Solondzâs 1985 student short film âSchattâs Last Shotâ provides an ideal entry point to his unflinching universe of dark comic despair. A young Solondz stars in the 10-minute short as geeky high schooler Ezra Schatt, a neurotic, primitive headcase of the young Woody Allen variety. Buried under thick, unseemly glasses and an endlessly dazed expression, Ezraâs worst enemy is basketball. Unable to make a single basket under the brutal pressures of his vulgar gym teacher (âYouâre shit, Schatt!â), Ezra also fails at both impressing the cheerleader of his dreams and realizing his aspirations of attending MIT.
