CONDUCTOR ***** USA 2018 Dir: Alex Noyer. 7 mins
A traumatising debut for writer-director Alex Noyer, this begins on a deceptively innocuous note as young Michael Maclane spots his opportunity to win a kickdrum in a beat mixing competition at the mall.
Struggling to come up with a memorable composition, he receives aid from a tech-savvy stranger and is soon winning crowd appreciation. The unexpected consequences of his creation pay off with a truly astonishing mutilation-heavy climax riffing cleverly on the sadistic tropes of the SAW-era American horror film while joining the growing number of technophobic 21st century horror films. Technically, it’s a dynamic calling card, with outstanding use of sound and horrifying make-up effects.
Review by Steven West