We are constantly looking for new and different films when it comes to bringing you the best in genre entertainment. Short films are often where you find the most exciting new filmmakers taking chances, yet most audiences don’t seek them out. With that in mind, we will be showcasing a short film each week in an effort to give a signal boost to shorts we enjoy.
Like a lot of people, I suffer from zombie fatigue. Occasionally, something new will come along in the genre that catches my interest, but for the most part, I just want a large break from the unending undead horde that afflicts so much of pop culture.
So you understand my trepidation when I decided to give THE HUNGRY CORPSE a watch. Even though it hit film festivals in 2013, I somehow had managed not to run across it before a couple of weeks ago. Despite a title that sounds like a drive-in gorefest, it is actually a gentle, funny, and heartwarming animated story about two misfits—the titular undead gentleman (voiced by Bill Nighy) who is literally falling apart on the streets of London and a pigeon with a broken wing (voiced by Stephen Mangan)—as they meet and gradually form a friendship aimed at alleviating their loneliness.
A lyrical script with hints of darkness by James Pout and a lush score by Tim Goalen pull together this odd concept with the beautiful animation on display. I realize it is not exactly grindhouse, but sometimes, a little uplift is called for. Surprisingly, THE HUNGRY CORPSE provides just that.
–Matt Wedge (@MovieNerdMatt)
Tags: Animation, Bill Nighy, James Pout, Short Film of the Week, Stephen Mangan, The Hungry Corpse, Tim Goalen
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