::THRILLING SHORT FILMS::
THE GIST OF THE LIST: A list of short films both new and old that feature twisty plots, thrilling scenarios, surprising revelations, and (at times) frightening horrors. Many of these small narratives would fit quite well in such programming as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS or THE TWILIGHT ZONE. In addition, many of these short films can be seen for free on YouTube or Vimeo.
Even more short films: [link]http://vimeo.com/channels/1076863[/link]
[copy and paste the link into your web browser to watch]
[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER]
OTHER LISTS:
CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS
CON THRILLERS
COURTROOM THRILLERS
CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES
DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL
DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD!
GOTHIC HORROR
HEIST THRILLERS
HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU
HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS
ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES
LO-FI SCI-FI
ONE ROOM THRILLERS
PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS
POLICE PROCEDURALS
PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS
RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS
THEOLOGICAL FILMS
THRILLING SHORT FILMS
THRILLING TV EPISODES
THRILLING TV MOVIES
UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS
VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS
Even more short films: [link]http://vimeo.com/channels/1076863[/link]
[copy and paste the link into your web browser to watch]
[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER]
OTHER LISTS:
CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS
CON THRILLERS
COURTROOM THRILLERS
CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES
DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL
DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD!
GOTHIC HORROR
HEIST THRILLERS
HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU
HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS
ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES
LO-FI SCI-FI
ONE ROOM THRILLERS
PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS
POLICE PROCEDURALS
PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS
RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS
THEOLOGICAL FILMS
THRILLING SHORT FILMS
THRILLING TV EPISODES
THRILLING TV MOVIES
UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS
VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS
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- DirectorsPhillips SmalleyLois WeberStarsLois WeberVal PaulDouglas GerrardAbandoned by her maidservant in an isolated country house, a mother must protect herself and her baby from an invading tramp while her husband races home in a stolen car to save them.MY TWO CENTS: The thriller distilled down to its essence. This silent film was ahead of its time, implementing every cinematic technique in the book (at the time) to ratchet up the thrills. Despite not offering much in plot, it's remarkable how well it holds up. 7
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1QcfAhypU[/link] - DirectorsGianni HoepliUbaldo MagnaghiStarsLav KamenarovicGino EprisiCarlo BissiA doctor performs an experiment on a dying man by placing him under hypnosis on his deathbed.MY TWO CENTS: This silent film from Italy is an effective adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" with cinematography and editing that's evocative of Sergei Eistenstein's work with an ending that is shockingly gory - even by today's standards! The lack of any soundtrack, however, hurts its effectiveness. 7
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3qGwCPKhdI[/link] - DirectorJules DassinStarsJoseph SchildkrautRoman BohnenOscar O'SheaIn this classic Edgar Allan Poe story, a man commits a murder, but afterward the victim's beating heart torments the murderer's mind.MY TWO CENTS: Solid adaptation of Poe's classic from the great Jules Dassin (RIFIFI) - straightforward, ably performed, and professionally executed. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlTCXIJEj-c[/link] - DirectorWendy ToyeStarsAlan BadelCameron HallGeoffrey BayldonA strangely-garbed and eccentric-acting stranger arrives in a small English town. But, after several days on being in the town, the citizens accept him as a harmless, though a bit daft, member of the community. He then pays a visit to the town's leading citizen and reveals himself as a man with the perfect plan for murder.MY TWO CENTS: Plays out like a long lost tale of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - starts off as a whimsical comedy until turning quite dark with a chilling twist. One of my favorites. 9
