the movieGOOMBA

The Pope, tradition, rosary beads, Purgatory – all prominent images of Catholic culture. In particular, the priesthood has been the subject of documentaries, comedies, and the occasional drama. But have you heard of a priest making the movie? Meet Father Dominic De Lay, writer/director extraordinaire. Aside from celebrating mass every Sunday, he makes movies as his ministry. A part of the Dominican Friar order, De Lay preaches through art, and so he does in his 36 minute short film entitled Inside Darkness.

Just in time for the 2008 Presidential Election, Inside Darkness features three presidential candidates trapped inside a dark room. The three hostages:
1.) Presidential incumbent, Yvette Anderson- Protestant, female, Republican
2.) Senator John Bowman - Catholic, black,[ former Colonel, Democrat
3.) Patrick Weller - atheist, intellectual, Independent
The last thing they remember is being at the presidential debate, and though they share the same last memory, they do not share the same ideas about leading a nation.

Intense and symbolic, Inside Darkness is thrilling and politically charged. The dissonant music adds to the tension, and it churns the paranoia that progressively creeps into the slow shrinking room. The use of lighting is creative and spurs discussion. Why, for example, are some characters cloaked in red light at some points in the film? Why are there single points of light in a room full of darkness? There are other concepts to examine in this short film - Why do the captors keep looking to the sky? Why did the filmmaker choose such diverse demographical representations for his characters? How does religion affect their decision making, both in the room and out? And then, there's that ear. What the heck does that ear mean? The death of listening? One-sided hearing? Who knows? That's for you to discuss.

The analysis of Inside Darkness can go on for hours and hours, and you'll notice that I've listed more questions than anything else. Completely abstract, Inside Darkness is not meant to provide answers, which can be frustrating. This film is not for the artistically narrow-minded. It is, at times, hard to follow. There is no obvious plot, and no obvious message. It is meant to stimulate the exchange of ideas and promote thought, so it is important to keep this mentality in mind prior to watching the film. The episodic format makes this goal easy to obtain, so again, be prepared to watch a movie that is crafted as a visual art piece and generates conversation, not a flick to sit and eat a bowl of popcorn to (however, I'm sure Father Dominic would love for you to eat popcorn with this film).

To watch free, online episodes or buy the DVD, visit www.insidedarkness.com.
For more information on the filmmaker, Father Dominic De Lay, visit www.mudpuddlefilms.com.
For more information on the Dominican Friars visit www.opwest.org.