Experiencing Interruptions?

Tough Case

When loose cannon Detective Dick Murdock is called to investigate another all-too-familiar murder, he embarks on a path toward redemption and bloodshed. In his quest to find the cantankerous Shoestring Slasher, there are no rules except his rules. But he doesn't follow the rules.

  • Stefan Perez
    Director
  • Stefan Perez
    Writer
  • Stefan Perez
    Producer
  • Jackson Rosenfeld
    Producer
  • Adam Carra
    Producer
  • Miranda Limonczenko
    Producer
  • Stefan Perez
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Noir
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 10, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    150 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • LA Neo Noir Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    August 15, 2014
    Best Comedic Film
  • Reel East Film Festival
    Haddon Township, New Jersey
    August 22, 2014
    North America Premiere
    Audacity Award
  • Shortz! Film Festival
    Chico, California
    September 13, 2014
  • Highway 61 Film Festival
    Pine City, Minnesota
    October 4, 2014
    Finalist
  • Embarras Valley Film Festival
    Charleston, Illinois
    November 7, 2014
  • Flagler Film Festival
    Palm Coast, Florida
    January 10, 2015
    Best Student Comedy
  • The Hollywood Festival of New Cinema
    Hollywood, California
    February 24, 2015
    March 2015 Selected Winner
  • SRJC Student Film Festival
    Santa Rosa, California
    April 3, 2015
    Judge's Selection
  • American Student Film Festival
    Lafayette, Indiana
    April 23, 2015
  • Film Fest Petaluma
    Petaluma, California
    May 2, 2015
  • Ha! Fest
    Chico, CA
    May 9, 2015
  • Windsor Independent Film Fest
    Windsor, CA
    May 30, 2015
    Best Home Grown Film
Director Biography - Stefan Perez

Stefan Perez received his first rejection at the age of six when he auditioned to act in a Toys R Us commercial. Since then, Stefan has had two shows canceled (one radio, one television), death threats, and less than 100 likes on Facebook for his production company, Flat Quack Films. Stefan is masterfully bad. But his mother loves him and so does his production crew at least.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I’m a fraud. I don’t care for film noir. However I am a fan of low budget films that use style and creativity to make up for depravity. Roger Corman, Alrugo Entertainment and Red Letter Media didn’t have a good script and definitely didn’t have the money, yet they put what little resources that had into a project that was riddled with problems but inspired ingenuity. Without resources, they can attract a cult following and trust - all without a budget. Sometimes even without a filming permit.
The character of Detective Dick Murdock is a fusion of Ryan Gosling in Drive (2011), main characters from Sin City (2005) and Clint Eastwood in general. This fusion can create only one kind of character in noir: utterly cliched. Along with writing and directing, I knew I must star in it too. And while I was at it, I played every character down to the arm of Murdock’s dead wife.
Murdock is not only a jab at the “tough cop”, but he is also the wannabe auteur filmmaker who writes his name a dozen times in the opening credits, playing the cool, Tarantino-like character found in film classrooms and even my own past work. This film encompasses all that: the cliched characters, the writer/director/actor, the negligent budget, and absolutely everything you’ve already seen before. This film has it all - or it has nothing - depending on how you look at it.
The difficulty with parodying bad films is trying avoid making one in the process. Similar to Leslie Neilsen in The Naked Gun films, the comedy occurs when nobody reacts to the bizarre world. No matter how stupid or ridiculous a movie gets, the characters never notice they’re in one.This movie takes place in a comically anachronistic world where everyone looks the same. They talk and dress like typical 40’s noir, but they have cell phones and cars from the 90’s, all while referencing Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War. Time has no meaning in this world. Proof of that: they nonsensically smoke cigarettes without lighting them.
I take back that I don’t like noir films. I admit that I liked Brick (2006). It may be neo noir but it counts.