The Jillon: A Bizarre and Surreal British Comedy Short

The Jillon is one of those things, like car crashes, large buildings falling and public assassinations - in as much as you cannot tear your eyes away from it.  No matter the fact that you have more than an inkling how it’s going to end for everyone involved (and maybe that’s why we can’t turn away), you just keep on watching.  While crashes, falling and assassinations have variable results and rewards, I do have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of The Jillon, even though at times my shoulders were shrugging as wildly as a zebra foal trying to escape the clutches of a hungry lion.

The Jillon tells the story of an elderly couple, Jill and John (oh, I get it) who met late and so could not have children of there own.  That doesn’t stop Jill in particular wishing that she could and so, thanks to a more than a little intervention, a magical package is left on their doorstep.  Yes, that is the Jillon of the title – and it’s like Mr Blobby had entered a massively radioactive zone and come back out non the wiser but more manic (and disturbing to the eye) than ever before.  Well, they say that when the gods wish to punish us, they give us what they want.

Written by Harry Hill, The Jillon features Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd etc) as the narrator – who doesn’t seem to care which fictional walls he breaks (but gets his comeuppance anyway).  It stars Flip Webster as Jill and Richard Syms as John, both stalwarts of British TV and film (with a few global blockbusters under their collective belt, too).  They are the kind of actors who you immediately recognise but can’t quite remember their names unless you are already a devoted fan, and then spend the next fifteen hours recalling all the things you have seen them in (and admonishing yourself for not knowing their names in the first place).  Jillon is played by Cosmo Wellings, who has a shortish but impressive CV, acting wise, and gets into the eponymous role with some gusto, not to mention relish and an alarming degree of commitment.

Viewer reactions have been a little mixed... although mixed might be putting it somewhat mildly. Some have declared it a modern-day classic and a work of art (no tongue in any cheek ever), while others are still trying to work out precisely what they've just watched. Comparisons have been made to a British Twilight Zone, a remake of Eraserhead and even the Mr Blobby origin story. One viewer suggested it was a public information film about the dangers of, erm, wood, while another simply declared: "I have no idea what I just watched... but I watched."  And that brings me back to my original point, I guess.

Richard Ayoade's unexpected running exploits have also proved a particular talking point. Perhaps the most telling comment came from someone who predicted that, years from now, this extraordinary little film would pop into their head and leave them wondering whether they'd simply dreamt it. Watch The Jillon below…