Short Film Review: "The Burglary" Is A Feverish Mind Trip
After his flat is burgled, Seth K. struggles against his flatmate, the police, and the tower block in which he lives to regain his stolen possessions and find the intruder(s).
David Lynch and Franz Kafka collide in the latest project from writer/director Michael Houghton. Set in an oppressive tower block that boasts imminent demolition and ominous truths that permeate both dreams and waking life, The Burglary is an effectively atmospheric and unsettlingly claustrophobic chamber piece that uses surrealism to create a psychological nightmare where the lines of reality blur and collapse in on themself.
The film plunges viewers into its strange, yet familiar world and fully immerses them into the headspace of its jumbled protagonist, Seth (played by a terrifically frazzled Tom Rainn), who’s having a very bad day indeed. After waking with a start from what is presumably a nightmare, Seth finds himself stepping into another. The apartment’s door was left unlocked, and he and his roommate, Joel (played by a confident and cunning James Coutsavlis), find the place in shambles and all their valuables seemingly looted.
Things escalate into a game of finger pointing. Accusations are hurled, as Joel asserts that the resulting burglary is all Seth’s fault, yet Seth believes he locked the door with wholehearted certainty. Before we know it, the authorities arrive on the scene, and events continue to spiral out into dizzying paranoia, palpable anxiety, and complete uneasiness. The result is a feverish and nightmarish 10-minute psychological rollercoaster ride that will have you leaning all the way in and hanging off the edge of your seat.
As Houghton told us in an interview, the concept for the piece stemmed from an extremely vivid dream he had during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, which he described as “tactile and intensely lucid.” While he was initially driven to find a definitive interpretation to his experience to give his film adaptation closure, he cleverly opted to not impose a specific meaning to the work. Instead, he chose to layer it in such a way so that the film’s events breed various readings, allowing each viewer the opportunity to take away something different. HIs direction is sharp and cuts to the psychological core of the material, and his sense of world-building, particularly with regard to sound design, is stellar. The performances are also incredibly solid and help to further the compellingly disturbing experience.
Thoroughly creepy with little splashes of levity to provide some release from the taunt tension, The Burglary has a fascinating and unnerving psychological focus that questions reality and explores the anxiety one feels when they no longer know who they can trust, whether that be a roommate, the authorities, or themselves. As the world continues to spiral out into all out craziness, and as the walls begin to squeeze in tighter and tighter, Houghton’s vision feels particularly urgent and timely.
Recommendation: The Burglary is currently making its rounds on the festival circuit, but it’s definitely worth the watch, so seek it out! You can follow the film and its success on Instagram (@michaelhfilms & @oxygenfilm), or Oxygen films website here.
Anxious for more?! Check out the links below:
Michael Houghton about “The Burglary”
More from Oxygen Films:
A Series of Light review
Gage Oxley On His Anthology A Series Of Light
Jack Parr on “Greenlight”
Jake Watkins On "Redlight"
Rochelle Naylor On "Whitelight"
James Coutsavlis On "Starlight"
Charlie Harris on "Blacklight"
Bruce Herbelin-Earle On "Limelight"
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!