The Last Signals

Looking back, and I'm sure Tom Lynskey and crew can attest to this, it is crazy to think of how far we have come as filmmakers. From the typical "pretend war in the backyard" to now the acclaimed "The Last Signals," Tom Lynskey shines again.

I had been following this project for quite some time and have even had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Lynskey on this project. An exhausting, time consuming, film; the dedication and effort that the crew put into this clearly shows.

The acting is fantastic, the cinematography is great and the overall look of the film (black and white was a perfect choice!) makes it all the more professional and efficient. I look forward to more releases from Tom and the rest of the crew. Superb.

I rarely write reviews on here and normally only do so if I feel passionately about a film I have watched or if I feel another reviewer has unfairly slated a production.

I have to say having only just discovered this short film today and watched it twice I am unbelievably impressed by how well put together it is. You would think that any production focusing on the RMS Titanic would require a huge budget and cast of hundreds and a ton of special effects, however when you consider what these young film makers managed to achieve, taking into account what they had to work with, the finished article is nothing short of amazing. While some of the special effects are not outstanding they are good and the authenticity and attention to detail of the set and costumes is excellent.

I personally think that one of the biggest strengths of this film arose from one of its weaknesses. That was the decision to change the film from colour to black and white. I think this ads an excellent element of authenticity to the whole thing and as stated in the trivia probably covers for some of the constraints experienced by the film makers.

While the accents are at times a little ropey (particularly a clearly American Captain Smith), the actors portraying Marconi Operators John "Jack" Phillips and Harold Bride do so very well. I think at times it would have been easy to overact given the enormity of the situation they are portraying, but they both give calm and assured performances.

I have always been interested in the Titanic story and while some may criticize the actions of Phillips and Bride and the part they may have played in the sinking (ice warnings not being sent to the bridge, rebuffing Californian), its impossible to tell the story without acknowledging them in some way. I'm sure neither of them ever imagined that one day the Titanic story would be told through their eyes.

Here's a review from someone not involved in the production.

This is an amazing achievement on an obviously minute budget, covering three heroes of the Titanic story that deserve more attention. The sets & effects are adequate for the purpose, and the acting... not exactly Oscar material, particularly the bit parts, but the Bride actor does a good job and and Philips isn't bad either.

This film won't appeal much to anyone with no interest in history or the Titanic, but if you are, it is faithful to the record and the actors are not hard on the eyes, especially the Bride guy, who is objectively beautiful.

It was a nice touch having an image of the actual Titanic iceberg in the background when the Carpathia arrives.

This short film is great for those of us who are interested in the historical event, as well as for those who want to feel really involved in the story. The character portrayal is excellent. The rolls of Harold Bride and John Phillips are totally believable and their dialog seems to come completely naturally as it would have in the actual event. You really get a good sense of what the characters were like as well as who they were historically. You also get a good sense of the working relationship between the two. This really helps you to relate to the characters and tie you into the plot, and makes it that much more suspenseful later on in the film. Throw it all together with a great set, some explosions, and special effects and you'll feel like you were on the ship. Spot on ya mates!