A Short Film About John Bolton (Gaiman, 2003)

Though it may sound like a quickie documentary about the recently installed US envoy to the UN, A Short Film About John Bolton instead concerns itself with John Bolton, the UK artist that apparently has developed a cult following with his depictions of absurdly beautiful and mostly nude female vampires. The directorial debut of famed Sandman author, Neil Gaiman, A Short Film ... first introduces us to Mr. Bolton as he is preparing for a gallery showing of his erotically charged work. When Mr. Bolton eventually meets the public, the question inevitably arises: where on earth does he get the inspiration for these creations that are equal parts disturbing and sensually pleasing? The rest of Gaiman's film provides a kind of answer to that question, though probably not the one that viewers are expecting. At just over 25 minutes, A Short Film ... is a promising first effort from a man who has proved his incredible gift for storytelling in another medium. I hope he eventually gets a shot at a feature. Probably mostly of interest to Gaiman fans, but may be worth a look if the subject matter interests you.