Serafima Serafimova
It’s tough when a film’s title also happens to be its biggest and best reveal. But whilst Out To Run: A Tale of Blood Velvet may not be completely spoiler-free, there’s plenty for you to sink your teeth into in this gleefully gory and scrumptiously sexy vampire flick.
Directed by James Berry, Out To Run reinvents classic vampire tropes by adding a camp flourish, seducing us into the familiarity of its premise with killer style. While it may not delve deeply into character arcs or narrative complexity, it more that compensates with its twisted playfulness. A ten-minute proof of concept, wittily scripted by Berry, this blood-soaked short teases its audience, but still manages to delivers an engaging and enjoyable thrill ride.
The story in Out To Run follows Cole and Jesse – a gay couple whose romantic night in is interrupted by a group of vampires with an acquired taste for queer blood. What ensues is a gory mess, until a second group of uninvited visitors arrives, adding another plot twist to the violent carnage.
Ryan McCartan (L) as Cole and Miles Tagtmeyer as Jessie
“I wanted to make a movie that was fun, witty, and subverted your expectations while building towards a knock your socks off conclusion that made queer characters the heroes”, director Berry shared with S/W. He added, “LGBTQ+ folks live knowing that the world can turn on them at any time and for any reason. Yet our response isn’t to cower in fear or act out in anger, it’s to dance. To live life to the fullest. I wanted to get all audiences – gay and straight alike – rooting for them!”
Berry directs with flair and menace, and the result is sexy and sleek. This is partly thanks to the 16mm lens and the sizzling, warm colour grade, but also the twisted fun that’s palpable throughout the film. You can sense the enthusiasm of everyone involved, and this infectious energy carries over to the audience, making the experience all the more enjoyable.
“Italian giallos were the biggest influence. They have a very specific mixture of sensuality and sexuality” – Berry discussing the aesthetic of his short
When discussing the production of Out To Run, Berry explained that the dark comedy was a true labour of love and collaboration. “I was incredibly fortunate to have an outstanding cast and crew who not only understood what we were trying to achieve but grabbed the movie with both hands and ran with it”, he reveals. Explaining that he feels labelling them as “co-authors” on his short would be doing them all a great disservice, he describes working with them was as a “huge privilege”, with everyone involved playing a critical role in the film’s success.
It’s not until four minutes into Out To Run that the story takes a dark twist. Up until that point, you could easily mistake it for a drama about two beautiful men and their relationship. While the genre shift is somewhat hinted at by the film’s title – and admittedly by the images in this article (apologies for any spoilers!) – Berry’s short still delivers plenty of thrills, as long as you’re not too squeamish. A real gore-filled delight, it’s clear everyone involved had a blast making Out To Run, and we hope you enjoy watching it just as much.