These Horror Short Films Will Surprise You

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Horror is king in the month of October. While I’m typically not drawn to the genre, I’ve recently been willing to embrace a different definition of what exactly makes something a horror film. The three short films below are all considered horror, despite not fitting into the mold I’d previously associated with the word. They all caused my heart to beat faster and that feeling of adrenaline to rush forward. I realized that what makes a great horror film isn’t necessarily that feeling of needing to watch through my fingers while covering my eyes. These three films managed to keep me guessing until the very end. They’re all super short yet still manage to draw the audience in without giving them much time to press stop. You have 5 minutes to spare, right? Check out these three super short horror films below and start questioning what the horror genre means to you while trying not to fall off the edge of your seat.

Lovely Monster

Created as a faux documentary, Lovely Monster is scary in a totally different way than you might expect. Even the hint that it could be possible makes it even a little scarier. The floating shots and light feel of the beginning of the “documentary” lull you into a false sense of safety. We find out that Sophia is a monster but don’t really know why she’s a “monster” for the majority of the film. This keeps us in suspense and wondering what the heck is wrong with this girl? Once it’s finally revealed, we see why people are scared of her and why you’d never want to run into her in a dark alley.

Breathe

Breathe is another film that lures us into a false sense of security before scaring us senseless. Hidden behind the guise of a friend who simply wants to show his buddy something really freaking awesome, this film again keeps us in a place of suspense wondering when it will take a turn for the worse. Even though I was expecting something scary to jump out of this one, I was still in shock when the twist finally appeared. It’s almost difficult to watch as this five-minute film takes you through a range of emotions ultimately settling on stunned.

Run

Just when you might think you know what is happening in Run, everything flips on its head. Beginning as a sweet letter that we could imagine ourselves writing, the film draws us in. Watching this film scared me more than either of the others. It’s basically what the statement “too real” was invented for. Perhaps the most twisted of the three films, this short left me feeling horrified.

Although none of these films fit my original assumptions about the horror genre, they each left me feeling uneasy in different ways. What makes a film horror to you may be totally different than me. So what exactly defines the horror genre?  Genres are used to help us classify similar types of film, but in reality, each film is unique and could likely fit in many genres. But be honest, these freaked you out a bit.

What’d you think of the films? What makes something horror? Let us know in the comments!

HT:  Short of the Week
Featured Image Credit: Screenshot / Lovely Monster

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