10 Best Short Horror Movies Of The Last Decade
It's not the size that counts; it's what you do with it!
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00:00Sometimes, sitting through an entire feature length film can be a chore, especially if
00:05that movie feels like it's padding out its runtime, because quantity doesn't always
00:11mean quality. Thankfully, there's a subsection of filmmaking that steps in to pick up the
00:17slack, and that's horror shorts. Whether they are festival circuit darlings or just
00:23creations uploaded straight to YouTube, they have proven that you don't need a Hollywood
00:29budget to give people nightmares.
00:32And so, with that in mind, I'm Ellie with WhatCulture here with the 10 best short horror
00:36movies of the last decade.
00:3810. Peephole
00:40Checking a peephole seems like a perfect storm for a scary as hell experience, as looking
00:46out at the wrong time can lead to unsightly things. But no one could ever expect to spy
00:52something as creepy as this.
00:55Peephole shows a man answering a knock at his door late in the night. After looking
00:59out of his peephole, he spots an incredibly curious sight, a doppelganger copying his
01:05actions.
01:06What's fascinating about this short is how the title makes you instantly think you know
01:11what you're getting into. It seems obvious that the unfortunate protagonist is going
01:15to check the titular peephole and be met with some spooky monstrosity, most likely a scary
01:21face or monster. Still, it chucks something way more terrifying at you.
01:26The villain in this short is what sells it so well, as the double takes control away
01:31from the protagonist's own body, giving you this pessimistic feeling of helplessness.
01:37There's no need for make-up or any visual effects to make this monster feel terrifying.
01:43Just a solid build-up, creative editing, and strong acting.
01:479. Guest
01:50Guest is a very clever short film that is way more than what it seems on the surface.
01:55If you're unlucky enough to spot the unsettling creepy thumbnail, you'll likely imagine
02:00a straight up scary flick with some evil monster. But this short has a hidden depth that makes
02:05it way more interesting.
02:07Guest is written and directed by Finn Callen, and shows as a woman breaks into a house to
02:12escape a creature that's stalking her. But the terrifying figure doesn't attack her
02:17or hurt her, it just stares with bulging eyes, which are terrifying.
02:22The short plays with imagery so well, as there are plenty of lingering shots of the protagonist
02:27as she stares right back at this unholy abomination. These shots are painful, as you spend the
02:34whole time waiting to cut back to the monster, leaving you in fits of tension.
02:39Adding to this tension is the use of sound. Since the protagonist is hearing impaired,
02:44The short puts you into her shoes by plunging you into monotonous tones and lingering silences.
02:51And this emptiness makes the imagery on display even punchier.
02:548. Man on a Train
02:56Seeing as a short horror movie only has a limited amount of time to get you spooked,
03:02it's common to rely on ubiquitous scenarios in which everyone can sense peril.
03:07Thus, Stranger Danger is something that comes up a lot.
03:12This short makes genius use of that, as it takes the concept of a creepy encounter and
03:17pushes it to the max.
03:20Man on a Train comes from writer-director Jack Shanks. It shows as an unlucky woman
03:24steps onto a train and begins to eavesdrop on her fellow passengers.
03:29However, after some friendly people watching, they suddenly disappear, and she's left
03:34with a strange man who seems to be coming for her.
03:37This is a short that tackles its horror in a less overt, far more subtle way.
03:42There are no bombastic jump scares or big shocking moments. In fact, the visuals are
03:47altogether natural and authentic.
03:50That's where the movie thrives, as it focuses on mundanity spliced with something ever so
03:55slightly supernatural.
03:57It's simple, effective and sure to give you the creeps, especially if you often ride
04:02the train at night.
04:047. Suckerblood
04:06Typically, when watching a short horror film, you'll get something set in the everyday
04:10world, with the spooky shenanigans coming from some twisted beast or clever visual trick.
04:16However, if you want an all-out gothic fairy tale-like horror, then this short has you
04:22covered.
