“Tamarisk,” today’s Movie Monday offering, comes via a cool short clip I saw on Autumnforest’s blog. This is a short film her son made for a college project. Like his mom, he’s loaded with talent and creativity. (Not too long ago he also put on a gallery show that drew lots of attention and also featured one of his paintings.)
“Tamarisk” is really different. It kind of has this artsy feel to it, yet in a haunting way. Maybe the hauntingness is due to the music? Or maybe to the round view? Or the old, faded feel? Or maybe because we never see the man’s face? Or because we only see one person wandering around this desolate, abandoned place?
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I liked how it evoked both tension and expectation even though there’s no dialogue or real “plot.” I kept waiting for something to happen, and felt nervous that this man was by himself in a place I’m not sure he should be. (Because, going back to the first part of expecting something to happen, I was waiting for mutants or zombies to suddenly come after him. Or at least a cop to say, “Hey, you’re trespassing! Beat it!”)
But that’s what made it fun. If you haven’t already seen it over at Ghost Hunting Theories, I hope you enjoy it here. (And if you do, maybe stop by and let Autumnforest know you dug her son’s work.)
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Hey–what a shocking and pleasant surprise! That is one of my favorites of his films. He’s done a lot with this theme of the abandoned southwest and boomtowns that went bust. He’s like a tourist in a place that was meant to be a huge resort and never took off. All it has is empty buildings, equipment, and dead palm trees. Anyone who’s drive by Desert Center recognizes the creepy place. He likes to play with home movie type feels. He’s also extending the theme to include postcards that look like real tourist post cards from the vintage past, but with modern-day pictures of the bust-towns. He always says he’s focused on the Southwest, memories, and the broken down world his generation inherited from the Baby Boomer growth generation. It definitely comes across.
I’m so glad you stopped by and left this comment with additional info for anyone who might be interested in knowing where he got his inspiration from. This was such a neat short film. I’m glad you shared it like you did. Plus, it gave me a fun Movie Monday piece to post!