Top 10 Terrifying Short Horror Films on YouTube
#10: “It Had Pale Skin”
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Never mind the film itself - that title is enough to give someone the shivers. Running just four-and-a-half minutes long, “It Had Pale Skin” was uploaded by Christopher Ashton back in March of 2016. The short film opens with a young woman walking down a pitch-black street when she begins to hear noises around her. After some more bizarre events transpire, the woman sees what appears to be a clown in the distance. It’s not until later that viewers, and the woman, get a full glimpse. It stands in the shadows, smiling, and honking its own severed nose. Clowns may be a little overdone by this point, but this is an effective and creepy short.
#9: “Never Hike Alone”
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If you want something a bit more high gloss, then “Never Hike Alone” is your movie. Uploaded by Womp Stomp Films, “Never Hike Alone” is a fan-made film that takes place in the “Friday the 13th” universe. It follows a hiker and adventure blogger named Kyle who stumbles across Camp Crystal Lake and comes face-to-face with Jason Voorhees. The film runs just over 50 minutes, and those 50 minutes are packed with sequences that are genuinely frightening. This is exceptional stuff for a cheap fan-made film, and it’s arguably even better than some of the official movies. It currently has over two million views on YouTube, with many viewers singing its praises.
#8: “On My Way”
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This short film is quite unique, as it takes place on Halloween and is filmed in one continuous shot. Uploaded by MakeDo Entertainment, “On My Way” literally follows a police officer as he makes his way to a Halloween party. But as he drives through town, he makes the unsettling realization that the town’s citizens are acting violent and confrontational. It’s a very good and very well made short film - not only for its unbroken shot, but also its choreography, staging, and filmmaking flourishes like the police officer’s text messages showing up on screen. Our limited point of view also makes the events scarier and more mysterious, and the fact that everything remains unexplained serves as a perfect ending.
#7: “Daddy”
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Made by The Boxleitner Brothers, “Daddy” runs at just under four minutes, resulting in a taught and effective little film. More of a personal drama than a horror film, “Daddy” concerns a man who dreams of his deceased daughter. She appears to him in the dreams, continuously calling for her “Daddy” and asking him to wake up. It comes across more tragic than scary - until the final jump scare when things turn a bit more malicious. The short makes for difficult viewing, as it covers one of the saddest and most tragic events that could ever befall a human being - the death of a child. “Daddy” mixes this with some good creep-out moments, making for a troubling few minutes.
#6: “The Maiden”
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Running at just under nine minutes, “The Maiden” tells the story of a real estate agent who is haunted by a malicious figure in an old house. Not only is it scary, but it’s also exceptionally well made. The lighting, cinematography, acting, and sound editing are all of Hollywood caliber, and it resulted in “The Maiden” winning the Best Super Short Horror Film Award at Shriekfest 2016. The movie is directed by Michael Chaves, who would later go on to direct both “The Curse of La Llorona” and “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” According to the video description, it was “The Maiden” that got Chaves’s foot in the door and eventually landed him the “La Llorona” job with James Wan.
#5: “Vicious”
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This twelve-minute-long horror film begins with a terrifying and grounded scenario, as a woman arrives home to find her front door unlocked. It’s a creepy scenario on the best of days, and “Vicious” warps it into a fascinating short horror film that won numerous awards around the globe. It’s easy to see why. Like “The Maiden,” “Vicious” is filmed with an amazing eye for quality. Every aspect of its production was professionally conducted, and it would fit snugly into a high budget Hollywood horror film. It also helps that the movie is just plain scary, complete with near-unbearable tension and more than its fair share of unsettling imagery. The awards were well deserved, and “Vicious” comes highly recommended.
#4: “Alexia”
An Argentinian film by Andrés Borghi, “Alexia” has strong “Unfriended” vibes, as most of its action takes place on a computer screen. This short film follows a depressed and lonely man who is grieving his deceased ex-girlfriend on her birthday. It’s insinuated that she committed suicide after the man dumped her. Attempting to move on, the man decides to unfriend her on Facebook. It’s then that his computer begins acting funny, and he is seemingly contacted by her spirit through the computer. Things go off the rails when his new girlfriend comes over for a visit. The unique concept actually predates “Unfriended,” as “Alexia” premiered at a horror film festival in October 2013. Points for originality.
#3: “Mamá”
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In 2013, a horror film called “Mama” grossed nearly $150 million at the box office. It was produced by Guillermo del Toro and starred both Jessica Chastain and a newly-famous Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. It was based on this short horror film and was directed by the same Argentinian filmmaker, Andy Muschietti (who later went on to direct both “It” and “It Chapter Two”). The original film runs just under three minutes, and it follows two young girls who are haunted by a supernatural entity. The short film was praised by Guillermo del Toro, and he decided to produce a feature-length movie to capitalize on the short film, its unique concept, and splendid visual scares. The result was one of 2013’s most popular horror movies.
#2: “2AM: The Smiling Man”
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Based on the popular creepypasta, this short horror film by Michael Evans is one of the most popular on YouTube. The concept is simple - a man is walking down a dark street at night when he is confronted by the titular Smiling Man. The Smiling Man has a permanent smile plastered on his face, he dances down the street while gazing at the sky, and he toys with the protagonist by lumbering towards him in long, creepy strides. What makes The Smiling Man so popular isn’t its visuals (although those are certainly scary), but the grounded realism. Who hasn’t been creeped out while walking alone at night? And who wouldn’t feel chilled to the bone after being confronted by… whatever The Smiling Man is.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Tuck Me In”
Putting a Child to Sleep Has Never Been So Scary
“Don’t Look Away”
With a Title Like That, How Can You Not be Creeped Out?
“The Passing”
A Scary Film About Two Police Officers & a Woman Looking for Her Daughter
“The Cop Cam”
A Police Officer Searches an Abandoned House After Receiving an Emergency Call
“Zygote”
Directed by Neill Blomkamp of “District 9” Fame
Zygote https://forvo.com/word/zygote/#en
Neill Blomkamp https://forvo.com/word/neill_blomkamp/#af
#1: “Lights Out”
Like “Mamá,” the success of “Lights Out” eventually led to a major Hollywood deal. The original short film was released in 2013 and runs just under three minutes. Made specifically for a film competition, “Lights Out” sees a woman played by Lotta Losten being hunted by a shadow figure in the dark. The short film is well made, complete with some excellent editing, lighting, and sound design. Several Hollywood agents got in contact with director David Sandberg, leading to a feature-length deal with producer James Wan. “Lights Out” was made for $5 million and ended up grossing nearly $150 million throughout the summer of 2016. Sandberg has since directed both “Annabelle: Creation” and the superhero film “Shazam!” Talk about a success story.
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