Sandman: 24 Hour Diner

Last updated
Sandman: 24 Hour Diner
Sandman 24 Hour Diner Poster.jpg
Official poster
Directed byEvan Henderson
Nicholas Brown
Screenplay byEvan Henderson
Nicholas Brown
Story by Neil Gaiman
Based on The Sandman "24 Hours" by Neil Gaiman
Produced byEvan Henderson
Nicholas Brown
Starring
  • Frances Steyck Townend
  • Storie Serres
  • Zach MacKendrick
  • Kenton Blythe
  • Justyna Bochanysz
  • Doran Damon
  • Neil Affleck
Narrated byDavid John Phillips
CinematographyRich Liani
Edited byEvan Henderson and Nicholas Brown
Music by
  • Zach Miller
  • James Reesor
  • Evan Henderson
  • Evan Loder
Production
companies
Maginot Films
The Great Auk
Running time
30 mins
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$65,000

Sandman: 24 Hour Diner is a 2017 gothic horror fantasy short fan film produced and directed by Evan Henderson and Nicholas Brown. The film is a direct adaptation of a story from Neil Gaiman's best selling graphic novel series, The Sandman, following the story of issue #6, "24 Hours", considered one of the darkest and most horrific issues in the series. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot

The story picks up right after issue #5 of Preludes and Nocturnes . Bette Munroe works as a waitress in a 24 Hour Diner. She serves regular happy customers and secretly writes stories about the patrons, dreaming of being a famous author. Dr. Dee, an escaped inmate from Arkham Asylum, has sheltered himself in the diner, using the Dreamstone he has stolen from Dream to control the patrons of the diner, and cause madness and nightmares around the globe. The ensemble of normal individuals slowly devolve over the course of 24 hours, with each new hour they act upon their darkest secrets and deepest desires, all to the pleasure of Dr. Dee. Over time, the patrons become increasingly violent and deranged as Dee toys with their sanity. As Dee loses interest in his "little insects", who eventually all kill each other or themselves, Dream finally awakens and escapes from his hourglass prison, traveling through the minds of the tormented dreamers to retrieve his Dreamstone. Along the way, he is cornered by nightmare versions of the diner patrons. They tackle and tear him to pieces, but he breaks free and they are left in the hands of his sister Death.

Dream arrives at the diner too late to save the patrons, and the film ends on a cliffhanger, with him confronting Dr. Dee.

A post-ending "next time on Sandman" teaser makes reference to the second arc of the Sandman series, The Doll's House , with a flyer advertising the "Cereal Convention" and introduces The Corinthian.

Cast

Development

Pre-production began in late October 2014, the script was written by Evan Henderson and Nicholas Brown, adapted straight from the original panels, with the intention to adapt it as faithfully as possible as a proof of concept television series. [3]

As this was a fan film developed outside of the studio without the rights, the filmmakers self funded the production over the course of three years and released it online for free, with no chance of monetization.

The inclusion of the animated sequence was done to give the original story more of a climax, to feature Dream and his abilities, who only appears in the final page of the issue. This allowed the filmmakers to open up the world of the Dreaming, and the potential of blending live-action with animated scenes, similar to Fantasia. [4] The original storyboards were created by artist Colton Fox, [5] and animated by Anthony Francisco Schepperd.

Comic book illustrator Ken Lashley contributed the image of Morpheus for the opening credits. He also has a voice cameo as The Corinthian.[ citation needed ]

Principal photography began on April 17, 2015, and was completed in 4 nights of filming. It was filmed on location at Ted's Restaurant in Scarborough, Toronto.

Release

A teaser trailer was released on May 16, 2017, featuring the song "Dream Baby Dream" by Suicide. Posters and marketing for the film began appearing around the city of Toronto in May 2017.

The film premiered on June 26, 2017 at The Royal Cinema in Toronto, Ontario. [6] Attendees of the screening were given original posters and souvenirs from the event. The film was released for free online worldwide on June 27. It also screened along with a Q+A panel at Fan Expo Canada in 2017.

