On this week’s installment of World of Death, Ashlea Wessel of El Puchador Productions brings us an ink-filled bathtub of terror in her short film rightly-titled Ink.
Right from the start of this twisted short the tone is extremely apparent. With a dimly lit bathroom and mysterious shadows dancing in the hallway, Ryan Knight’s superb cinematography really helps to establish the dark and foreboding atmosphere that is to come. In addition, the set where the film takes place is wonderfully eerie as it displays an unkept and freakish bathroom with only a small glint of light emitting from behind two windows. The set immediately conveys isolation, and when the lead character enters the room we quickly feel her loneliness and pain.
For a character with no dialogue, Mishka Balilty sure knows how to convey emotion. Her angsty and rebellious personality is apparent the second she appears on screen. Witnessing her descent into insanity is nothing but a pleasure to watch and the way she motivates the story is simply chilling. Another aspect of this short that deserves praise is that of Adrian Ellis’s score. The low, yet frightening beats that Ellis conjures help to keep the viewer on edge as the shocking conclusion approaches.
Considering that images flash by quickly and the haunting lore of the tale is only hinted at, I highly recommend rewatching certain elements of this short and picking up on the subtle hints throughout (It might send you down a rabbit hole of Wikipedia investigations). The finale of this story is downright freakish and the accompanying camera shots are sure to give you nightmares.
What are you waiting for? Take a dive into a nice warm bath and enjoy Ashlea Wessel’s Ink!
-Noah Levine
Zomboy Productionz
World of Death is the web series that fans of independent horror have been waiting for. Featuring short horror films from all over the globe created by the largest variety of talent that a collection has ever been able to boast, WOD provides plenty of blood, guts, screams and laughs for all fans of the macabre. And with episodes averaging around eight minutes in length, WOD is the perfect entertainment for a fan base constantly on the go. Watch it anywhere, at any time, for FREE! New episodes premiere every Wednesday at 10am CST.
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