those awful crutches

Those Awful Crutches was Daryl Della’s Super 16mm class project, a whimsical homage to the silent era of cinema. Featuring Lorenzo Ocon as a hapless man on crutches and Nate Blonkenfeld as Matches O’Grady, a mischievous magical trickster, the film tells the quirky story of an unusual encounter. Lorenzo’s character initially flees from Matches, but when the trickster snatches his crutches, everything changes. He heals Lorenzo’s leg, and the two joyfully dance off into the distance in a bizarre yet charming conclusion.

Shot on the backroads of industrial South San Francisco, the film captures the strange magic of early cinema, paying tribute to the acting styles and playful storytelling of legends like Harold Lloyd. While undeniably silly in premise, the physicality of the performances and the tactile quality of the Super 16mm film make it a delightful watch.

A nod to a bygone era of moviemaking, Those Awful Crutches stands as a fun and earnest experiment, showcasing Daryl’s growing interest in exploring the visual and physical language of classic film.