside of the barn - the film still remained visually interesting throughout. In fact, my favorite aspect was that of the interior lighting, especially the beautiful shafts of light that came in through the slats to hit the characters face at interesting angles. However, there were a couple of interior shots that looked a little too underlit, and would have been better with a touch more light.
There were a couple brief instances of artifacts in the video. This only happened a couple of times, and as this movie was shot of 35mm and then transferred to digital, these artifacts were probably a product of that transfer. It’s not all that difficult to fix in an editing program by either re-importing or re-rendering the footage.
|
