The Future Arrives On Time
The Long Con
Review by Trevor Denning (@BookstoreThor)
Remember when a movie was a multifaceted piece of art?
Here is the story of a thief trying to get the things that you can’t steal, and a young woman trapped in a cycle of abusive relationships. At the center of The Long Con (available for free on YouTube) is Carl, a wannabe cult leader who keeps them under his control. For all his pontificating, Carl’s worldview isn’t as important as his actions. Political or social implications aside, it serves to add texture to what a story about desires, natural and otherwise, and man’s capacity for evil.
As art, films reflected the director’s love and skill of his chosen medium as much as it did the universal human need for storytelling. They said things about good and evil without beating us over the head about them, too. Those of us with an appreciation for craftsmanship notice camera movements, framing, color grading, sound design, and the way the narrative doles out just enough information in the moment to keep us invested.
Now, when movies are “content” and filmmakers (what an archaic term) are given diversity quotas if they want to have their work considered for major awards, when subverting the audience’s expectations is rewarded and not recognized for the cheat that it is, the artistry is suffering.
While active members of the old school try to fight against the chaos and downward spiral of the new Hollywood, we all know they are too late. Maybe they did the right thing in the past, set a precedent, and speak out now. But the content providers, our cultural gatekeepers, are more powerful.
“Forget it Marty, it’s Hollywoodland.”
The old movies had to work on many levels. They had to appeal to the senses, the emotions, and if they had a message it took a backseat to the story.
The message should be hidden in the trunk, but the backseat is ok too.
Opinions gave texture to the overall experience. Not the other way around. Today’s content has to work on multiple levels too. They have to appeal to the US market and the approval of the Chinese Comunist Party, and they can never miss an opportunity to tell the audience what to think.
People willing to sell their souls tell soulless stories.
We know how to show off, not create. Go away!
Just because the mainstream seeks to restrict our supply does not diminish demand. Artists still demand the right to make their art.
Director Daniel Lotz proves himself an artist with soul. Audiences still demand good stories.
Thankfully, The Long Con satisfies the demand for a well-told story.
The cult featured here is neither strange in a supernatural sense, nor is it the Manson family in exotic Hollywood. Likely a result of the extremely low budget, The Long Con takes place in a very ordinary world that could exist in the next neighborhood over from your own. Everything is so familiar, in fact, that the growing insanity feels all too plausible and you pray that it’s not that close.
While the motivations of the characters may be contrived or suspect, their desires are painfully tangible. In the final reveal we feel surprised and not cheated.
That, in and of itself, has become a lost art.
Looking back through history, the oldest stories that we still know, tell, and return to are about real people because they stir our emotions and don’t mock us for caring.
On a technical level, Lotz takes no shortcuts. The camera moves naturally, and the edits are so smooth that you are never aware of them. While the color grading is deservedly receiving much of the praise, the sound design is just as impressive and I suspect a good portion of the budget went to securing a solid soundtrack.
If Daniel Lotz’s career takes off as I believe it will and he never sells out his love for the craft in exchange for the favor of the mob, The Long Con will be studied and admired for many years to come.
Now, grab your popcorn and drink, dim the lights and enjoy The Long Con. By watching the Long Con and not another corporate snoozer, you will help Sub Pop Culture succeed in moving the storytellers who only care about story back in the drivers seat creating and defining the culture.
It’s an easy ask and it changes everything.
