Blood on the Plain: High Noon For Horror

In late 2009 Mac Eldridge and his team at Water Cooler Productions released their student project short film Chemical 12-D. Made for short money, the film contained jaw dropping effects and a nice, self contained zombie story that rivaled professional efforts. Eldridge and company are back with their latest short film Blood on the Plain. Telling a tale larger in scale this time around, the film can be viewed as an open ended one off story but is intended as a pitch for a feature film.

Similar to Chemical 12-D, the new short focuses on horror born of man’s own devices. This time the threat stems from the settler’s wholesale slaughter of the local Native Americans in a land grab. A century later the town bears the wrath of the dead.  

The opening moments of the short establish a languid, sleepy mood often associated with dust baked mid-western burghs. It’s another lazy Friday at the local general goods store, and the town’s abuzz with anticipation for the homecoming dance. The audience is given just enough time to get to know the young couple front and center on screen before terror erupts in the form of brutal tribal warriors. Before anyone can begin to comprehend what’s going on, a gymnasium full of students is trapped and the rampaging natives make quick work of them. Once word gets out to the town about the massacre, parents and concerned citizens are stranded outside the building, armed with only grief and a feeling of impotence that they can’t do anything to stop what’s transpired.

The final minutes rush by in a blur. This is where the Western influence shines. A town hall meeting called to determine how to fight back introduces a group of hardened bounty hunters straight out of A Fistful of Dollars.  Eldridge leaves the audience wanting more as our newly formed posse head into the heart of darkness with dangers pressing in from all sides.

That couple I briefly mentioned two paragraphs back? Let’s talk about them for a moment. Just when you’re led to believe they’ll be the focal point of the film, Eldridge pulls the rug out and disposes of the pair in a brutal, almost casual manner. It’s an interesting storytelling choice and one not many filmmakers have the balls to pull. In fact, the short more or less eschews individual characters in order to establish a greater sense of community. Eldridge draws the audience towards a group of people forced to deal with their ancestors’ history. There’s the sense that the bill has come due. The early 90’s allows the setting to be recognizable but a shade prior to the days that widespread cell phone use, the internet and GPS connected everyone. As such, the town feels just a bit like a place out of time, and adds to the classic Western feel.   As with their previous short, the gore and special effects are top notch and won’t disappoint horror fans.

For a short time Blood on the Plains is available for digital download or DVD purchase at http://www.bloodontheplain.com/ You can also buy frames of film for $1. Be sure to keep posted as the film expands from its current format to a feature length production.