Watch: “The Ballad of Maddog Quinn,” gritty sci-fi western short film

Watch: “The Ballad of Maddog Quinn,” gritty sci-fi western short film

by Alex Billington
November 20, 2023
Source: Youtube

“Maddog Strikes Again!!” This superb new short film from New Zealand is absolutely worth watching. The Ballad of Maddog Quinn is a short realistic sci-fi western action film directed by Kiwi filmmaker Matt: Hostels, who writes, directs and produces. Set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk world that resembles the Wild West, the film is about the infamous Maddog Quinn – an outlaw with an unlikely cause, as he flees the state’s relentless regulators. Another story of a lone wolf roaming the wastelands. Described by New Zealand media as the “next Peter Jackson”, his other short film Oku Duakana, my brothers played in Cannes in 2010. After having played in festivals all year round, The Ballad of Maddog Quinn is now online to watch thanks to Short of the Week. Featured Maggie Pirie, Jed Brophy, John BachAnd Ben Stewart. It packs an impressive amount of great action scenes into just 15 minutes, along with some clever production design and props. If it seems as if Mad Max was a western, with the same kind of post-apocalyptic atmosphere. I really like it – see below.

Thanks to Short of the Week for its debut. Intro via YouTube: “Wanted and on the run, an infamous outlaw is pursued across the state’s steam-powered dystopia by a group of relentless lawmen. In this desolate land of dust, rust and Bloody, there’s not much trouble that a quick horse and a gun can’t fix, but things aren’t always what they seem on the frontier of the wild and deserted lands . The Ballad of Maddog Quinn is a short film written and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Matt: Hostels (aka Matthew Inns) – you can find out more about his short films on his IMDb page. It is also produced by Matt Inns; executive produced by Steve Barr, Daniel Story and Paul Swadel. With photography by Marty Williams and music by Tane Upjohn-Beatson. Made by Little Dragon Pictures. With support from Film Otago Southland and Invercargill Licensing Trust. This film won the Best International Short Film award at the Madeira Fantastic FilmFest. For more information, follow Little Dragon Pics on Facebook or visit SOTW. To watch more short films, click here. What did you think?

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