Director Mark Solter and writer/star Jeffrey Gane’s short film Fear Abides, Nightly Glistens, takes us into a vampire’s mind reflecting on his final days.
A solitary figure, Mr. Baldivino (Gane), sits alone in a hotel room, putting pen to paper, composing a letter to his old friend, Tzigane (Marilyn Solter). He laments the pair’s most recent falling out and invites Tzigane to air his sorrows one last time as Baldivino has lost the taste for blood and life itself.
“…Baldivino has lost the taste for blood and life itself.”
A gorgeous and haunting short film, Solter and Gane put as much effort into the visuals of Fear Abides, Nightly Glistens, as they did its personally reflective story. The entire short has a pristine noir look to it. Something is afoot as a shadowy figure overlooking a workbench strewn with dozens of matchboxes. We then cut to the outside of a hotel, peering down the hallway as a lone figure rushes to his room. Each shot is measured with intent while coinciding with the voice of Mr. Baldivino reciting his letter to Tzigane. As Baldivino shivers in his hotel room chair, we see that something is wrong with him, which is in stark contrast to the words and conciliatory tone of his letter.
But I need to discuss the issue with this horror short. There needs to be some backstory going in. Personally, I don’t like to do research before watching anything. The vampire angle doesn’t come until late, as well as the identity of the voiceover. Once you figure it out, the overall story becomes clear, but it takes longer than it should.
My appreciation for Fear Abides, Nightly Glistens is much like a piece of art. The short is not your traditional narrative, but what is presented on screen becomes a work of art. So the ultimate question is, do you like art?
"…gorgeous and haunting..."