WATCH IT: [link]http://vimeo.com/71276534[/link] - DirectorTed ParmeleeStarsJames MasonJack MatherA madman tells his tale of murder, and how a strange beating sound haunted him afterward.MY TWO CENTS: Animated adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale of the macabre that is artfully realized with stark compositions and delirious camera effects; perhaps the best version of tale ever put on screen. 9
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccUTtxwLDTg[/link] - DirectorJoseph LoseyStarsDonald WolfitMichael MedwinMichael RipperMY TWO CENTS: Directed by Joseph Losey and written by Jimmy Sangster, this short tale of crime features a man disguised as a woman who robs a casino, double crosses his partner, gets shot in the process, and makes a run for it... and that's not even the first ten minutes of the short! Not perfect, despite a slam-bang start as it becomes quite sluggish in the second half, but it does end on a nice twist ending. 6
WATCH IT: Unavailable - DirectorLloyd Michael WilliamsStarsDorothea GriffinCalvin WatersYoung Ursula plays in a tree and ruins her fancy dress. Her elderly mother teaches her a cruel lesson about whether things can ever be mended; what Ursula learns about how to behave may not be what her mother intended.MY TWO CENTS: Written by Charles Beaumont (THE TWILIGHT ZONE), this arty, eerie tale of psychological horror may not be for everyone's tastes, but it may reward the more adventurous viewer. 7
WATCH IT: [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Rys_RdYa4[/link] - DirectorChris MarkerStarsÉtienne BeckerJean NégroniHélène ChatelainThe story of a man forced to explore his memories in the wake of World War III's devastation, told through still images.MY TWO CENTS My nomination for the greatest short film of all time. Beautiful, harrowing, spellbinding. Served as the inspiration for Terry Gillam's TWELVE MONKEYS. 10
WATCH IT: [link]http://vimeo.com/46620661[/link] - DirectorRobert EnricoStarsRoger JacquetAnne CornalyAnker-Spang LarsenIn 1862, during the American Civil War, a Southern civilian is about to be hanged for attempting to sabotage a railway bridge. When the execution takes place from the bridge, the rope breaks and he begins his escape toward home.My TWO CENTS: Wonderfully crafted short that actually appeared on US television as an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Won the academy award for best short film. 9
WATCH IT: [link]http://vimeo.com/15147706[/link] - DirectorEdward AbrahamStarsBurt LettsDave LloydBrian PeckExperimental gothic short, adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Pit and the Pendulum'.My TWO CENTS: A surreal, nightmarish adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM. Clearly inspired by the dark, bold aesthetics of German Expressionism, this art film is quite possibly the greatest adaptation of the tale with its beautifully rendered photography, eerie sets, and disquieting sound design. 9
WATCH IT: Unavailable. - DirectorAlexandre AstrucStarMaurice RonetAdaptation of Edgar Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum.My TWO CENTS: A French production of Edgar Allan Poe's THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM. Another solid production with atmospheric black-and-white cinematography, but it pales in comparison to Edward Abraham's version from 1962 if only because that one was executed to near perfection. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmgspWSVyiw[/link] [NO SUBTITLES] - DirectorsLes GoldmanPaul JulianStarHerschel BernardiA town is doomed to endless torment by the Hangman, who continues to kill off the town one by one. As more die, the town becomes more and more in disarray as the gallow grew each day.MY TWO CENTS: Chilling animated film told in a rhyme pattern similar to Doctor Seuss... but only with a much darker and serious intention. Based on the poem by Maurice Ogden, the message is quite powerful and hard-hitting. 9
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqziaQxAsMA[/link] - DirectorAndrzej KondratiukStarsIgnacy GogolewskiZdzislaw MaklakiewiczAdam PawlikowskiWhile passing through a small town, a man decides to have a haircut at the local barber's.MY TWO CENTS: This tale of a man going to a small town barber for a shave has a lovely air of menace that features a memorable climax and a neat little twist ending. A long lost buried gem. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C01R48IiH7o[/link] - DirectorLarry YustStarsOlive DunbarWilliam 'Billy' BenedictWilliam FawcettAn adaptation of Shirley Jackson's short story of the same name, "The Lottery" tells the story of a shocking annual tradition in a small village.MY TWO CENTS Terrific adaptation of Shirley Jackson's classic chilling tale. 8
WATCH IT: [link]http://vimeo.com/65266252[/link] - DirectorsManfredo ManfrediBranko RanitovicPavao StalterAn animated adaptation of Poe's famous short story: "Mask of the Red Death"MY TWO CENTS Surreal, artfully rendered adaptation of Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" though less of a narrative and more of a feverish dream - it will delight some and bore others. 7
