Indie Scene: An ‘Appointment’ Not To Be Missed
Simple-yet-elegant debut short shows craftsmanship and potential
written and directed by John Faust
There’s a certain achievement of craftsmanship exemplified by a good short which is a good indicator as to the future potential of a filmmaker. In this era of digital filmmaking, where filmmakers pretend to do feature films without learning the art of the short film, the lessons in narrative brevity, characters defined in short-yet-bold-strokes, and how to create a compelling overall tone despite the economical constraints of a short’s budget are essential lessons for skilled feature directors. Take John Faust’s By Appointment Only, a short in which a seemingly straightforward, small-town film noir turns into a succinct horror tale of freaky, ritualistic murder, obscure magic, and, ultimately, disturbing incest.
A sad man with a sunken chest, Lyle (Matt Ryan), waits agonizingly in a seedy motel room. Although he just had a rendezvous with his out-of-town girlfriend (Annya Broderick), he desperately wants to leave this sun-dried desert town. But she would have none of that; she wants things to remain as they are. Later, he sits pensively at the local diner when another out-of-towner woman walks in. Her name is Jane (Belen Greene), and she’s been led to believe that there’s a hopeful idyllic home for sale down the road; unfortunately, her car has broken down. Lillian (Nancy Sinclair), the surreptitious older waitress, suggests that the kind man would be nice enough to give her a ride to the home. Little does Jane know she’s being lead to her demise, as once in the home, Lyle declares he has no choice but to strap her up. When night falls, Lillian then arrives, driven in a vintage limousine. She’s now transformed to the glamorous but decadent matriarch and has come to claim her victim, drink young blood, and, once satiated, she will discard her old skin and reveal herself to be Lyle’s pretty young girlfriend.
By Appointment Only is a confidently executed horror film from a filmmaker who cares about the quality of his product. Of special note is its use of Tammy Wynette’s country classic, “Stand By Your Man,” which is used here to foreshadow the incestuous relationship between Lyle and Lillian. Faust’s subversive use of the twangy ballad reveals in it a hidden commentary on dysfunctional relationships and also hits at the forbidden relationship revealed at the end of the film.
It pays to make a well-crafted short. Faust’s film has been screened at over twenty film festivals so far and is sure to open many doors for the filmmaker, and I can easily see why. The studio-project-caliber cinematography by James West and the tenebrous score by David Osenbach are standout. The camera glides cinematically; a shot in which Lillian arrives in that black classic limo is particularly great. When the terrible act of ritual murder arrives, the image trembles as if possessed by the otherworldly, with momentary cuts to black used to shield yet heighten the horror of the scene. That’s film talent, right there! We hope that By Appointment Only is the beginning of an exciting career for filmmaker John Faust.
Horror 101 gives By Appointment Only an 85 out of 101
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