Camera (David Cronenberg, 2000, Canada)

Camera is a short film by David Cronenberg. The film features an interview with an actor. Children bring a camera into the house. The actor states - "Photography is death." He isn't very enthusiastic about having a camera in his house. Leslie Carlson plays the actor. He continues his monologue, while the camera looks at him in close-up. He recalls a dream where he was in a cinema, watching a movie with an audience. He recalls that he was aging rapidly, and the movie was bringing him closer and closer to death. 

Carlson chuckles, and we see the group of kids bringing in more camera equipment for the old camera. We see them assembling all of the audio equipment as well. "Children and death are a bad combination," Carlson states. Carlson continues his confession of anxiety, as the kids are having a good time setting up the camera. Carlson admits he wanted the kids to get the camera out of the house - "it will poison us all!" Carlson also doesn't like the fact that the camera itself is old - another reminder of impending death. 

We see the camera gliding around the house. "It made me feel sad," Carlson states. The kids begin doing Carlson's hair and makeup. Carlson recalls that the sadness began to drain out of him, as he saw that the children were having fun. The children call to action, and we finally see Carlson through the lens of a camera. He begins recounting the story of the children bringing home the old camera, and it seems he is breaking into tours. Camera is one of Cronenberg's best short efforts. As with most of his work, it features a reflection on morality, but in a very different context than the usual horror stories he imagines. Well worth checking out. 

7/10