You’ve schemed your way to the top, and now you find yourself at the bottom because of said scheming. Director Luke James brings us to the breaking point of one such king in his work, A Short Film Inspired by King Lear.
Taking its cue from William Shakespeare‘s play King Lear, the short opens with a solitary hooded figure on horseback, King Lear (Karl Gibson), as he embarks on a long, cold journey through the woods. In the voice of Daniel Tueart, he begins reciting the storm monologue from Act 3, Scene 2. He calls upon the wind, rain, thunder, and fire to unleash their full fury upon him. Hoping to end his suffering, he makes a church his final destination to confront the gods once and for all.
King Lear arrives at a stone church in A Short Film Inspired by King Lear.
“He calls upon the wind, rain, thunder, and fire to unleash their full fury upon him.”
Filmmaker Luke James creates a moving piece of art, inspired by King Lear. He takes full advantage of a beautiful church setting, a wintry location, and a farmer willing to lend his horse for the opening segment. With the palette and brushes in place, James creates imagery of a man bearing the weight of the disastrous choices he’s made in life. Broken, he has only one place to go for resolution: the gods’ presence.
Armed only with an iPhone, a cape, a fake sword, and a few monk costumes, Luke James had a clear vision of what he wanted to put on screen and brilliantly brought it to life. He accomplished what all short films—ah, hell, all films, for that matter—need to do: make audiences feel. Feel what the protagonist feels and bring depth and power to the spoken word.
A Short Film Inspired by King Lear can be streamed on YouTube.
"…Armed only with an iPhone, a cape, a fake sword..."
