Is Revelation a place or a state of mind? In the short-film, Revelation, Alabama, it is both.
The film offers a recipe for Southern-fried spirituality, with a New-Age twist. Stories of heartbreak and redemption never go out of style. An air of mystery surrounds the town of Revelation when down-and-out banker turned biker Dex Burns stumbles into the diner. He meets Angeline Harper, the angelic waitress who takes him on a journey of self-discovery. Through their dialog Dex leaves town with a renewed spirit determined to travel the road to a happier life, yet questioning whether the town really exists, or if the events were played out in his own psyche.
The film is filled with subtle and subliminal messages, both visual and vocal, which add to the surrealism of the place. Can you find them all?
Synopsis
DEX BURNS is a lone biker traveling down a deserted stretch of rural road. Nothing can be seen for miles except furrowed fields. Dex is a rough outlaw-biker sporting long hair and a three-day beard. His face is rugged and his expression stern. His leather jacket and jeans are dusty, but his Harley is sparkling clean. His boots are scuffed and unpolished. Camping gear is strapped to the seat directly behind the rider.
Dex tugs at his face and shakes his head indicating he is tired and drowsy. Obviously, he has been riding a long time. Looking down the road ahead, he sees only more road and fights off his fatigue and drowsiness.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, he is in the middle of a small town. The sight startles him as he slows abruptly and stops in the middle of the road. The town is really not much more than a crossroads with a service station, some assorted small store fronts, and a diner. Everything is in perfect order, as if time had just stopped. As Dex looks around curiously surveying the buildings, he notices that the town is very still. No one can be seen on the streets. No people, no cars, no sounds, no activity of any kind. Dex spies the diner and rides over in front of it. The diner is rather old and rustic. The parking lot is vacant. Climbing off his Harley, Dex is stiff from the long ride. He dusts some of the dirt off his leather jacket and enters the diner.
Scanning the diner, Dex sees a neatly arranged typical small town restaurant. The tables have red-checkered tablecloths. The floor is black and white tile. The Formica-topped counter blends naturally with the round vinyl bar stools giving it a late 1950s look. Still, he sees no signs of people. Not seeing anyone inside, Dex looks out the diner window for signs of life. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a waitress appears behind the counter. She didn't walk in, she just appeared. Her name is ANGELINE HARPER. She wears a perfectly tailored waitress uniform with a small white apron. She is a brash Southern belle with an accent that could cut through butter. Angeline likes to talk and is inquisitive about her customer.
Angeline bombards Dex with a barrage of questions and astute observations, much to his irritation. All he wants is lunch. Through Angeline's inquisitiveness, Dex's life is revealed. We find that he is a heartbroken former investment-banker who is in search of himself. Angeline offers up a blue plate special of homespun philosophy and "New Age" spiritual advice. Dex is resistant at first and their bantering allows Angeline to unfold a plan of life based on acceptance and quality. Angeline is persistent and eventually grabs Dex's curiosity. Her advice is so relevant to Dex's personal situation that he becomes more and more interested. Stubborn to the end, Dex continues to resist. It requires a bit of trickery from Angeline to force Dex to see the light. Before leaving the diner, Dex is transformed and continues his journey with a renewed spirit.
As he rides out of town, we see a sign on the other side of the road facing the opposite direction. When Dex passes it, we can see the sign reads, "REVELATION".
Just out of town, Dex begins thinking back on his experience at the diner. Clearly, Angeline had answered many of his questions and he feels better than when he first arrived in town. He cracks another slight smile and stops in the middle of the road to take a reflective look back. He sees nothing but deserted rural road. No sign of the town in sight. Was it all just a dream? Baffled but somehow content, he circles the motorcycle around and continues his journey down the long road.
The town of Revelation is a metaphor for a peaceful and contented soul. Angeline is the angelic medium between Dex and spirituality. Life is symbolized by the long, lonely road--or more appropriately, "the road less traveled".