The Lemmings of Bailey Manor is a short film directed by Hayden Eick that answers the question: “What if Terry Gilliam and Wes Anderson decided to join forces to direct an Agatha Christie story set in the Mad Max world?”.
We mean this in the best possible way. This is an amazing effort and I was genuinely surprised to find out that it has been submitted as a “Student Film”.
So, there’s a lot to say (and like) about this project, the first of which is that even though it’s a rather long piece for the short film category, the enjoyment is such that you don’t even feel the 34-minute length. Over 30 minutes short usually feels like the equivalent of a 3-hour feature film, and they’re not always justified, but in this case, it is. Why? Because what director Hayden Eick has done is create an incredibly complex, twisted, hilarious world that perfectly symbolizes what our modern society has become… and we need to dive into this.
The Lemmings of Bailey Mannor is a post-apocalyptic mystery comedy set in a devastated world. The world has become an endless, desertic wasteland, yet two girls, Stella St. Stempleburgess and Lucy James Janglebelt (if these aren’t the most original names for a post-apocalyptic piece, I don’t know which are), find a house and after discussing who should enter first, Lucy is murdered. Stella breaks in and finds three eccentric, out-of-touch wealthy men running the place who initially refuse to acknowledge what is going on only to use the murder for their benefit, causing Stella to start an investigation on her own… an investigation that will reveal to her not only who killed her best friend, but also the truth about the men in power and even what destroyed the world.
Now, we don’t want to spoil anything, but… this is quite a ride! Granted, the visual effects are a bit limited when it comes to creating a destroyed, desertic world… but there’s some odd charm in those old-fashioned CGI effects, and they are quickly forgotten once Stella enters the manor. Here, the film shines in a beautiful black-and-white cinematography in which almost every possible frame looks like a noir portrait, while the production design becomes an absolute delight. Using simple, basic elements like newspapers and regular junk, the production crew has created one of the most stylized short films we’ve ever seen. Yet, any of this distracts us from the film’s greatest strength… its committed cast.
Filipa Nikolova is a revelation as Stella. She carries the film with a grounded performance that reminds us of the earliest works of Emma Stone until she finally embodies the madness she has been forced to adapt by the end of the film. I’d highlight the dinner scene as one of the coolest moments. But then there is also Kai Estrella-Kowal who plays the Baron with such insanity that becomes a fast scene stealer. The Baron is a megalomaniac, self-absorbed, delusional populist who lies, manipulates, and destroys everything he touches (reminds us of someone, eh?), but as obnoxious as he might be, Estrella-Kowal’s charisma and over-the-top acting make him the perfect nemesis for Stella, and every time these two share screen is a delight. And the supporting cast is quite good, too! Jacqueline Campion steals our hearts in a couple of minutes she gets to play Lucy, while Noah Brennan-Cooke and Daniel Mendoza are terribly excellent as the Baron’s sidekicks.
However, none of this would have been achieved without writer/director Hayden Eick’s wild vision and co-writer Jamie Lynne Ford’s script. These two clearly have something to say about the world, the government, and even our current society. Their voice is loud and powerful… and is angry… and they’re right to be. The world they have created in this piece is not a pretty one, but, damn it, it’s one we can all relate to. Yet, the beauty of it all is that, rather than creating a yell of despair, they have created a chuckle of absurdity… an absurdity that maybe ten years ago we wouldn’t have believed real, but that it’s closer than ever. And through this wild, crazy piece, they have given us a voice to the many of us who are despaired at the world, and, by doing so, they have also given us something to laugh about… and even some unexpected hope, the hope that those are killing the world, will end of killing themselves.
If this review sounds subversive, is because the film itself is quite subversive… and it’s certainly one of the most amazing student films we have found. Huzzah!
Director Biography – Hayden Eick
Hayden is a up-and-coming director, writer, editor, and actor in the Bay Area with a deep passion for art, storytelling, and making people laugh! With nearly half a dozen short films and over a hundred sketches, video essays, and more under his belt, Hayden is unwavering in his love for the artistic process, and has no plans to slow down anytime soon!
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