Heartless: The Story of the Tin Man by Brandon McCormick is a charming and chilling short film from Whitestone Motion Pictures. As the name states, it is the story of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. Specifically, it imagines the Tin Man’s origins and the life he lived before he became, as the title states, “heartless.” In brief, and without giving away any spoilers, the film takes the premise of a young woodcutter and his beloved fiancée, and adds resentful mother, a cursed ax, a brilliant inventor, and a wagon load of beautifully constructed steampunk props and imagery.
Heartless is both quick and enjoyable. While the short length does leave one wishing it were longer, the quality of the story, acting and staging more than makes up for its brevity. It is well worth the watching.
G. D. Falksen’s only complaint about Heartless is that it was too short and would have made a magnificent full-length film. More information can be found at on his Twitter and Facebook.