Midlands Review of The Mysterious Button
midlandsmovies • September 19, 2021
The Mysterious Button
Directed by Alex James Lewis
2021
Cinectar Studios
Winner of Best Music at this year’s Midlands Movies Awards, The Mysterious Button is a three and a half minute short from Alex James Lewis exploring fun, adventure and a few gentle nods to the past.
The short begins with two people tossing a blue ball to each other in a park. After a few throws across a pathway, one of the men moves further back to heave the ball to his friend yet it flies way over his head into the distance.
As the second man goes off to find the ball he stumbles upon a small building where there is an A4 white piece of paper stuck to the wall. “WARNING: DO NOT PRESS” it exclaims within a crudely drawn button.
The notice is scribbled in felt tip and also warns of a “Teleporter
to another world!” in simple handwriting. And of course, the button is pressed. But although nothing seems to happen at first, the man turns around and disappears whilst the ball he’s carrying drops to the ground.
The film’s main draw is Alex’s terrific piano score itself. With descending motifs that match up with on-screen falls and fancy little staccato rhythms that work well with the slapstick humour, the style echoes old-school silent classics.
Speaking of which, the man is transported to a black and white location and his friend attempts to call him on the phone before finding the paper button himself. Pulling it from the wall and turning the sheet over, he reads instructions on how to get his friend back but not before being transported to the same place.
The score also helps keep the short’s energy up and is synched with the visuals on screen. Chaplin and Keaton’s body stunts – in this case, a comedic interlude of rolling down a hill – are a nice nod to the legends as well. Although no doubt scored beforehand, the upbeat sounds have the improvisational touch of the 1930s accompanists who mostly played live with cue sheets.
Alex James Lewis has already been involved in Midlands-made shorts, many of which revolve around music in some way including Reminiscence (our review here).
And the Birmingham director uses his considerable musical talents here to turn a gentle skit into something weightier with its allusions to the silent movie era. The two men tumble and rough-house like Stan and Ollie before eventually jumping their way back to their original park after a brief encounter with a man in the distance who may also be stuck in the alternative world.
A simple short with simple cinematic execution, the film’s basic visuals are enhanced with the wonderful flourishes of the piano score. And both work in harmony in this charming and playful tribute to Hollywood’s history.
Michael Sales
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