Short Films - Teeth, Claws, Tentacles & Clowns - Festival Reviews

Killergotchi (Directed by Carlos Cobos) 

"Have you ever dreamed of being a mother?" calls an eerie salesman from a TV boxset, advertising the latest 'toy' the Videogotchi, a handheld digital pet where the owner acts as its mother. Pepa (Zöe Millán) is desperate to get ahold of this bizarre toy, despite the protests from her older sister Dianna (Carla Moix). However, once the Videogotchi arrives, its sinister intentions become fatally clear. The 1990s-set 'Killergotchi' fiercely thrives in the absurdness that killer-machine media exudes, with the short displaying a playful yet gory milieu of terror. The 1990s era leans heavy on the nostalgia factor, but this soon becomes an intriguing weapon of spectatorship when the bloodied horror interrupts the reminiscence of a bygone time.  

Bloodbuzz (Directed by Daisy Bata) 

The conspiracy obsessed teen, Lianna (Beth Taylor), is lost in the Suffolk countryside, leading to local farmer, Greg (Johnny Vivash) taking her in. Lianna soon explains that society is under siege by 'mosquitozoids', mutated deadly mosquitos that possess the human brain. Bloodbuzz keeps the audience guessing until the very end, Lianna could just be indoctrinated by a dangerous online rhetoric, or maybe humanity really is apocalyptically doomed from the sting of bodysnatching, climate-mutated mosquitozoids. As much as it is a terrifying psychological thriller, toying with sanity and delusions, the short film also delves into its creature-feature thematics and explores some truly excellent body-horror. 

The Incredible Headless Woman (Directed by Chester Carr) 

Butch (Cyril Blake) is running late, ambushed by two clowns (Toby Wynn-Davies and Joseph Simpson-Bushel) who insist that he pays his debt. As events spiral, Butch realises that an ominous truth lies beneath the surface. The Incredible Headless Woman's design speaks to the overarching mental-maze of the narrative, with the circus-themed setting and carnivalesque stylisation building upon the idea of disorienting chaos and dream-like surrealism. The short horror film utilises a twisted ending that is both shocking and immensely portrayed at the hands of the enigmatic performance by Blake as he comes to terms with the brutal horror at play. 

God Squad (Directed by James Plumb and James Morrissey) 

Lucas Eisel and Rob Murphy star as Barry and Pat, agents of the 'God Squad' sent out on a mission to exorcise a demon out of a young girl. The hilarious antics and shenanigans that occur throughout this wondrous short film are worthy of a feature-length project, with God Squad urging a slew of non-stop belly-laughs. Notably, the dynamics between the two 'men on the cloth' and the outrageous dialogue are what makes God Squad the brilliant short that it is. Expect an inventive cross between 'Starsky and Hutch', combined with the array of misfits from the classic 'Father Ted'.

Irish Son (Directed by Tolu Ogunware) 

Irish Son follows 'The Boy' (Cameron Tharmaratnam) who stumbles upon a quiet cafe, hosted by the hostile waitress (Vicky Allen). The silence is soon interrupted when he is joined by 'The Stranger' (Jonny Everett), whose presence seems to catalyse a hellish descent. Tharmaratnam, who also wrote Irish Son tackles the role with a sense of emotional authenticity, embodying the chilling concept with a distinct rawness. Although only 15 minutes long, the film richly tackles themes of otherness through a monstrous lens, where the terror originating from the horror genre acts as an ideal vessel for tales of assimilation and rage to take place. 

The Quackening (James Button) 

The Quackening makes the absurdness of 'Hausu' (1977) seem monotonous with this incredible short film being a testament to why comedy horror is one of the best mashups to occur across genre cinema. The short film follows an angry Welshman whose grandmother has only gone and bloody cursed herself! Every character is played by writer and director James Button, whose various appearances act as the root for an array of hilarities, particularly his must-see portrayal of 'Mamgu'. The raucous scenario, quick-witted dialogue and genuinely impressive effects make The Quackening a testament to Button's sheer talents. 

Catch the 'Teeth, Claws, Tentacles & Clowns' short films on Friday, 26th September at 14:00 at this year's Dead Northern Film Festival

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