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Don't have the time for a full-length feature to get your horror fix?
No problem! These 10 horror shorts from around the world can give you
the chills in a fraction of the time.
1. THE TEN STEPS (2004,IRELAND) RUNTIME: 10 MINUTES
Director and writer Brenden Muldowney sets the stage for a creepy good
time when teenager Katie is left at home to take care of her younger
brother. Of course the lights go out and poor little Katie needs to
face the ten steps it takes to get down to the basement. Mom and dad
are in the middle of important business and can only talk her through
it over a cell phone. They end up really regretting that decision. The
ending will get under your skin, guaranteed.
2. THE BUTCHER (2007,USA) RUNTIME: 8 MINUTES
Imagine waking up in a closet and discovering you are about to be
turned into ground chuck. Yeah, you have a cell phone in your pocket
but no signal, damn you Verizon! Written and directed by Joseph S.
Garcia, THE BUTCHER packs quite a wallop and even has a couple of true
and honest jump moments. Gorehounds won't be disappointed either with
an ending that is seriously sick and demented. It will make you channel
your inner Ewww
3. CUTTING EDGE a.k.a. DERNIER CRI (2005,FRANCE, SUBTITLED) RUNTIME: 8 MINUTES
This French short from Gregory Morin about a ruthless serial killer
that gets what he deserves is actually funny in spots, in kind of a
perverse way. When an elderly man is killed in his home, the killer
meets his maker, slowly and painfully through the magic of a late night
infomercial. Mixing brutality with humor is something the French do
very well. However It IS uncomfortable chuckling while watching someone
who has absolutely no regard for human life.
4. THE DEADENING (2004,UK) RUNTIME: 6 MINUTES
Director Dillon Nicholls presents to us a country being overrun by
zombies and one hapless victim's attempt to stave off the inevitable.
Waking up from a zombie bite, our hero decides to find his way home to
his wife. This angle is nothing we haven't seen before, Romero did it
in LAND OF THE DEAD with the undead going back to what is familiar, to
what they remember. Here though the impact of how sad and lonely
transforming from man to zombie must be is felt to full effect.
5. THE FAERIES OF BLACKHEATH WOODS (2006,IRELAND) RUNTIME: 3 MINUTES
This well shot fairy tale directed by Ciaran Foy is beautiful, lush and
very creepy. Young Melissa is playing in the woods and at first the
short feels like it could very well be an enchanted story for the
younger set. It quickly turns into a nightmare however when a
particular group of pissed off fairies turn on a little girl who
accidentally roughhouses with one of their own.
6. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U (2006,SPAIN, SUBTITLED) RUNTIME: 14 MINUTES
A weary social worker investigates a child abuse call, When she isn't
satisfied with the findings she decides to conduct her own
investigation. What follows is a twist within a twist ending, which I
didn't see coming, that will leave you wondering who the real victim
is. It's the cinematic equivalent of being unexpectedly smacked upside
the head. Director David Alcalde does the impossible and manages to
tell a compelling story in a short amount of time. Excellent.
7. MIME MASSACRE (2006,CANADA) RUNTIME: 6 MINUTES
Mimes have always annoyed the shit out me so when you put them all into
one room and slaughter them, I'm not only there, I'll bring the
popcorn. Who could bring my fantasy to glorious living color? A group
of wacky Canadians of course! Written and directed by Colin Decker,
MIME MASSACRE is what happens when a crazed gunman with a score to
settle meets up with a group of mimes. In the ending credits it reads
"No mimes were actually harmed in the making of this movie...bummer"
Awesome, just awesome.
8. LITTLE LISE (2005,DENMARK, SUBTITLED) RUNTIME: 19 MINUTES
Little Lise has just watched her dad load her mom's lifeless body into
the back of the family minivan. Now they are going to the lake because
mommy likes the water and wants to go swimming! Any horror story that
centers on a child is hard for me to watch but this takes it to a whole
different level. Listening to a 5 year old ask "Why isn't mommy
moving?" is somewhat of a challenge for me but the ending is even
worse. Director Benjamin Holmsteen tells the real story of what
happened to mom in a series of flashbacks. The effect is chilling.
9. MR. BUBBS (2007,USA) RUNTIME: 7 MINUTES
Here we go again with the young child in peril angle. This time its
about a girl, a pedophile and her protective imaginary friend. I must
say I do hate it when a director uses a kid to up the horror factor in
a movie, its a cop out because its too easy to mess with people that
way. Having said that MR. BUBBS, directed by Todd Thompson, does work
because you KNOW nothing is going to happen to the kid. You see the
satisfying ending a mile away BUT watching the overweight and greasy
pedophile convince the little girl to get into his car with the promise
of new sidewalk chalk is beyond unsettling.
10. ROOM 69 a.k.a. PATIENTE 69 (2005,FRANCE, SUBTITLED) RUNTIME: 20 MINUTES
This thoroughly enjoyable short, directed by Jean-Patrick Benes has to
be my favorite among the bunch. A new intern, played brilliantly by the
wonderful Yvon Martin, is starting his first night watch shift at the
local psychiatric hospital. The only rule to follow is to stay out of
room 69. At first, the boredom for him is almost maddening until, of
course, he finds something to do by checking out Room 69! Suddenly the
night shift is exciting when he discovers a sexy girl, who has a nasty
habit of biting her lovers to death, fastened to her bed. I actually
would like to see this stretched out into a full-length movie. You may
or may not see the twist ending ahead of time but who cares? Its a fun
ride getting there.
Until next time.......
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