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James Harris reviews

Splinter

Viewed at Warwick Arts Theatre, Coventry

Cert: not yet rated
Released: Early 2005

Director:

Screenplay:

Cast:

Dr Lexington: Eva Pope
Joyce: Emily Woodward
Mr Floss' girlfriend: Juliet Diamond
Joyce's mother: Jean Heard
Mrs Peter's nanny: Nicola Ann James

I was lucky enough to attend the first ever test screening of Splinter, a new science-fiction comedy from Surface Films.,

Splinter is a comedy drama which explores the idea that there is a new device capable of reading the human subconsciousness by means of a microchip embedded in the subject's brain. What are the full ramifications of this? What EXACTLY is Splinter capable of?

The film is written and directed by Kai Maurer (DVDfever Dom asks: He who played Dieter in 'Eldorado'?), who does a nice job of intertwining the surreal aspects with a human drama.

Cover We begin with a series of fast vignettes,furniture being destroyed,people panicking intercut with the sinister psychiatrist Doctor Lexington (the lovely Eva Pope (top picture) from Bad Girls and Coronation Street) advising one of her more highly strung patients to "take your medicine. Whatever happens".

As the film progresses we discover that Lexington and her colleague Doctor Zinger have invented a way of scanning the subconscious thoughts and fantasies of their patients and have isolated the occupants of an office building to experiment with them over the weekend.They are joined by their two sponsors, one from the Secret Service and one from private enterprise.

The thoughts revealed by the Splinter are often hilariously funny, but when the story takes on a more human drama - as in the case of the desperately lonely Joyce - Maurer is capable of drawing the audience back in to the film without a sudden jarring change of pace. The cast are excellent throughout with no exceptions and the movie has a strong visual style.

The story flags slightly in the middle but this is a test screening and subsequent edits should fix that.

Cover The ending is very nicely done. At a certain point in the film I thought that there was only one way the story could end but there is a lovely inversion of the audience's expectations which this test audience certainly seemed to appreciate.

The version I saw was without title sequence, credits or music. It contained sexual situations,nudity and profanity.

The film also features Emily Woodward (right) as Joyce, and Juliet Diamond (above-right) as Mr Floss' girlfriend.

Splinter goes on general release in early 2005. I'd look out for it.

Review copyright © James Harris, 2004.

E-mail James Harris

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