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7 Must-Watch Horror Short Films
By Carina Tamer

   7 Must-Watch Horror Shorts, According to the Critics

You won’t be on the edge of your seat. You’ll be hiding under it. 

Tired of looking for the next horror short on your watch-list? We’ve done the hard work for you. These are the 7 films that were most cross-referenced in critics’ reviews for the scariest, creepiest, most highly-rewarding horror shorts of all time. Call these, the classics.

For our own selection of Halloween films, check out our newest playlist on ARGO. 

 

1. Zygote  (Dir. Neill Blomkamp, 2017)Still for Zygote

 Starring Dakota Fanning, the 22-minute Zygote is a dark and tense short that serves up one of the most horrifying monsters of all time – a multi-limbed being made out of the bodies of men. Two lone survivors in an arctic mine are forced to fight for their lives against a new kind of terror. This is by far one of the most skin-crawling shorts of all time.

 

2.The Maiden (Dir. Michael Chaves, 2016)Still for Maiden

The Maiden is the dark tale of a real estate agent who will stop at nothing to close the sale on a demonic mansion. Michael Chaves is an American film director, screenwriter, visual effects artist, editor, and executive producer best known for his work on The Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Don’t watch this alone.  

 

3.Lights Out (Dir. David F. Sandberg, 2013)Film Still for Lights OutLights Out is a swedish supernatural horror flick that follows the misadventure of a woman who finds a long-haired humanlike silhouette at the other end of a hallway. While she switches the light on and off, the figure seems to keep on gaining on her. This is probably the most famous horror short of all time. 

 

4.Alexia (Dir. Andrés Borghi, 2013)Still for Alexia

At under 10 minutes, this short film gets straight to the point in building suspense and terror. A man is contacted by his ex-girlfriend, who committed suicide after he dumped her, via Facebook message. With sound effects that increase tension and makes you jump, this short film is a kitschy intro to the goldmine of horror.  

5.Mama (Dir. Andrés Muschietti, 2013)

Written and directed by Andy Muschietti of the It films comes Mama, a short film that later went on to be adapted for the big screen. It’s mark on this list is due its haunting premise and well-executed, claustrophobic atmosphere. Muschietti cleverly brings his story to life in one continuous sequence held together by two sisters at the mercy of Mama. When Guillermo del Toro saw this short, he said, “it was one of the scariest little scenes I’ve ever seen.”  

 

6.Bedfellows (Dir. Pierre Stefano, 2008)Still for Bedfellows

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and wondered if the person sharing your bed was still there? At just two minutes, this short will make you never want to ask that question again. A woman gets a call that makes her question her safety in her own home.

 

7. Next Floor (Dir. Dennis Villeneuve, 2010)Still for Next Floor

Dennis Villeneuve’s genius manifests in this beautifully horrific short. Playing on the theme of gore and guts, Next Floor challenges your eyes, your stomach, and your sanity. Eleven decadent people endlessly gorge themselves on food at a banquet. Waiters present platter after platter of increasingly bizarre foods: brains on the half-shell, full-sized taxiderm-ied beasts that have yet to have their fur removed, and unknown carcasses. If you haven’t watched this short, do it now.