Dangle (2003) User Reviews

Simple but clever

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 22 February 2008]

This is a short film from Germany that is done without any dialog. Considering how simple the story is, it's amazingly clever and unique. I gotta say I've never seen anything like it before and I bet the same can be said for you.

A man is walking outside during the winter and happens upon a long red cord dangling from the sky. When he looks up, there doesn't seem to be any end to it and through nice camera trickery, it doesn't seem to be connected to anything. On a lark, he gives the cord a pull and the light on the Earth goes on and off--day to night! Well, like a kid who has discovered a toy, the guy can't resist playing with the cord again and again--making it go from day to night again and again--until he finds out that perhaps he should have just left the cord alone!!

The red rope

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 10 June 2006]

"Dangle" is a surprising short film that packs in its six minutes a big punch thanks to the excellent work of its director, Phil Traill, who also happens to be its writer and its sole star!

This is a witty piece that is tremendously enjoyable. The young man we meet as the it opens discovers a cord coming from the sky. The end part of it is thin and as he attempts to get a hold of the cord. He has to try several times before he can grasp the mysterious red rope that is an extension of what he has grabbed. This man is puzzled by why is it there in the first place and decides to explore by pulling with all his power. The surprise that follows overwhelms him.

Mr. Traill ought to be congratulated by saying so much in such a little time in this amazing short film that will delight anyone that is lucky enough to catch it, as we did.

why don't we get more film shorts shown in the UK ?

[sat-elite · 16 October 2004]

I'm lucky to have been involved in retrieving TV channels for customers that come from another country, or speak another language.

One of the perks of having a satellite business of this type, compared to adhering to the uk TV content is the ability to watch what other broadcasters believe entertains their percentage of the worlds population, and I believe achieve this hands down over the monopoly satellite provider for the UK.

The systems fitted to retrieve all manner of programmes over nearly 20 years, means the creation and upkeep of a significant database of clients, the sheer amount of equipment installed means that invariably something will need testing, or will actually fail, leaving me with a receiver to repair/replace on a weekly basis, and this is where I get to watch overseas programming.

Now for Dangle, which was broadcast on Canal Plus for the Scandinavian market earlier today - unlikely ever to see the light of day on BSkyB. Canal Plus uses this type of film as a filler between main showings, and it makes a welcome alternative to monotonous self-promotional trailers (which they also do).

The description above of really a spoiler as Dangle is only five minutes long, and the credits are a good third of this, however the originality, amount of expression, and thought process generated by the 'story' - (how will it end) makes Dangle worth watching instead of putting the kettle on.

This is the future of entertainment, short attention span clips for the public, in much the same way as Tom and Jerry cartoons were fillers for the cinema goers. Its a pity more like this are not commissioned for this part of the world. 10/10