Directed by James Corrigan, from a script by Rhys Bevan, Ed Baranski and Matt Gavan, ‘The Deddington Murder’ is a short comedy horror that explores the making of a promotional video for a long-running murder-mystery show. Matt Gavan portrays the sole character (Amos DeGuerre) who starred in the fictitious TV show, ‘The Deddington Murders’. Constructed of one continuous shot, the comical narrative takes a disturbing twist that will leave viewers gripped until the closing credits.
The 14-minute film opens with Amos DeGuerre counting-down the top 10 Deddington murders for a promotional film. In-between his direct-to-camera monologues, the film showcases his one-sided discussions with the production team and his flawed outtakes. As the countdown concludes, Amos rewards viewers with his personal favorite Deddington murder. He recalls an on-set tale of a disturbing home-sitter, who impaled the director with a screwdriver and kept him captive in a woodshed. At this point the narrative switches from comedy to horror, where the audience will be rewarded with an unexpected twist. No spoilers.
Matt Gavan (Amos DeGuerre) delivers a captivating performance throughout. High praise to Gavan for bewitching viewers in the 14-minute continuous shot – an ambitious pursuit that succeeds flawlessly. James Corrigan has directed an outstanding film despite the obvious technical challenge. Cinematography, lighting, production design and sound are of a highly professional standard. A must watch.
