Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011) – A gripping shorts by John Maclean. Watch this intense, stylish heist unfold in darkness. High suspense, bold visuals.
🌑💰 Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011) by John Maclean 🇬🇧✨
Watch Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011), a gripping shorts by John Maclean. High-stakes tension & stellar performances—don’t miss it!
📋 Quick Facts
- Year: 2011 🗓️
- Runtime: 13-14 minutes ⏱️
- Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
- Language: English
- Genre: Crime Drama, Black Comedy, Neo-Noir 🎭🖤
- Director/Writer: John Maclean 🎥✍️
- Status: BAFTA WINNER for Best Short Film (2012) 🏆
Watch the Shorts
🎭 Synopsis
Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011); Two professional safe crackers—Liam (Liam Cunningham) and the taciturn Michael (Michael Fassbender)—are hired to pull off a bank job in London’s financial district 🏦. The catch? The vault is wired with a light-activated alarm system 💡⚠️, forcing them to work in complete darkness 🌑.
They spend days rehearsing blindfolded, then wait at a pub (The Dolphin in Hackney) for the go-ahead, filling time with arm-wrestling, pool, and lots of pints 🍺🍺🍺. By the time they execute the heist, they’re giggling and stumbling—leading to a devastating twist that proves fatal mistakes happen easiest in the dark 😱🔥
🌟 Cast & Creative Team
- Michael Fassbender as Michael (the younger, more taciturn thief) 🎭
- Liam Cunningham as Liam (the older, more talkative partner) 🗣️
- Alex Macqueen as Isaac (the inside man who briefs them) 📋
- Cinematography: Robbie Ryan (glorious black-and-white) 📷
- Music: Roger Williams’ piano instrumental of “Autumn Leaves” (1955) 🎹🍂
- Production: DMC, UK Film Council, Film4 🎬
🏆 Major Awards
- BAFTA 2012: WINNER – Best Short Film 🥇
- Tribeca Film Festival 2012: Nominated – Best Narrative Short 🎪
- Director’s Debut: John Maclean’s first film (later directed Slow West with Fassbender) 🎬
🎨 Visual Style
- Striking black-and-white cinematography with heavy chiaroscuro lighting ⚫⚪
- Sharp focus without grain filters—enhancing contrast between light and dark 🎨
- Vignette effects evoking 1940s/50s noir nostalgia 🎞️
- Fluorescent lighting adding extra layers of contrast 💡
💡 The Twist (Spoiler!)
Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011); Michael lights a cigarette in the vault 😤🔥—forgetting about the light-sensitive alarm—and immediately triggers it 💥. The ending is “predictably pitch black”—showing how easily things go wrong in the dark!
🔥 Critical Reception
- “A somewhat austere short film shot in black and white… technical command is impressive” 👏
- “Fantastic short film! Wonderful combination of comedy, drama, and brilliant tension” ⭐
- “The B&W usage is great, light is perfect. Actors are in great harmony” 🎭
- “Drunk Michael Fassbender is my favourite genre” 🍺😂
- “Simple but very effective… winner of the BAFTA for Best Short Film 2012” 🏆
🎵 Musical Note
The film opens with Roger Williams’ 1955 piano instrumental of “Autumn Leaves” (Les Feuilles Mortes)—the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on US Billboard charts, remaining there for four weeks! 🎹📈 This gears the audience emotionally for a UK noir homage 🎶
📺 Where to Watch
- YouTube: Available to watch 📱
- Dailymotion: Full film uploaded 🎥
- Apple TV: Available for rent/purchase 🍎
- Amazon Prime Video: Streaming available 📦
Bottom Line: Pitch Black Heist Short Film (2011) – This 13-minute BAFTA-winning gem is a stylish, tense, darkly funny noir that proves John Maclean’s directorial talent and showcases the electric chemistry between Fassbender and Cunningham. The pitch-black heist concept is brilliantly executed—literally! A must-see for fans of crime cinema and Michael Fassbender! 🌑💰✨