New Comedy Shorts From Cuba: Dany and the Nerds Club and Committee 666 2010
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Producer n/a
Directed by Victor Alfonso and Arturo Infante respectively
DVD , color, 25 min.; 17 min.
Sr. High - General Adult
Adolescence, Sociology, Drama, Humor, Popular Culture, Language, Mythology
Date Entered: 08/06/2014
Reviewed by Andrew Koval, MSLSThe American Media Initiative’s Cuban Media Projects serves to distribute “DVDs of independently produced Cuban documentaries, animations, and short fictions” (Halkrin, 2014). New Comedy Shorts From Cuba features two short films from different directors. Both films are in Spanish with English subtitles. The following review examines each production separately.
Alfonso’s Cuban animated short Dany and the Nerds Club utilizes the timeworn plot of a shy kid, Dany, yearning for the affection of popular girl, Adelaida. Themes of teen angst, bullying and gossip are formulaically exhibited. Characters are based on stereotypes such as jock or nerd. The challenge to express ones feelings to another without social ridicule is made paramount. The themes, humor, stereotypes and emotional hurdles make the tale relatable. Alfonso rehashes this universal plot without much variation to set it apart from other works of this kind. His character Dany is sympathetic and reminiscent of the popular U.S. character Doug Funny of the 1990’s cartoon series Doug.
Yet, the audio and voice acting are exceptional. The animation design is minimalistic and geometrically simple which may aesthetically detract viewers. However, this film’s animation style is similar to the cartoon series Home Movies which has a cult fan-base. Alfonso’s work is interesting yet there is better cinema exploring this universal trope with a higher quality of character development, plot points, and animation. “Dany and the Nerds Club” is suited for an audience of high school and college students to view at their leisure. Any library collecting leisure content for young adults would be the most appropriate repository for this piece.
Infante’s live action short film Committee 666 satires Cuba’s Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). The CDR has been established to quell any acts of rebellion against the government by having citizens monitor and report on the activities of their neighbors (CNN World, 2010). No explanation of the CDR is provided in the documentary. The audience must have previous knowledge of Cuban CDR’s to appreciate the film’s basic intent.
Committee 666 focuses on a Satanic CDR group. These CDR members are depicted as world weary sleazy malcontents. Infante is blunt in his criticism of the CDR. A blatant proclamation linking CDR members with evil is apparent.
Infante’s work attempts to be political comedic horror. However, Committee 666 is unsuccessful in fully establishing these elements. They are integrated in such a way that makes them mild and the film mediocre. Cannibalism, devil worship and occult imagery such as a black cat are presented by CDR members in preparation for Armageddon. It is inherently challenging to entertain comedic performance along with a subject as dire as the apocalypse. Movies like Adam Sandler’s Little Nicky (2000) and Seth Rogen’s This is the End (2013) are also examples of such unsuccessful attempts. Furthermore, the political statement is overshadowed by the satanic cult storyline. The scenes are uniquely gritty which augment the horror but the humor incorporated within the acts renders it mute. The problem is that a single story is trying to be told in too many different ways. This documentary could be useful in a political science course as a way of examining subversive political art generated within a communist country. Academic libraries that support a college of liberal arts may find the most use of Committee 666.
References
"Fidel Castro Marks 50 Years of Neighborhood Watch Group." CNN World. N.p., 28 Sept. 2010. Web. 5 Aug. 2014.
Halkin, Alexandra. "About Us." American Media Initiative. AMI, n.d. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.