Dean Kavanagh Responds To Noirish Project

Dean Kavanagh is a filmmaker. His most recent work includes the internet mini-series “Late Hours of the Night”. He also formed Easter Film Group, and is a member of Experimental Film Society.

James,

Finished “Noirish Project” and I loved it. You created a very distant and bizarre world. Something very strange and mysterious about it too, that was the part I really liked. The world was only shown in what was relevant to the climate of the characters at a specific time, and that world held together very well.

Great dialogue too, very nicely performed, natural- and also extremely funny at times, which was very important.

I really liked taking the journey with the characters and I really wasn’t sure where they (or myself) were going to end up. Lots of fun homage along the way too.

I liked the scene where both characters are waiting for a train. The framing and light here really made me think of Kaurismaki via Dreyer. I also really adored the scene in the woods where your character stops for a cigar and a beer. The pool/pub scene was actually terrific fun. A long static take with a kind of Chaplinian rotation of characters, then in the background a woman trailing after her dog, again a kind of sad neo-realist touch never quite devoured by the comic elements.

The scene set against the large wintered tree was also fantastic- it had a very strange impact on me. Again it was slightly humourous as Alfie’s character reached a near ultimate frustration while yours was calm and almost relished the situation. All this set against this looming tree- it could have been a prop from some 1970s medieval costume drama or “Diary of a Country Priest”. This scene was one of the many winning touches for me. This, the opening shot, that strange ‘Hilary’ moment and also the final scene brought a strange tone to the film.

Another part of the set-up I really enjoyed was how your character always tried (and succeeded) in grafting free meals and beers. I really liked that a lot, it was very funny and also humbly expressed some small piece of coded information about the character.

The opening shot and the final scene really share a common atmosphere, they are very poetic moments, the latter being quite upsetting. Wonderful film and it really surprised me in the choices made and the directions in which it went.

I must also note that ‘Miss Haverfordwest’ is the most excellent name for a secretary! Congratulations James and thank you for sharing!

Subscribe and get email updates about the film’s progress