TOPTOBER - Top 5 Halloween Shorts

As a celebration of all things October, BGH asked each of our writers to submit a Top 5 list of their choosing. Stay tuned all throughout October to see what these demented folks come up with!

With a title like Top 5 Halloween Shorts you pretty much know what to expect. The urge to subvert expectations by including five spooky themed designer shorts (as in clothing) was almost too much to ignore. Then again, my fashion sense isn't what it used to be- or never was- as someone who has in the past sported swim trunks while shoveling in the middle of winter. 

Fashion holocaust aside, there's no shortage of horror short films out on the interwebs, but finding five with a unifying Halloween theme proved to be slightly more of a challenge. With the holiday anthology Tales of Halloween premiering soon with the hopes of being an annual franchise installment it seemed appropriate to check out some talent out there that could one day grace us with more horror tinged entertainment in the future. 

Here are five Halloween short films to enjoy this spooky season: 

5) Skypemare

Duration: 7 minutes 12 seconds
Director: John Fitzpatrick

As you watch Skypemare it has almost no trademark of being related to the holiday aside from the fact that the characters mention that it's Halloween. Even still, the short's ending twist has all the spirit of the holiday on display in a way that's a bit twisted and kind of a gut punch. In the world of Halloween shorts this one skates in on the fringe, but is very well made with a decent twist that makes it hard to hold at fault. Perhaps dressing the characters in some kind of costume would have given it a little more credibility, but I'm willing to let this one slide.

4) Selfie

Duration: 3 minutes 45 seconds
Director: Drew Daywalt

There are any number of short films out there with varying run times, Selfie falls on the so short you have no reason to not watch it. Clocking in at three minutes and 45 seconds this short again falls more in line with the holiday, but is not specifically tied to the holiday with its material. It does however use one of the most annoying actions of the last few years as its tipping off point to a jump scare. This particular short earns extra points for using a commercial for the popular Halloween cereals (Frankenberry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula) in the opening half of the video. Again, this one is well made and does a great job of creating tension before it's big "Boo!" moment. 

3) Boo

Duration: 11 minutes 53 seconds
Director: Michael J. Goldberg

Ghosts can do a lot of really cool things, or so this sheet wearing specter would have you believe. As it turns out, one of the cool things this particular smiley faced ghost can do is light a lot of bags of poop on fire- where it gets the poop, it's probably best to leave that alone. It is however one of the most comedic usages of that prank in recent memory as is the constant line of goofs this troublesome ghost inflicts on its "victim" over the course of the night. Boo is pretty clever in its set up even if it has kind of a Scooby-Doo-esque reveal in the end, but saves itself with a pretty hilarious punchline. 

2) Halloween Hugs

Duration: 6 minutes 45 seconds
Director: Adam Green

You could do a completely separate top five of Adam Green's Halloween shorts seeing as how the filmmaker has been at it for quite some time now. However, it might end up being more a top two or three list by the time you sift through some of them. This particular short debut last year and is a whole lot of fun rather you love or hate Green. The joke being that Green and his colleagues are scared to death of an adorable muppet housed within a coffin Green ordered for his annual Halloween party starts out funny, but wears thin after bit. Luckily the redundancy of the screaming and potential suicide of one of the characters is broken up by Green's own over-the-top violence followed by yet another pretty great punchline. This is one you can easily show to a group of drunk partygoers and get a hearty laughs...or concerned looks depending on your audience. 

1) The Last Halloween

Duration: 10 minutes 16 seconds
Director: Marc Roussel

Saving the best for last, this is one short that once you see it might have you wishing it were longer or head online to beg the filmmaker, Marc Roussel, to expand the concept out to a full length feature. Think of this one as an even darker version of the last act of Trick R' Treat, but with a post apoctalyptic setting- if you haven't gone back up and clicked play after that then there may be no selling you on its concept. Wonderfully filmed with an intensely creepy vibe and some pretty great costuming, The Last Halloween is one of the best Halloween short films you're likely to see...if not one of the best short horror films out there on the web.