Short Film DVD Reviews:
“Nothing in the Dark”
“Oculus”
“Teenage Bikini Vampire”
“Confederate Zombie Massacre”

Lately there have been a number of short films to come through the Monster offices that have been surprisingly good. Not merely technically efficient, but well acted and fully realized. It seems that the DV revolution is finally creating some inspired works; far from the derivative “back yard” horror schlock from the past few years. Today’s review features four relatively new DVD shorts, three of which are superior pieces of indie cinema.

The first selection is a beautiful little tone poem called “Nothing in the Dark.” Written and directed by John Correll, Jr., “Nothing” is a quick 9 minute piece revolving around a little girl (Emma Berwick) afraid to go to bed alone. It turns out that she has good reason to be concerned as her dark bedroom becomes a living nightmare. Various apparitions come at her from every corner; a figure in a pig mask, an arm behind the bed, something ominous below. Correll does a great job with the foreboding black and white imagery, skillfully capturing the fever dream point of view of a young child. Also of note is the abstract sound design, though a creepy music box version of “Fly Me to the Moon” overstays its welcome. It’s a tense, well-shot short with some genuinely unsettling moments.

“Teenage Bikini Vampire” is a fun little short that’s been making the rounds of film festivals for quite some time now. As the title makes pretty evident, “Vampire” is a comedy about a teenage creature of the night and her secret passion for surfing. She’s also hung up on a skinny surfer dude she can’t bring herself to bite. A failed attempt at surfing during the day spurs her family to dig up an alternative way to make her happy. Writer/director/editor Devi Snively has created a bright, smartly edited piece with a funky ‘80’s music video aesthetic. It made me anxious to see what the director (a groovy woman in this male-dominated field) had in store next…

Until I found it was something called “Confederate Zombie Massacre.” I guess it wouldn’t be a proper short film review column without the ubiquitous zombie comedy. They could create an entire film festival built around independent zombie comedies (both short and feature length). “Zombie” is an ambitious goof about a soldier who uses chemical weapons during the Civil War that ends up killing and quickly reanimating several of the enemy soldiers. Like “Vampire,” it’s edited extremely well – a must for a successful comedy short. It also has some funny gags for those who never tire of zombie shtick. Snively has included everything: sexy zombie nurse, zombie general who spews one-liners, adorable drum-playing child zombie and even tap dancing! There are many horror fans out there who will appreciate “Confederate Zombie Massacre” just from the premise alone, but I’m quite tired of this curious subgenre – even if it’s technically done well. The main problem is that even at 15 minutes, it goes on far too long. I did like the ending, complete with zombie dancing and topical anti-war message. Included on the “Zombie” DVD is a really interesting short documentary on the making of the “no-budget” film. It’s a fun behind-the-scenes look at this talented director and her devoted crew.

Last, but certainly not least, is a great little thriller called “Oculus” directed and co-written by Mike Flanagan. Subtitled “Chapter 3: The Man with the Plan,” it revolves around Scott (Tim Russel), a man who is haunted by a mirror with a violent past. It seems that this ornate antique mirror not only drove his parents mad, but has a long history of violent reflection. The simple yet effective set-up has the 30-something protagonist locking himself in a confined space with three video cameras to document its supernatural abilities. This 30-minute film basically consists of one man alone in a room with a mirror – and it’s truly horrifying. Through compelling writing, shot composition and editing, Flanagan manages to do in 30-minutes what dozens of directors fail to do in a feature-length production. The one aspect that really sets “Oculus” apart from its contemporaries is the acting. Russel is wonderful as the haunted protagonist who spends much of the film simply reciting the history of the cursed mirror. His intense performance is genuinely compelling and makes the threat of the mirror a tangible presence. It’s a must-see short for every filmmaker who thinks that the cast is secondary to the overall production. It’s also simply a must-see film for anyone who enjoys a smart creep-out.

It’s great to see such strong, varied work coming out of nowhere. (Makes this reviewer less afraid to open the Monster packages sent over for review.) Aside from the documentary included on “Confederate Zombie Massacre,” there were no extras included on any of the screeners. If you get the chance, check out the websites for these shorts, some of which can be viewed online).