The film has been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish by fans. [7] [8]

Neil Gaiman has viewed the film, saying it was "well done". [9] [10]

Cheryl Eddy of io9 writes, "Even with the success of American Gods , we still may never get a Sandman movie, or even a TV series. But Neil Gaiman diehards need not despair completely, because there’s a new fan film that pays impressively exacting tribute to one of Sandman’s most brutal installments." [11]

H. Perry Horton of Film School Rejects commented saying that the creators "have nailed the tone, atmosphere, and emotional space of the narrative, and bring it to life with frightening legitimacy." and "while Hollywood is busy dropping the ball, independent filmmakers like Henderson and Brown are there to pick it up and run it into the endzone. This might not be canon, but it’s still spectacular." [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes</i> First trade paperback of the comic book series The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Preludes & Nocturnes is the first trade paperback collection of the comic book series The Sandman, published by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo. It collects issues #1–8. It is written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III, colored by Robbie Busch and lettered by Todd Klein.

<i>The Sandman: The Dolls House</i>

The Doll's House is the second trade paperback of the DC comic series The Sandman. It collects issues #9–16. It was written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Chris Bachalo, Michael Zulli and Steve Parkhouse, coloured by Robbie Busch and lettered by Todd Klein.

<i>The Sandman: A Game of You</i> Collection of graphic novel

A Game of You (1993) is the fifth collection of issues in the DC Comics series, The Sandman. Written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Shawn McManus, Colleen Doran, Bryan Talbot, George Pratt, Stan Woch and Dick Giordano, and lettered by Todd Klein. The volume's introduction was written by Samuel R. Delany.

<i>The Sandman: Fables & Reflections</i>

Fables & Reflections (1993) is an American fantasy comic book, the sixth collection of issues in the DC Comics series The Sandman. It was written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Bryan Talbot, Stan Woch, P. Craig Russell, Shawn McManus, John Watkiss, Jill Thompson, Duncan Eagleson, Kent Williams, Mark Buckingham, Vince Locke and Dick Giordano, coloured by Daniel Vozzo and Lovern Kindzierski/Digital Chameleon, and lettered by Todd Klein. The introduction is written by Gene Wolfe.

<i>The Sandman: The Wake</i>

The Wake is the tenth and final collection of issues in the American comic book series The Sandman. It is written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Michael Zulli, Jon J. Muth and Charles Vess, colored by Daniel Vozzo and Jon J. Muth, and lettered by Todd Klein.

The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes. The legend says he has a sister that can also control the water, since she was created and lives in Matina. She is also known as Amaysi.

<i>The Sandman</i> (comic book) Graphic novels by Neil Gaiman, 1989–1996

The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of the Endless</span> DC Comics character

Death of the Endless is a fictional personification of death who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #8 and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream (character)</span> Protagonist of the comic book series The Sandman

Dream of the Endless is a fictional anthropomorphic personification who first appeared in the first issue of The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. One of the seven Endless, who are inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, and all that is not in reality. He has taken many names, including Morpheus, Oneiros, Kai'ckul, and the Sandman, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him. Dream was named the sixth-greatest comic book character by Empire. He was also named fifteenth in IGN's 100 Top Comic Book Heroes list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corinthian (comics)</span> Comics character

The Corinthian is a fictional character in Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman. He first appeared in The Sandman #10, which is part of the second story arc, The Doll's House. The Corinthian is an anthropomorphized living nightmare created by Dream, who destroys him in the same collection for going rogue and failing to fulfill his original design. Dream later recreates him with "some changes", though the exact nature of these changes is not explicit. His most notable physical feature is his lack of eyes: in their place, two rows of small, jagged teeth line each eye socket, which he often covers with sunglasses. He can speak, eat, see, and even breathe through these mouths.

