The Kirlian Frequency
Directed by Cristian Ponce
Viewed on Netflix
This week we’ll be doing something a little differently and be covering a type of movie we’ve never really talked about here: short films. Thursday we’ll be going over a disparate group of shorts and comparing/contrasting them but today we’re being a bit more structured and looking at a series of shorts from a program that I recently heard of, The Kirlian Frequency.
The Setup For The Series!
The Kirlian Frequency is centered around the town of Kirlian, a small city located somewhere in Argentina that seems to be a magnet for all kinds of bizarre supernatural events. Each chapter focuses on a different story told over “The Kirlian Frequency”, a radio show that features a mysterious host who sometimes takes calls. People call to report strange paranormal events and other happenings in the town. The host also occasionally tells stories on his own. Each short episode is self contained and able to be viewed on its own, but there is a small overarching story that becomes apparent when they’re watched in order.
Animation? On My Website?
Very unusually for things that I cover, The Kirlian Frequency is an animated series, and the animation is just awesome. I’m not an expert on animation so I can’t really comment on the “quality” of the animation per se, but the art design is fantastic. There’s a rough surreal aspect to the animation that matches the atmosphere of the stories perfectly. The mysterious and bizarre way people are drawn is pitch perfect, highlighting the more conceptual basis for the stories rather than a grounded basis.
Kirlian Reminds Me Of Something Pretty Nerdy…
This is an anthology style series with five episodes that are each eight to ten minutes in length The stories are not too convoluted, but their narrative style is perfectly matched with the art style. The simple stories coupled with the atmospheric visuals create a fantastic dreamlike state where everything is a little exaggerated, but just enough to be on the edges of reality. Not to make an incredibly nerdy reference, but Kirlian reminds me a lot of White Wolf’s World of Darkness tabletop role playing game setting, which is a magical realism based world where all sorts of bizarre creatures, spirits, and happenings take place. In both World of Darkness and Kirlian, the world is so inviting that you want to know more about it but you only get little glimpses and that makes it even more tantalizing.
Can’t Wait For Season 2!
These glimpses show us a world that, even as comedic as it can be, is one where danger lurks around every corner, ready to ensnare the ignorant or foolish. Things can get comedic (intentionally) and a few segments edge into the absurd, but the strong art direction brings everything together and makes it work. I was so shocked by how much I enjoyed The Kirlian Frequency that it inspired me to go out in search of more short horror films. The Kirlian Frequency is currently on Netflix so you should check it out, and if you don’t have Netflix you can just get a trial period and then cancel. Not that I’ve ever done that… But if I did it is perfectly legal.
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