The Lemurian Candidate has been receiving a lot of praise since its recent release. Produced by Crossing Bridges Films, in association with Visual Narrative Films, Velite Entertainment, and 100 Monkeys, this film is ideally situated outside the pressure of the mammoth studios yet with the backing of highly supportive and creative ones. This intersect cultivates unique creativity and an identifiable voice that resists conformity. Breakthrough comedies like Napoleon Dynamite and Clerks are recognized for starting a wave of copycats due to their originality and The Lemurian Candidate is being discussed in the same light as these cult classic films. A cocktail of comedy, drama, and science fiction, the story has a wide range of emotional tones and an eclectic group of characters. The cast includes such notables as Dakota Shapiro (of People’s Choice Award Winning Film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Oliver Cooper (Netflix’s Primetime Emmy Award Nominated series Mindhunter, Showtimes’ Primetime Emmy Award Winning series Californication), Ben Groh, and Emily Hall (of Apple’s Primetime Emmy Nominated Series Loot). The production enlisted the graphic design skills of Nicole Baroudi to imprint the aloof chaos found in so many moments of this film. The Lemurian Candidate is the type of movie that gets better with multiple viewings, something which also serves to heighten an appreciation for the fine details Nicole has crafted for the tone of this story.
This film is built on the foundation of friendship, namely three men named Jesse, Tom, and Stan. While Tom and Stan think they are on a “buddy trip” to stabilize the emotionally and mentally unstable Jesse, the latter is planning an expedition to find an ancient and secret race of aliens known as The Lemurians. When psychedelic drugs are introduced into the equation, a progressive series of unexpected turns offers unique dark comedy brilliance. As Jesse spirals, his best friends must decide where the line of demarcation exists in their union. The Lemurian Candidate certainly leans towards hyperbolic but it’s familiar to those who have had that one friend who is on the fringe.
What makes this film so intriguing is its ability to blur the lines between reality and delusion. While the performances of the actors are an obvious factor in this, the surroundings of the characters have a complex depth which profoundly reinforces their mental state. These visual cues occur almost instantly in the film when the audience is introduced to the characters in the setting of Jesse’s bedroom. Ms. Baroudi’s designing of the graphics for this set communicates Jesse’s mindset, his obsessions, and the way he interprets the world. The room is densely layered with visual cues: maps, articles and clippings, drawings, and other ephemera that offer insight into his thought processes. The graphic design within the room is especially important as these details serve as visual exposition of Jesse’s character. Each piece was crafted to feel authentic, consistent with his personality and narratively meaningful. By immersing the audience in the clutter, chaos, and patterns of his mind, the set not only establishes his character immediately but also subtly foreshadows the journey the story will take into his worldview. In this way, the graphics and set dressing function as an extension of Jesse himself, allowing the audience to “read” his thoughts and beliefs before any dialogue occurs. Even in seemingly mundane moments like when the trio enters a small-town convenience store in Mount Shasta, the graphic designs communicate subtle story cues about the town itself – its character, culture, and sense of local identity. The graphics that populate the store, including product packaging, missing-person posters, book covers, and signage, all provide an accessible shorthand that circumvents any need for verbal explanation. Even the labels of Jesse’s medical bottles relay the severity of his condition. Nicole emphasizes the need to be extremely thoughtful in her work as a graphic designer stating, “The goal is always to achieve authenticity in every graphic. Whether designing product labels, posters, or conspiracy ephemera for this film, each element needed to feel realistic and believable within the context of the story. Even small inaccuracies could break the audience’s immersion, so I had to be meticulous in my research and execution.”
The filmmakers who crafted The Lemurian Candidate have achieved something quite uncommon with this production, a story with dark comedic moments about a suspected secret group with heartfelt moments of true friendship. It’s proof that you can laugh while also being overwhelmed about your view of the world and what constitutes believable.
Writer : Basil Thomson
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