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THE FAN GIRL NEXT DOOR: 10 Short Horror Films You Should See
By Janet
Mar 24, 2008, 09:12

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 it’s 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, it’s 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? It’s a fun ride getting there.

Until next time.......

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