It's probably unfair to label Rob McLellan's ARRI ALEXA-shot ABE as torture porn (and I know there are many horror aficionados that despise the term), but it certainly takes some inspiration from the genre. While the premise is simple enough, and films like Blinky have solidified the creepy vibe of intelligent, overly calm robots forever, ABE actually has quite a bit more going on underneath the hood than it might seem at first glance, and asks the audience some pretty deep questions about artificial intelligence, existence, and what being human really means. Check out the short film below.

Thanks to Short of the Week for bringing this one back up during the season of all things horror, here's the film:

Framing a story in a certain genre but focusing on something different is nothing new, but it's a fantastic way to keep things interesting and play with audience expectations. A movie about a serial killer robot isn't all that interesting, and some would probably find a movie about a robot looking to be loved back by humans a little dull, but combining the two makes for suspense with some deep, existential questions. Films like Monsters have done exactly that by embracing lower budget sensibilities and using them to their advantage by having the genre be just a backdrop for the real film.

For some BTS on the movie, check out this VFX before and after:

Besides being a pretty interesting breakdown, I think it also shows how important color grading is to the final product. The flat look of the original ALEXA footage is obviously a good starting point, but the grade really makes the image stand out, and gives it a far more cinematic feel.

For more, check out this interview with the director:

And finally, here is Rob's original short that inspired the film:

We've talked a bit about calling card films, and this one certainly fits the mold. Science fiction with some effects typically gets the attention of Hollywood, and ABE is no different, as MGM is currently turning the idea into a feature film.

What other films have you seen that effectively turn a genre film into much more? What are your favorites?

Links:

[via Short of the Week]

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