Keepsake! Movie Review from Hardgore Core Productions!
Nathan Hine, or Harry Collins as he is better known as in the underground gore circuit, is obsessed with gore. Gore in cinema is his passion. He started the Facebook group Hardgore Core for that very reason. But that wasn’t enough. Gore aficionado then turned filmmaker, previously delivering his first short film The Last Day’s of Livermore (review here), followed by his first feature length film, The Sideling Hill (review here). Next, he brings you Keepsake!
Keepsake! opens to an unsuspecting Man (Bob Vresilovic, The Sideling Hill) showing up to a restaurant/bar called Tap Room. Once inside he meets a Woman (Tiffany Laskey, The Sideling Hill), and the two strike up a conversation. The conversation can’t be heard by the viewer, but it obviously goes well since they shortly leave together, drinks unfinished.
The couple leave in the Man’s Dodge Ram and take a drive. They end up stopping at a dilapidated house. “What the Hell is this place?” the Man enquires, puzzlingly. “It’s a house that’s been in my family for years.” she utters. “I only come here on special occasions.” she continues flirtatiously. The Man leans in for a smooch, but before he can lock lips, she produces a cyan-coloured pill. “What the fuck is that shit?” he queries. “It’s molly. It makes things, a little more interesting.” she reassures. She then pulls his rubber arm and down the hatch the pill goes. She takes a reddish-coloured one and they make their way toward the property. But strange things are afoot, since prior to reluctantly entering the house he sees two people on the property grinning like weirdos, waving at him. A bit shaken he follows the Woman inside.
Once inside the duo make their way to the bedroom. Feeling visibly affected by whatever pill he had taken, he quickly disrobes and lays on the bed, ready for some action. What happens next heads down Nekromantik 2 territory…
Keepsake! is a great short film that is brutal and gruesome with a big payoff. In one scene there’s a lengthy throat slashing that seemingly never ends, adding to its viciousness and visceral suffering, as blood sprays all over the fucking place. Kudos to Laskey for getting the job done! The practical FX come from Hine and none-other-than James Bell, so the blood and severed appendages are top-notch. The film also has a refined score by Will England that compliments to proceedings perfectly. Fans of the grue will be delighted with this one.
Directed by: Nathan Hine | Written by: Nathan Hine | Produced by: Nathan Hine, Bob Vresilovic | Cinematography by: Matty Calhoun | Editing by: Nathan Hine | Music by: Will England | Special Effects by: James Bell | Cast: Tiffany Laskey, Bob Vresilovic, Matty Calhoun, Nathan Hine, Melissa Sapienza | Year: 2019 | Country: USA | Language: English | Colour: Colour | Runtime: 25min
Studio: Hardgore Core Productions
