About seven months ago, we had the opportunity to cover Riccardo Suriano’s short film Dreadstone. It was easy to fall in love with Suriano’s visual and directorial style. As someone who watches tons of short films at festivals, it’s sometimes difficult to be wowed by them. Dreadstone wowed me. Color me surprised when I opened Gmail the other day to see Riccardo had another short film locked and loaded!
The Waking Call: A Haunting Late-Night Radio Tale
Alex (Michael Maggi) is a late-night radio host who is preparing for another night of bringing sound to the isolated nightowls of the world. (Like myself!) Calls start pouring in, but these are not his typical phone calls. What seems like an initial one-off, each call starts to drag Alex down an unwanted path of self-reflection and pain. Can Alex make it through the night? Or will he welcome his last long-time, first time?
Covering this short film is slightly unfair. It blends two of my favorite things: late-night call-in shows and crippling depressive self-isolation. One of my all-time favorite films is Pontypool, and my favorite radio call-in show is Coast to Coast with George Noory, formerly hosted by Art Bell. Hell, my last published short story is about an Art Bell-like character who covers an alien invasion and disseminates it to his million-plus listeners. The Waking Call seamlessly blends the kind of horror I love into one truly haunting package.
Exploring Themes of Connection and Isolation
You can take The Waking Call at face value or as the larger figurative idea it represents. We yearn for connection or repairing failed/lost connections. Suriano’s overnight setting plays double duty. As someone who is slightly scared of the outside world, I work overnights because it gives me respite from what I want to avoid. Alex’s overnight work could potentially be a result of his successful occupation, but it’s more likely due to the skeletons he avoids. Why do you think Coast to Coast with Art Bell was so popular? (And I say all of this a bit cautiously, as saying too much would be way too spoilery.)
Riccardo Suriano’s Bold Directorial Vision
Writer/director Riccardo Suriano’s latest short film is a no-frills exploration of the human condition. There are no jump scares, it’s set in a single location, and there is only one actor on screen. Props to Suriano for taking such a risk. But hey, no risk, no reward. Suriano is one of the hardest-working genre auteurs. His passion is beyond palpable. There have been some recent genre films that feel like they were made solely for the sake of being made, or because a director wanted a paycheck. Each cut, line, and moment is dripping with love for the craft of filmmaking.
Whether you like his films or not, you cannot disagree with that fact. The Waking Call shows us what independent horror is all about. It’s a somber examination of self-reflection, internalized pain, and the profound depths of the human condition. Everyone has a past and mistakes they wish they could rectify. Unfortunately for Alex, this might be a mistake he can never come back from.
Be sure to check out The Waking Call if it’s playing a film festival near you!
