"Dummy"

7 March 2023

2 mins 38s

Dummy

A mischievous mascot terrorises a remote town in this oddly unsettling promo for Portugal. The Man. There's something weirdly frightening about the main character - a purple dog with an oversized head and hands - who opens the action by kicking a random man in the crotch when he comes across him in the snow.

Further mayhem soon ensues, as describing the character as 'failing to integrate into town life' would be generous. Instead he defecates in the street, is thrown out of a local bar, and receives a beating at the hands of some equally terrifying children. He also rides on a truck sporting a giant weapon, which he blasts with frozen-faced glee.

There are hints of poignancy in the action too, with the central figure frequently shivering and trying to escape his icy prison, and a feverish final sequence which suggests his death would be expressively mourned in some quarters. This is weird work in the best way, and should appeal to lovers of all things surreal and irreverent.

UK

Promos