Running Time: 86 Minutes
Starring: Graham Skipper, Paul Guyet, Christina Bennett Lind
Following Space Clown and Sequence Break, Graham Skipper make his latest directorial offering with The Lonely Man with the Ghost Machine. His film opens in an attention-grabbing way, as booming sounds accompany flashes of Nellie (Christina Bennett Lind) running from unseen danger. Her husband, Wozzek (Skipper), is screaming for her to run while the situation is seen through his face. The outcome is clear as his facial expression transforms into devastation, mirrored by how the film transitions into a monochrome look to effectively capture how lifeless his days now feel.
With only tape recordings to keep himself company, Wozzek is questioning his purpose while his sanity hangs by a thread. Having survived a global catastrophe referred to as 'The Calamity', he lives his days as the last man on Earth. In his spare time, he builds a lo-fi ghost machine with the intention of bringing back his deceased wife, although the biggest surprise occurs every night at midnight, when a mysterious stranger (Paul Guyet) arrives at his door to say ominous things.
Embodying multiple roles in-front of and behind the camera, Graham Skipper does tremendous work in his roles. In the titular role, Skipper's exceptional performance anchors this story with expressive facial work, conveying so much that speaking threatens to unnecessarily get in the way. He exceptionally captures the man left to grapple with surviving in a world extinguished by indescribable horrors, so starved for conversation that he speaks opposite a tape recording of himself talking. He soon finds himself confronted about his past, present, and whatever future may remain within this decaying world, in a story that draws inspiration from A Christmas Carol.
Breaking up the loneliness are nighttime conversations that Wozzek shares with a stranger outside his door. Paul Guyet's sultry vocals exceptionally breathe life into this unseen being, who attempts to entice Earth's last man through their exchanges of words. Their time shared soon becomes a fascinating look into their characters, as the unseen figure grapples with an all-consuming addiction while fearing both loneliness and the uncertainty of what lies after death. Their last conversation is an exceptionally crafted sequence, depicting the humanity within an inhuman being in a tremendous showcase for the assembled talent. Amidst a Frightfest full of exceptional works, this ranks amongst the best scenes that the 2024 festival had to offer.
As more layers are revealed regarding the plot, Skipper gives a further look into how Wozzek struggled surviving in this world, along with the impact it had upon his relationship. These unfolding revelations are a tremendous showcase for Christina Bennett Lind's talents, offering a look at how love can be taken for granted and the ways that the past can be seen through rose tinted glasses. While this is an admittedly short tale which could have benefitted from a tighter edit, the way it approaches existential questions through engrossing conversations are terrifically done. With The Lonely Man with the Ghost Machine, Graham Skipper takes a deeply human approach to the apocalypse with results that resonate.
The Lonely Man with the Ghost Machine made its European Premiere at Frightfest 2024
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