FILM INFO: Rose, a deaf musician, struggles to appreciate music again with the help of an unlikely mentor -- a 1960s front-woman who has disappeared from the scene.
WRITTEN BY: Mirella Christou DIRECTED BY: Mirella Christou GENRE: Drama TIME: 10 minutes.
Generally speaking, "Lady Electric" aims to be one of those inspiring films that leave a person wanting to push themselves to achieve more. In this case it's music related, more to the point, vocals. Mirella Christou follows the tried and true method for movies of this nature. Introduce the character and problem. Mix in a life changing event or person, and have the starring cast member finally get over said problem - and attempt to overcome. For "Lady Electric" herself, the problem is that she's deaf. Through her employment, she meets an old school rocker and after some deep conversation, attempts to sing again. With the help of a vocal tuner or key identifier on her phone. From this point ladies and gents, we the viewers are on our own. It's implied that Rose, our protagonist, just may achieve her goal - through a few cuts of her attempting to sing. If you're expecting to hear some form of operatic performance before the credits roll, you're out of luck. We are steered in the direction of what "could" happen next, but no more than that - and perhaps that's for the best. Why you ask? For me, "Lady Electric" was never about our leading lady becoming the next vocal sensation. It was never about becoming a massive success even though she can't hear. For me reader, it was about the journey. The attempt to do something because it's not easy. If a pep talk of sorts, could make anybody attempt the difficult, the world would be a different place... and it is not. This film was about the inner strength of Rose herself. Winning didn't matter. What mattered was having the guts to try. A truly character driven film. Technically, this movie really has a lot to offer. The cinematography felt spot on, and was held in place by a surprisingly effective video edit. The audio was top notch and I personally loved the design elements that went into it. It's made quite clear early on, through sound alone, that Rose can't hear all that well. As I wrote... excellent work. Another element that is design related is the general color scheme of the film. It's essentially flat - and at first you may notice this and groan a little inside. However, that quickly changes as you realize the flat nature of the color is intentional. A good way to showcase a world without sound, through the eyes of someone who "has" been able to hear in the past. This isn't a cheap look, rather a stylized decision. At least... that's how it appeared to me. If this was all accidental... well damn! It worked out for the best. I just tend to believe it was all done on purpose. Another great element of this production were the cast members themselves. Hilary Momberger-Powers as Grace was splendid. She simply oozed old rocker in almost every way. I'm not writing anything age related, I'm writing of the entire package. Troubled, sad... everything fit into place and felt just right. Rose herself, played by Amanda McDonough, was clearly no slouch herself. In order to make yourself known, as you play off of other talented cast members, you have to be doing something right. Her expressions, body language... pretty much everything gave me no reason to doubt everything I was buying into onscreen. Is Amanda deaf? Of course she is. That's why she got the part! Does she long to sing again? To hear music? Again, of course. This is why she got the role. Now, maybe I'm being a little silly - but you get my point. Excellent work ladies. I was truly impressed. Now... things are not all roses. "Lady Electric" does have a touch of an identity problem. Basically, to fully appreciate the story unfolding before you, you should probably read the description. Some of the background of this film assumes the viewer already knows the basics. Now... you could point to various bits of dialog, and say "Hey! This element of the story is right here" all day long. However, the fact is simple. There is not nearly enough. Anyone who watches this film, looking for this slight issue will notice it. With that said, I didn't have much of a problem myself. Again, maybe because I read the description first. If your eyes are reading this write-up... I don't expect you'll notice anything either. In the end, this is a short film created by some really talented people. Always a recipe for success. There really isn't much else to say. You either like something or you don't. I personally enjoyed "Lady Electric" quite a bit. The simple design of the poster art just doesn't do the film justice. There is nothing simple about this title. To the cast, crew and Mirella Christou - you've all done a fantastic job. Enough said.
