The Cat with Hands

I've posted this on my other blog, but it's been a while.  I think it was Seth who sent this many moons ago. Regardless, once seen it cannot be unseen. I come back to it every so often as it's a great short.


Robert Morgan - The Cat With Hands from James Burke on Vimeo.

It's masterful in so many ways. The sound plays an integral part in the pacing, first noticed when the old man takes the pails from the kid.  The composition and creepy special effects which are probably really simple add all the more to the creep factor.  It's under 4 minutes and it tells a great story, cheaply and quickly.  I think part of it's appeal is that it doesn't feel the need to explain everything.  The mystery is key to the story and the reveal.

And of course, now, whenever there's a mystery in any script or film, I always think of JJAbrams' mystery box.  If you haven't seen his talk on TED you should really check it out. It's one of my favorites...and that's not why you should check it out.