Meat Friend

Meat Friend

Credits
Title:	Meat Friend
Directed by:	Izzy Lee
Written by:	Izzy Lee; Steve Johanson
Produced by:	Izzy Lee; Steve Johanson; Paul Furio; Mary McDonagh; Bruce Labbate; Kevin Sluder; Carter Johnson
Music by:	Shayne Gryn
Cinematography:	Sophia Cacciola
Edited by:	Michael J. Epstein
Production
Production:	Nihil Noctem Films
Distributors:	Dread Central
Released:	February 18th, 2022
Running time:	8 min.
Country:	USA
Language:	English
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Meat Friend is an American film short of the dark comedy subgenre of horror. It was directed by Izzy Lee with a script written by Izzy Lee and Steve Johanson. It was produced by Nihil Noctem Films. It premiered at the Boston Underground Film Festival on February 18th, 2022.

Plot[]

We should all have a friend like Meat Friend.

A young girl named Billie throws some raw ground beef into the microwave, announcing loudly that she is going to make burgers. She turns away to retrieve a drink from the refrigerator, but when she turns back, she finds that a sentient pile of raw meat sitting on the counter that begins talking to her. Introducing himself as Meat Friend, he begins offering forth an instruction to Billie (whom he only refers to as "Children") on how to make a prison shank. He justifies this inappropriate lesson with the oft-used phrase "Snitches get stitches".

Billie's mother suddenly enters the room and Billie tells her, "Mom, my hamburger can talk!", however all the mother can see is a pile of partially microwaved hamburger meat. She grabs it up and tells Billie that she cannot microwave raw hamburger, it has to be cooked properly. She tosses the meat into the trash and Billie retorts with "You don't throw away friends, mom!"

After the mother leaves, Billie scoops up her "friend" from out of the trash and takes her into her bedroom. She takes components from a junior electrical set and plugs it into the meat. Upon turning it on, she rejuvenates Meat Friend and he comes to life once again. Meat Friend asks what happened, and Billie tells her that her mom threw him out. Meat Friend is not pleased by this, and tells Billie they should have a party because today is Meat Day.

Billie decorates the kitchen with balloons, streamers and a "Meat Day" banner. When the mother returns, Billie begins demanding more beef in an extremely obnoxious manner. The mother is taken aback, but says nothing.

Later, Billie is outside skipping down the street and Meat Friend manifests again. When he tells her that he wants a rabbit, Billie calls him weird, to which Meat Friend replies, "Hey, fuck you, children!" Meat Friend proceeds with his next lesson, which is about how to be a loan shark. Meat Friend presents a plastic snap-together ball, which contains a mushy mess inside. Meat Friend tells Billie that this is the Easter Bunny and makes her eat it, citing that it tastes of lies. Billie finds the taste displeasing and spits out some of it before collapsing on to the ground.

Time passes and Meat Friend and a revived Billie are back in the house. He tells that it is time for today's lesson - How to Make it Look Like an Accident. Meat Friend offers forth various examples of how to stage an accident so as to ride oneself of one's enemies without getting into trouble.

The following morning, Billie awakens and finds the ruined remains of her pet bird, Birdie. In the corner of the rooms sits Meat Friend with feathers sticking out of his mouth. Billie mad and Meat Friend tells her that it was just another example of an "accident", and that sometimes accidents can be delicious. Billie attacks Meat Friend, taking a bite out of his meat stuff and mangling him with her hands.

Shortly thereafter, Billie is downstairs for breakfast. Her mother places some food down, but Billie throws it onto the floor, no longer desiring the taste of beef. Her mother threatens to tell her Uncle Steve about her behavior when he arrives. Billie's eyes go white and she leans over and growls at her mother in Meat Friend's voice, "You know what we do with snitches?"

Cast[]

Actor

Role

Marnie McKendry

Billie

Megan Duffy

Mom

Steve Johanson

Meat Friend

Notes & Trivia[]

Meat Friend was nominated for the category of Best Short at the 2023 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.
Meat Friend has been made available on YouTube through Dread Central.
Steve Johanson did the puppeteering for Meat Friend as well as provided the voice.
Visual effects for Meat Friend was conducted by Eli Dorsey.
Although never explicitly stated, Meat Friend is supposed to be the spirit of a murderous ex-con who becomes a sentient pile of meat.
For some inexplicable reason, the mother in this film short is wearing an extremely sheer shirt.

Recommendations[]

Basket Case
Brain Damage
Gingerweed Man
Microwave Massacre
Psycho Goreman

External Links[]

References[]