Bitter Lake: A Bold Experiment
This year's Eurofurence saw the première of Bitter Lake, a venture into live-action furry filmmaking. The project evolved out of "Fursuit Theatre" and took acting in fursuits from the stage to the silver screen.
In a kingdom torn apart by regicide and civil war, four leaders meet at a remote farm to negotiate a peace treaty. Each of them has their own agenda and dark forces also threaten the summit. The look of the whole production is simply gorgeous. It ranges from eerie shots in misty woods to beautiful warm scenes at a seemingly peaceful lake. Produced on a shoestring budget, the film's technical side is its strongest point. Some shots are of a quality that professional filmmakers would be proud of. The music, by Fox Amoore, is equally stunning.
The suits, made by Clockwork Creatures were done in a realistic style. This underscores the serious tone of the film: a story about betrayal, assassins and an uneasy search for peace. The acting was for the most part convincing. One small issue was the voice dubbing, where there were minor timing problems in the coordination of voice and muzzle movement.
After the screening, the producers showed a "making of" documentary. It drove home how much work had gone into Bitter Lake. It is a testimony to how creativity and clever craftsmanship can more than make up for the lack of cash. A sequel or another movie by this dedicated and talented crew will be highly anticipated. (cur)
Author: Curry