Lion (2017)

Some of you who have been with me long enough might remember me covering two short horror films, The Puzzle (2008) and The Sweet Hand of the White Rose (2010), from Italian filmmaker Davide Melini (assistant director for Dario Argento’s Mother of Tears (2008), Penny Dreadful and Into the Badlands). These were pretty good and provided me with a new experience in reviewing movies much shorter than I was used to. I also briefly spotlighted Melini’s supernatural horror/giallo hybrid Deep Shock (2019) back when it was still in pre-production. The film was delayed for quite some time but was eventually released in 2019. It has a cool classic and modern feel to it with a brutal bathroom murder scene that is worthy of the giallo style film it is celebrating.  

Davide Melini’s horror short from the UK titled Lion is boasted as being the most awarded horror short film in history. It feels like a runaway award effect is taking place with the film, as it is now up to a staggering 902 awards – which are individually posted on the film’s socials. 

 

After being attracted by the comic book style color scheme of the poster art by Manuel Espinosa Quiros, I went into Lion cold, and what I got was quite the brutal haunting, with an ethereal lion and a gory, albeit surreal, aftermath, with a tender close out. It’s a satisfying take on cosmic justice, but I also like to think that the supernatural violence that transpires could also be viewed, perhaps, as the mistreated child's fantasy. 

As a fan of mood setting intro credits, I did enjoy the impressive detailed galaxy and constellation visuals over the relaxing and regal sounding theme song (by Francesco Tresca) that also plays the film out during the end credits.

 

Lion stars Pedro Sánchez, Tania Mercader, and Michael Segal (who I fondly remember from the Italian Lovecraft adaptations from Ivan Zuccon, particularly The Shunned House (2003) and Colour from the Dark (2008).) Here, Segál is chewing the scenery as a drunken abusive father lost in his cups (beer cans). He’s kind of a caricature of the familiar alcoholic father always planted in front of the TV. He is nonetheless frightfully intimidating.

Sánchez plays the poor vulnerable child with no escape, and Mercader is the complicit mother. My favorite part is the suspenseful stalking scene with the mother in the bedroom. 

 

Lion is surprisingly original. Unlike Deep Shock, it doesn’t seem to feature any obvious homages to Argento. Although, Lamberto Bava’s Demons 2 does briefly come to mind during a certain pivotal moment. 

With a meager twelve-minute runtime, Lion wastes no time in telling its story that benefits from tight editing (Daniel Salinas) and slick cinematography (Juanma Postigo). It’s enjoyable, brief, and to the point without feeling the need to squeeze in too many ideas. It’s not a typical stalk and kill horror film but more of a power fantasy ghost story that I wasn’t anticipating. It’s a solid addition to Melini’s collection of short films. Here’s to a full-length feature for Melini someday. 

© At the Mansion of Madness

 

Lion is currently available to watch on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B088ZM366G/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc__2_1