The guitar of Robert Leroy Johnson arrives in present-day Jersey City, where it’s new owner inherits the “gift” that comes with it.

Steven Alexander Russell’s, The Dark Strums, is a short horror film that has murder, mystique, and ain’t nothing but the devil. This short film is beautifully shot and produces soulful and gripping music while building to the demonic premise during its short runtime of about 13 minutes. I enjoyed the display of old-time soul and aesthetics of the 1930s, that period-piece horror feel was well captured in the beginning, and as the viewer is transitioned to modern times, shows how curses and deals with the devil never seem to expire. The narrative is based upon the real-life fable of the musician, Robert Johnson, rumored to have invented the blues and found fame with the help of that mischievous and evil balancer of the universe, the devil. The film asks what is the cost that one is willing to pay in order to ensure their dreams will be realized?

The Dark Strums begins with a couple lounging beside a picturesque lake in 1930s Mississippi. Angelic Sylvia (Kayland Jordan) is being courted by a man named Robert Johnson (Damion Rochester), a guitar player who is in poor standing with the local church congregation. Sweet and innocent but intrigued by Robert’s reputation of being one who sold his soul to the devil in order to learn how to play the guitar, Sylvia insists that Robert play a song for her. Though we are not allowed to hear him play, we do see that his strumming causes darkness to fill poor Sylvia’s eyes, alluding to the evil behind his “gifted” strumming.

In the present day, a musician, named Elma (Olivia Griffin), is struggling to make ends meet while following her dreams to become famous for her craft. Going to her local pawn shop after recently bombing at an open mic, she purchases a guitar that she has been eyeing for weeks – the very same guitar owned by the dark strummer, Robert Johnson. Elma takes the prized guitar to a gig for a birthday party, and as she begins to play, the same darkness fills the eyes of the birthday boy, with tragic and shocking consequences. Elma realizes that her sudden gift of playing the blues comes at a price, and we see glimpses of the spirit of Robert teaching Elma to play as she decides her dreams are worth the guitar’s heavy cost.

Updated to the modern era, Robert Johnson’s legend reaches out from history to grab the viewer by the throat…but misses and only grazes the ears. Olivia Griffin’s guitar and singing skills are awesome; even though it is the same song repeated, if that is the only riff she can do then at least it is a damn good one that is full of soul and talent. Other than the music in this film, because it is a short film the pacing was rapid and the plot suffered for it. I think it would have been more enjoyable had Russel chosen to delve into one era or the other, especially since we are not shown how the guitar got from point A to point B. Though Elma is a treat to listen to and there is comic relief from the pawn store owner (Lee Schatzman) in the modern setting, I was particularly interested in seeing more of the 1930s deep south setting, and I feel a lot more could have been done with this part of the plot had Russell lingered on the legend of Robert Johnson. In short, I wish The Dark Strums were longer so I could have fully appreciated the story and characters more.

That old motif of a dissatisfied soul making a pact with the devil has been around for quite some time; even before Robert Johnson, legends such as the ancient one of Faust have been entertaining our imaginations, and let’s not forget present day’s supposed Illuminati rumors and conspiracies around today’s music industry. This concept continues in Steven Alexander Russell’s, The Dark Strums, as humans eternally struggle to make it in the world and we weigh what we’d be willing to pay to be fast-tracked to what we want. Though not very thrilling and only mildly horrific, it is evident that Russell, as a writer/director/producer, is certainly creative, a great cultivator of atmosphere and suspense, and one with an artistic eye for framing and imagery. The Dark Strum‘s vulnerable and compelling characters and music make this short film worth a gander despite its few sour notes.