<i>Sandman</i> (DC Comics) Pseudonym of several DC Comics characters

The Sandman is the pseudonym of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. They have appeared in stories of various genres, including the pulp detective character Wesley Dodds, superheroes such as Garrett Sanford and Hector Hall, and mythic fantasy characters more commonly called by the name Dream. Named after the folklore character that is said to bring pleasant dreams to children, each has had some thematic connection to dreaming, and efforts have been made to tie them into a common continuity within the DC Universe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Destiny</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Doctor Destiny is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

<i>The Dreaming</i> (comics) Monthly comic series published by DC Comics

The Dreaming was a monthly comic series that ran for 60 issues and was revived in 2018. It is set in the same dimension of the DC universe as The Sandman and the stories occurred primarily within Dream's realm, The Dreaming, concentrating on characters who had played minor roles in The Sandman, including The Corinthian, Matthew the raven, Cain and Abel, Lucien the dream librarian, the faerie Nuala, Eve, and Mervyn Pumpkinhead. It also introduced a number of new characters, Echo and a new (white) dream raven, Tethys. After those characters were retconned the 2018 version of The Dreaming introduced new characters such as Hyperion Keeter, WAN, and the night hag, Dora. The 2020 spin-off / continuation, The Dreaming: Waking Hours introduced other new characters such as Linsy, Ruin, and most notably, Heather After, a direct descendant of Roderick Burgess. There were brief appearances by The Endless during the series, including cameos by Dream, Death, Destiny, and Desire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Gaiman bibliography</span>

This is a list of works by Neil Gaiman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Cable</span> Comics character

Matthew Joseph Cable is a character appearing in DC Comics' Swamp Thing series. Introduced in Swamp Thing in November 1972, he was created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson. Years later, the character dies and is later resurrected as Dream's raven in Neil Gaiman's rendition of The Sandman.

<i>The Sandman: Overture</i>

The Sandman: Overture is a six issue comic book miniseries written by Neil Gaiman with art by J.H. Williams III. It is a prequel to Gaiman's The Sandman series, and debuted in 2013, about 17 years after the end of the regular comic. It was originally published as six issues with two-month intervals in between. A deluxe edition combining all six issues was published in November 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endless (comics)</span> Sandman comic characters

The Endless are a family of cosmic beings who appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The members of the family are: Death, Delirium, Desire, Despair, Destiny, Destruction and Dream.

<i>The Sandman</i> (TV series) Fantasy drama television series

The Sandman is an American fantasy drama television series based on the 1989–1996 comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. The series was developed by Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg for the streaming service Netflix and is produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. Like the comic, The Sandman tells the story of Dream / Morpheus, the titular Sandman. The series stars Tom Sturridge as the title character, with Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles.

References

  1. ↑ "The Scariest Comic Books of All-Time! - 24 Hours Diner". CBR. 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  2. ↑ "The Sandman: A 24-Hour Nightmare". DC. 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  3. ↑ "Mac on Tokyo: Evan Henderson - MACTION PLANET". MACTION PLANET. 2017-08-24. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  4. ↑ "Storie Serres". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  5. ↑ "Nicholas Brown and Evan Henderson". Never Sleeps Network. Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  6. ↑ ""Sandman: 24 Hour Diner" Theatrical Release". blogTO. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  7. ↑ Tatari, M.İhsan. "Harika Bir Sandman Hayran Filmi: 24 Hour Diner - Oyungezer Online" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2017-08-05. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  8. ↑ Plan9 (12 August 2017). "Plan9 Recomienda Sandman: 24 Hour Diner, un corto basado en la obra de Neil Gaiman".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "[cortometraggio] Neil Gaiman in persona ha approvato Sandman: 24 Hour Diner - Il Cineocchio". www.ilcineocchio.it.
  10. ↑ "Cool Videos: Sandman fan-film that got Neil Gaiman's seal of approval" . Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  11. ↑ Eddy, Cheryl (11 August 2017). "Watch the Sandman Fan Film That Earned Neil Gaiman's Stamp of Approval".
  12. ↑ "Short of the Day: Sandman Finally Gets a (Fan-Made) Movie". 2 August 2017.
  13. ↑ "Short of the Day: Sandman Gets Another Fan-Film Treatment in 'Black Sand'". 22 August 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.