04:23Suckerblood was created by the pairing of Jack Hendricks and Ben Tillett. It's set
04:28in a gothic mansion and tells the story of a young girl with a bad habit of sucking her
04:33thumbs.
04:34Her mother places down a curse upon her, which will summon the deadly Suckerblood
04:38to kill her if she sucks her thumbs again.
04:41Woah, that's some great parenting.
04:45This movie is deliciously atmospheric, with a large focus on classic horror visuals.
04:51Thanks to this, it almost feels like a kid's version of an Edgar Allan Poe tale.
04:55You've got all the tricks, like a large mansion, heavy shadows, prosthetics and a
04:59deep-voiced narrator guiding you through the story.
05:03Plus, there's two monsters to keep you spooked, the titular beastie and the creepy
05:08mother.
05:09Overall, the short is self-aware, overly gothic, effortlessly charming and tons of fun.
05:156. One Last Dive
05:17Anyone with thalassophobia, which is the fear of large bodies of water, better start running
05:22for the hills for this one.
05:24This film is a short by every definition of the word, as it comes in at about one minute
05:29long.
05:30Despite having less screen time than your average plank exercise, it packs a huge punch
05:35thanks to the horrifying setting, murky visuals and spine-tingling sound design.
05:41One Last Dive is about, well, one last dive as a diver ventures down into the depths after
05:47being given only 20 minutes to investigate a strange underwater crime scene.
05:52But what he finds down there is something terrifying and tragic.
05:56There's so much to love about this short, as it perfectly encapsulates how to use the
06:02format.
06:03The set-up is clear and concise, and the supernatural threat is left to the imagination in a satisfying
06:09yet mysterious way.
06:10Plus, the use of lighting is genius, as you can barely see anything, completely putting
06:16you into the diver's shoes.
06:18Or perhaps flippers.
06:19Thus, when things go wrong, you feel all the more invested.
06:235.
06:242AM, The Smiling Man Many people's idea of a scary horror villain
06:29is a giant monster with huge teeth and a gross body.
06:33For others, it's a creepy-looking little girl with demonic powers.
06:37Really anything can be a terrifying baddie.
06:40Even a man smiling as he dances in the street.
06:43Really?
06:44The Smiling Man follows a man roaming the streets at night.
06:48Why do the people in these shorts keep going out at night?
06:52As he encounters a strange sight, a creepy, smiling man dancing with himself.
06:58What starts as a seemingly innocent encounter soon turns very sinister.
07:02It's safe to say that a smiling, dancing man shouldn't be nightmare-inducing, but
07:08it totally is.
07:10The performance from Paul Foltz as the titular villain is unnerving as hell, and the build-up
07:15of tension as the villain continually stalks the protagonist makes it clear that he's
07:20a dangerous threat.
07:21While viewers are used to things like vampires and werewolves, there's just something so
07:26uncomfortable and uncanny about a person behaving unpredictably.
07:30That's what makes this such a great short.
07:344.
07:35Other Side of the Box Receiving a gift from a friend is usually
07:38a joyous occasion.
07:39Still, if that present contains some terrifying, unexplained phenomenon that drives you to
07:44the brink of death, then you might wish you had a receipt to exchange it with.
07:48Other Side of the Box comes from the mind of Caleb J. Phillips.
07:52It tells the tale of a couple who get an unexpected visit from an old friend.
07:57He leaves one of them a gift before departing in a hurry.
08:01It's then revealed that this box contains a strange creature that gets closer every
08:05time you look away from it.
08:07Weeping angels, anyone?
08:09Sorry, wrong channel.
08:11Anyway.
08:12The set-up of a villain that moves closer once you break eye contact has been used enough
08:16to feel like a full-on trope.
08:18Yet, while it's often overused, this short does a great job of playing with the concept,
08:24using some terrifying yet simple creature design.
08:27Seeing a creepy, seemingly human face poke out of a box has never been so scary.