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpChGRqqFZY[/link] - DirectorBruno GantillonStarsMartine DericheThalie FrugèsPaul BonifasA young student meets an elderly antiques-loving couple looking for a help. They like her very much, and she's hired on the spot.MY TWO CENTS A french film that plays out like a Roald Dahl short story directed by Roman Polanski. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajp6TBwNF34[/link] - DirectorDavid LynchStarsDorothy McGinnisRichard WhiteVirginia MaitlandA young boy plants some strange seeds and they grow into a grandmother.MY TWO CENTS An unsettling and strange tale from David Lynch that seems to be inspired by Franz Kafka and Francis Bacon - this one makes his later works (LOST HIGHWAY, MULHOLLAND DRIVE) seem straightforward in comparison. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bAPEgFeNuw[/link] - DirectorSteve CarverStarsAlex CordSam JaffeEdward BinnsMY TWO CENTS Yet another adaptation of Poe's classic - this one is rougher around the edges but it also seems to convey the insanity a bit better (the blotchy black and white cinematography helps). 7
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe0WyjiW5Ps[/link] - DirectorLeon JeannotStarsFranciszek PieczkaHenryk BoukolowskiJolanta LotheDeep beneath the streets of Italy lie the catacombs of the Montresors, filled with barrels of wine and the bones of the dead. One evening, friends Fortunado and Montresor venture below the city with promises of the rare vintage wine Amontillado. Based on the short story by Edgar Allen Poe, Fortunado and Montresor find themselves in a web of betray and revenge, changing their friendship forever.MY TWO CENTS Good but overlong adaptation of Poe's class narrative - a little dry. 6
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EscdHElJWYg[/link] [NO SUBTITLES] - DirectorAntonio MerceroStarsJosé Luis López VázquezAgustín GonzálezGoyo LebreroA man gets trapped inside a telephone box and nobody is able to free him.MY TWO CENTS: Perhaps the most notorious film on this list - a Spanish film that starts of as a surreal comedy of almost Fellini-esque proportions until plummeting into TWILIGHT ZONE horror of the most terrifying variety. My highest recommendation. 10
WATCH IT: [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CABpfvOgbjw[/link] - DirectorPatrick BokanowskiStarsJean-Jacques ChoulJacques Delbosc d'AuzonClaus-Dieter ReentsA study of human anxieties about beauty, youth and objectification.MY TWO CENTS: Eerie, surreal, experimental, abstract short film with a fusion of live action and animation that is silent with unsettling sound design. 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9nQG1J7Xs[/link] - DirectorDick MaasStarsHenny AlmaCor van RijnA man drives his blind wife to a picnic spot he hopes she won't return from, but she won't get out of the car.MY TWO CENTS: Before director Dick Maas achieved international infamy with his schlock-classic THE LIFT, he made this delightful little tale concerning a husband trying to coax his blind wife out of the car... but why is he sweating and she's apprehensive? The final revelation is what makes this one memorable. 7
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmtmr14k22U[/link] [NO SUBTITLES] - DirectorJames DeardenStarsJulie NeesamPeter BlakeAvis BunnageA young model's boyfriend storms out one night. She follows him and, along the way, picks up an old woman standing at the roadside in the rain. But her act of kindness has terrible repercussions when the old woman turns out to be a serial killer looking for her next victim.MY TWO CENTS: Later remade as LEFT TURN by Sean Ellis - both are worthy of your attention - this is a delightfully eerie tale concerning marital strife, hitchhikers, and serial killers from the writer of FATAL ATTRACTION. 8
WATCH IT: [link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mPxaPTX-_8[/link] - DirectorRobert BiermanStarsGeraldine JamesJohn WhiteDavid CaseyA stalker follows Sally home and attempts to break into her flat several times. How will he finally get to her?MY TWO CENTS: What an obscure gem! Essentially a straight up giallo, complete with experimental score, threatening phone calls, a black gloved killer, a shaving razor, and a woman in distress. The kaleidoscopic editing, delirious music, and rich atmospherics elevate this above mere homage. Certainly worth a look! 8
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqhNjeHLIlY[/link] - DirectorRobert HarmonStarsCharles NapierWilliam SandersonMickey JonesA police officer on vacation travels around on his motorcycle targeting nearby occupants of and travelers through China Lake.MY TWO CENTS: Placeholder
WATCH IT: [link]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4n1JNWkI6k[/link]
