Tag: USA

CHINA LAKE

China Lake (1983)
Directed by Robert Harmon
Written by Robert Harmon & Beth Tate

Charles Napier stars as Donnelly-a twisted motorcycle cop who dispenses his own brand of justice in the desert.

Made by Harmon as an industry calling card, this accomplished short led to his hiring as the director of the rural terror classic The Hitcher (1986).

China Lake’s story was later developed into the successful TV movie The China Lake Murders (1990), starring Tom Skerritt with Michael Parks taking the Donnelly role.

NIGHT CRAWL

Night Crawl
Written & Directed by Gregory Schultz
2019, USA

Two inmates try to tunnel their way out of prison and discover an underground cave in this grim, well-made horror short.

Auteur Schultz has stated that he places a high priority on production design and his detailed work in that area really pays off here.

 

THE HERD

The Herd
Directed by Colin A. Borden
Written by Andy Nellis
2016, USA

This brutal, well-made short offers a disturbing look at the post-apocalyptic food chain.

Director Borden has focused primarily on comedy in subsequent short film work, which is unfortunate for lovers of horror as the memorable The Herd packs a punch.

CREEPER

Creeper
Directed by Melissa Scrivner-Love & David Love
Written by David Love
2022, USA

A mysterious stranger carrying some devastating secrets is taken into the home of a mother, her son and her abusive husband.

Creeper effectively employs a science fiction element that will remind viewers of bits from Rian Johnson’s Looper (2012), giving this short a unique feel.

STICKS

Sticks
Written & Directed by Noah Ishihara & CJ Beasley
2023, USA

A young man is injured while hiking with his girlfriend.  When she doesn’t return with help, he strikes out on his own to search for her and is confronted with disturbing revelations.

Sticks delivers some creepy backwoods ambience on its limited budget and this short establishes the Ishihara/Beasley creative duo as one to watch in the world of horror short films.

POCKET

Pocket
Written & Directed by Adante Watts
2023, USA

A young man desperately tries to escape from a seemingly endless parking structure while being pursued by a masked attacker in auteur Watts’ foray into the world of altered reality horror cinema.

As of this writing, Watts is currently at work on the horror short Reprieve.

 

LOCKSMITHS

Locksmiths
Written & Directed by James Kwon Lee
2015, USA

Two thieves posing as the titular repairmen make a grisly discovery on their latest job in this highly accomplished horror short film.

For further exploration of grim shorts centered around being in the wrong house at the wrong time, check out Kimo Stamboel & Timo Tjahjanto’s Dara, Jonathan van Tulleken’s Off Season, Jerry Pyle’s Service and Doug Cook & Eric Covello’s P.O.W.. 

James Kwon Lee also made the horror short Ashes (2016).

WHEN THE TIME COMES

When the Time Comes
Directed by Jondaniel Cornett & Jonathan Frey
Written by Jondaniel Cornett
2022, USA

Having previously made the horror short films Dodah (2019) and Skopein (2019), Jondaniel Cornett delivers what is by far his most accomplished work with When the Time Comes.

An extremely well-acted, emotional journey into a post-apocalyptic setting, When the Times Comes makes a great pairing with Aaron McCann & Stefan Androv Radanovich’s Perished, Ben Howling & Yolanda Ramke’s Cargo and Alex Horwitz’s Alice Jacobs is Dead.

HYSTERIC

Hysteric
Written & Directed by Rod Blackhurst
2022, USA

When their mother is stricken by a mysterious ailment that turns her homicidal, two young girls attempt to hide from the murderous matriarch.

Hysteric contains spectacular cinematography from Justin Derry and a palpable cold, rainy atmosphere.

Veteran filmmaker Blackhurst’s previous horror short Night Swim (2014) is currently getting the feature film treatment courtesy of Hollywood genre cinema heavyweights Jason Blum and James Wan.

As of this writing, Blackhurst is in post-production on the crime feature Blood for Dust.