08:33Also, despite being less than 20 minutes long, it packs in a whole heap of character building.
08:38There's a clear, established history between the cast, even if it's mostly unspoken,
08:44leading to way more mystery and tension.
08:473.
08:48My House Walkthrough
08:50This is a horror short that has arguably not received the attention it deserves.
08:55However, the fact that it stands so tall against the backdrop of terrifying creations you've
09:00seen so far should come as a sign of how truly haunting it is.
09:04It's not conventional horror by any means, but it'll have you scared beyond your wildest
09:09dreams.
09:10My House Walkthrough is a YouTube video uploaded by Nana825763, and is an absolute descent
09:17into hell.
09:18It's presented in a found footage format, as an unnamed protagonist gives you a guided
09:22tour of their house.
09:24But this dilapidated building is full of terrifying imagery, dark secrets, and a seemingly infinite
09:30loop.
09:31It's almost impossible to put into words what kind of experience this is, as the horror
09:36is so unique.
09:38It has plenty of clever ways to scare you, mostly thanks to the sickening visuals and
09:42mind-blowingly good set decoration.
09:44There's also an eerie chanting in the background, giving the whole thing an overwhelmingly spiritual
09:51vibe.
09:52Overall, this is a horror experience unlike any you've had before, and one that could
09:56only work as a short film.
09:592.
10:00Lights Out
10:01Sales for nightlights must have gone through the roof when this iconic short film hit the
10:05scene.
10:06Although against this monster, they won't have done much good.
10:09Lights Out is an excellent example of how simplicity can be very effective when making
10:14something scary.
10:16This short is less than three minutes long, has no dialogue, and takes place in one small
10:22location.
10:23Yet, despite all that, it took the horror world by storm and has become one of the scariest
10:28pieces of media ever created.
10:30Written and directed by David F. Sandberg, Lights Out follows a woman on her way to bed
10:35who notices a strange figure in the shadows of her flat.
10:39This figure disappears once she turns the light on, and thus she uses this to try and
10:43stay safe.
10:44Sadly, in the end, the flick of a switch is all it takes to end her life and make a collective
10:49audience poop their pants.
10:51This short is a masterclass in building tension and paying it off with a shocking climax.
10:57The atmosphere is pungent, and the creature's reveal is painfully freaky.
11:02This is likely why it got expanded into a feature film in 2016, and while that flick
11:07has some merit to it, it's this short that deserves your attention.
11:111.
11:12The Back Rooms If you've been on the internet in the past
11:15few years, which you presumably have, then you likely already know about The Back Rooms.
11:22Either you've seen it and delved into the lore, heard of it and maybe checked it out,
11:27or spotted the infamous ugly wallpaper cropping up in memes with no idea what it was.
11:33It really has caused quite the stir.
11:35The Back Rooms is a found footage horror short that you can find on YouTube.
11:40It was uploaded by the channel Kane Pixels and is a pure example of how the found footage
11:45genre still has life in it.
11:48It shows as a kid carrying a camera falls through the world into an unexplained place.
11:53There, he explores his peculiar surroundings and discovers that he's not alone.
11:58This short is widely respected for its use of liminal space.
12:02This refers to a location that's wide and open but eerily devoid of life, like an empty
12:07car park or a school at night.
12:10The creepiness of such a setting goes twofold if it's full of sickly yellow colouring, tasteless
12:15wallpaper and blaring fluorescent lights, the combination of which makes you oddly queasy.
12:21It's a genius short film that thrives on how creepy the setting is and how hopeless
12:26survival seems.
12:27And that concludes our list.
12:29If you think we missed any, then do let us know in the comments below.
12:32And while you're there, don't forget to like and subscribe and tap that notification bell.
12:37Also head over to Twitter and follow us there.
12:39And I can be found across various social medias just by searching Ellie Littlechild.
12:43I've been Ellie with WhatCulture, I hope you have a magical day and I'll see you real soon.