Killow is a part of the Roger Corman Challenge, and the selected entries are set to be curated in the first, and hopefully, according to the man himself, last Corman Quarantine Film Festival. The rules are relatively simple: The movie must be under 2 minutes long. It must be filmed on a cellphone. Finally, it must be shot in your house or backyard.
Of course, being a Corman-inspired project, making the film a bit absurd will mean it fits right in with his filmography. Killow goes all in with the ridiculousness by focusing on a killer pillow, as can be inferred by the title. Given that there is a movie about a killer sofa, at least two Deathbed films, and a film about a sentient, murdering condom, it was well past due for a killer pillow film. But, what exactly is the 1-minute, 58-second film about?
A man enters his hotel room and arranges it to suit his needs. As he is sleeping, the unused pillow on the opposite side of him rears up and launches itself onto his face to suffocate him. This wakes the man up, obviously, and a battle ensues. Does the pillow fulfill its bloodlust? Or does the man live to see another dream?
“…the unused pillow on the opposite side of him rears up and launches itself onto his face to suffocate him.”
Now, there are no credits attached to the beginning or end of Killow, nor is there an IMDb page for it. As such, this next bit of information is based on context clues but has not been verified. Based on the YouTube channel the film was uploaded to, it seems safe to presume that Ward Wells is the creator of the film. Considering that there is only one actor, let’s assume that is him as well. But again, this might not be entirely correct.
As Shakespeare wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit,” and that holds true here. Wells, or whomever, has made a nifty, creative little film. The movie wastes no time in getting to the action. The man enters, gets in bed, and falls asleep to the original, Jack Nicholson starring Little Shop Of Horrors, and is promptly attacked by a pillow. The pillow moves about well enough, and Wells pantomimes the attacks upon his person with loads of energy.
Wells also makes creative use of the limited space. Besides the attached bathroom, nothing is seen outside the bedroom door. This means it can be reasonably seen as a hotel room. He also makes good use of his only significant prop – the suitcase. How it comes into play is most amusing and works well.
Ward Wells displays a good amount of originality in Killow. The simple, absurd premise and ridiculous execution highlight his love of the cheesy b-movies Corman and his ilk ushered into this world. I am not sure how many times I’d rewatch it, but it is more than worthy of 2-minutes of your time.
Killow screened as part of the Corman Quarantine Film Festival.
"…a part of the Roger Corman Challenge..."
