(Photographed by Media Production Manager Lilly Lafleur)
Staff Writer: Brian Galindo
Email: bgalindo@umassd.edu
The Dells is an original short film directed and written by UMass Dartmouth student Hunter Shields and produced by 20 Cent Fiction.
On Saturday, February 17th, the film premiered at 8 PM, and there were two showings the next day, at 3 PM and 8 PM, all of which were in CVPA 153.
The plot follows a student named Samantha, played by student Emerson DiSalle, as she uncovers the truth behind the closing of the Cedar Dells in 2022. The main cast was rounded out with other such roles as:
- Courtney Sullivan as Kelly, Samantha’s alternative roommate
- Zuri Walters as Kathy, Samantha’s laidback roommate
- Sloane Girard as Jesse, Samantha’s studious roommate
- Cooper Greil as the detective who is also seeking answers to the mystery of the Dells
Many secondary characters held their pieces to the plot along with the main cast. Most notable was Henry, played by student Tyler Murphy. His character was the victim of the first event, which set the story in motion.
Of the actors listed, Sullivan had a notably strong performance, acting as both a driver of the plot and a provider of comic relief. Greil also showed strength as the detective, appearing as a surprise savior in the end.
Murphy’s acting talents were especially on display as he covered three roles, each with unique characterizations. Double casting allowed many actors to show a level of acting they couldn’t always do in a single role.
The double casting of specific roles also led to a hilarious scene. Kayla Gilbert, in the role of Sofia, was dying in one scene and immediately returned as a police officer in the next. Though it wasn’t always obvious, it was a little silly when it was.
The film had original music composed by editor Ryan Debolt, which helped set the mood. Utilizing the music, Executive Producer Kathleen Murphy composed a short trailer.
20 Cent Fiction posted the trailer on social media to build up hype.
The trailer proposed a serious slasher film with a deep plot and a creepy killer. Did the film live up to it?
To put it bluntly, no.
To start, the plot was inconsistent. The movie’s beginning states that the event that set off the plot occurred in 1992. Later, it was said that Olivia, one of the students involved, graduated in 1990.
It was also quite contrived. Characters would make logical leaps in nearly every scene to push the plot forward. Certain twists, like Samantha and Olivia being related, felt unearned and wholly useless, as they added nothing to the story.
The action in the film was laughably bad, literally. At every point of the night, the room was filled with laughter. Scenes that were supposed to be impactful, such as Kelly’s death, were comical.
Even worse than the action, though, was the dialogue. Characters said things that no human would ever say in response to other things no human would ever say.
The worst victim of this by far was the lead role, Samantha. Samantha felt less like a character and more like an automaton, forcefully pushing the plot like a boulder up a hill.
If the film was satirical, it was terrific. “That was the best comedy movie I’ve ever seen,” an anonymous student said to me at the end of the viewing.
Although the film itself wasn’t exactly high art, it did receive a full round of applause at the end of the night, signifying that the audience did enjoy what they saw. That’s all that matters.
At the time of writing this, the film has just now become available on YouTube here. I absolutely recommend giving it a view, if for nothing but a good laugh.
Are you interested in keeping up with 20 Cent Fiction? Give them a follow on Instagram at @20centfiction!