Short of the Week

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Dark Comedy Joe Tucker

For the Love of God

Graham and his Mother both love God... but in very different ways. Will Graham consummate his unholy fantasy, and can it live up to his expectations?

Play
Dark Comedy Joe Tucker

For the Love of God

Graham and his Mother both love God... but in very different ways. Will Graham consummate his unholy fantasy, and can it live up to his expectations?

For the Love of God

Directed By Joe Tucker
Produced By National Film and Television School
Made In UK

If you’re a fan of short film because of the originality and freedom it brings to both storytelling and the filmmaking approach, then Joe Tucker’s For the Love of God is the short for you. Boasting an impressive vocal cast and a truly memorable storyline, considering it was made back in 2007 and screened at some of the biggest festivals around it feels a real oversight on our behalf that we’re just discovering it now.

Inspired by media coverage of celebrity sex tapes, For the Love of God tells the story of a mothered middle-aged man and his quest to fulfil his most sacrilegious sexual fantasy. Written by Tucker and writer/producer Raphael Warner, their short marries its distinct plot-line with an equally unique stop-motion animation style to create a truly memorable and unique short film experience.

Featuring the impressive vocal talents of Sir Ian McKellen and Steve Coogan, Tucker admitted in an interview with the BBC that his tutors laughed when he originally admitted he wanted the big-name actors. With their aim set on snaring their first choice cast, the production team ended up getting their high-profile stars due to the roles in For the Love of God offering what the director describes as “a far more unusual offer than they normally get” (I’m sure it’s not often the man famous for playing Gandalf gets asked to play a talking pet Jackdaw). Although the credibility his casts brings to the short instantly means it will grab an audience’s attention, it’s always going to be the unusual and somewhat ballsy narrative (I’m guessing it’s going to be a storyline destined to split opinion) that is the standout element of filmmaking on show in Tucker’s piece.

Since making For the Love of God director Tucker has gone on to direct another 3 short films, as well as forging a fairly successful career for himself as a television writer. You can view the rest of the filmmaker’s shorts and some of his other work on his Vimeo account.