Those who’ve seen kids’ movies in the theaters know that there’s always a cute little short film that’s played before the movie. When I watched Cars 3, they played a short film that I just fell in love with. As I was watching it, a thought came to me… why don’t horror films do the same?

What I’m talking about is theaters playing a short horror film before the feature. It would give indie horror filmmakers a chance to show their stuff. Plus, it would get audiences into the mood to be scared. Of course, this is all hypothetical, but here are a few horror shorts and features I think would go perfectly together! (Also, you can find all of these short films on Youtube!)

 

Trick ‘R Treat – Missing Halloween

In Missing Halloween, a young boy meets and befriends a little girl and spends his Halloween finding out the mystery surrounding her. Missing Halloween is a very well crafted animation created by youtuber Mike Inel. It is one of the best horror short films I watched in 2018! It completely took me by surprise. Of course I’m pairing it with my favorite Halloween-themed horror movie. If this little short was live action, I think its story would’ve fit perfectly within the Trick ‘R Treat universe.

 

Maniac (2012) – A Little Off The Top

A Little Off The Top follows a hairstylist and his famous ex-client, who reunite for a trip down memory lane with horrific consequences. Maniac follows an owner of a mannequin shop who murders and mutilates women. A Little Off The Top is such an intriguing revenge-type story. I’m not sure why but the atmosphere of this film is very reminiscent of Maniac. Plus there are aspects in both films that are very similar.

 

Lights Out (2016) – Lights Out (2014)

This was actually the first short film that came to my mind when I thought about this article. I got to watch Lights Out in the theaters and it turns out, at the time, people had no clue the film was based on a short film made back in 2014. It would’ve been fantastic for audiences to view the short film before the feature in order to see how creepy it is, and also catch the epic cameo at the beginning of the film that undoubtedly went over people’s heads.

 

Ouija: Origin of Evil – Don’t Move

Ouija: Origin of Evil is my favorite horror film centered around the dangers of using a Ouija board. Don’t Move centers around a group of friends who use a Ouija board to summon a demon that kills any person that moves. That may be the only connection Origin of Evil has with the short film, Don’t Move, but they’re both fantastic, tense, and creepy films that pair so well together.

 

Unfriended – Skypemare

This is another pair-up that’s only connected by one thing: this time, it’s Skype. I honestly really liked Unfriended and I believe Skypemare fits perfectly with the theme. Unfriended follows a group of friends who are stalked by a mysterious force on their Skype chat. Skypemare follows a woman who’s chatting with her friend on Skype and notices a stranger in her apartment. Both films were done really well, and they’re a perfect double feature pair.

 

Saw – Saw 3D: The Silent Treatment

I know that the Saw short film that was created in 2003 would’ve been perfect for this list. However, I felt that Saw 3D: The Silent Treatment needs more attention. It follows a mime who gets stuck in Jigsaw’s ridiculous traps. It’s such a goofy parody that’s perfect to include in your Saw marathon. It doesn’t take itself seriously so it’s a fun short film to watch either before or after Saw.