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Now that I feel less like death, I'm considering watching horror movies until the sun comes back.

ETA: Linking to one of my favorite <5 minute horror films It's a Youtube link, just so you know. I believe

dreamerinsilico showed it to me and it's such a comforting thing to me, also has helped a thing in my brain blossom, but that's besides the point.

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From:

rhoda_rants

Aww, I love that one! I really need to make a list of my favorite horror shorts someday. Such a great monster design too. And I'm all about that idea of monsters being protectors, depending on your perspective.

From:

tomakeanoffer

I am here for that list, tbh. When you do, please let me know, so I can nest in it.

From:

rhoda_rants

Will do! I've been thinking about this for awhile actually. I can probably throw something together after the holidays.

From:

rhoda_rants

Guess what, I threw something together already!

Here's a bunch of my favorite short horror films (in two parts so it doesn't go over the character count):

Curve
I could not breathe watching this. I went into it knowing very little, and I think it works best that way. It doesn't play as well on the rewatch, because of the way the tension is paced, but I still highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a highly stressful ten minutes.

The Ten Steps
Good old-fashioned "What's in the basement?" story, held together by the terrific cast. Pay attention to the soundscape in this one, and watch through all of the credits. I mean, there's no jump scare or twist after the credits, I just really enjoyed the way it evolved once the real "story" ended.

The Facts In the Case of Mister Hollow
The camera work in this is fascinating. You're allegedly looking at a still photograph, but as the POV zooms in and out of various corners to take in the details, it keeps subtly changing. I really like the music too.

Don't Move
This opens in the immediate aftermath of a party seance gone terribly wrong. The demon has been summoned, it's already taken victims, and the rest of the people have figured out that the only way to stay safe is to keep very, very still. And then, someone moves.

Alma
This is a stop motion fairy tale that takes place in a toy shop that is not what it seems. Content Warning in case you can't watch children in peril, but there's no gore or violence. It's just creepy and beautifully rendered.

From:

rhoda_rants

And the rest:

David Lynch's Alphabet
This was based on the nightmare of an actual child, compulsively reciting her ABC's in her sleep. Keep in mind Lynch doesn't need you to understand what he's thinking and it shows. However, something in me relates to this waking nightmare.

Blame
Ghosts, secrets, and intersectionality! Content Warning though, because this deals with the aftermath of a rape. Specifically, it deals with the aftermath of a young man accused of rape whose victim has died, and who is also the first of his family to go to college. It's uncomfortable, but I think important.

The Backwater Gospel
Easily the grisliest short on this list, but the animation is incredible. You've probably seen stories of narrow-minded townsfolk getting their zealotry on with murderous results, but you haven't seen one quite like this before. Brace yourself.

This House Has People In It
Security footage of a single family home before a boy's birthday party, but then things go wrong in a very weird way. It's more strange than scary. Also I'd keep Night Mind's dissection of the series open in another tab if you want to go deep into What It All Means. There are multiple pieces associated with this one, but I think it works fine by itself.

Street of Crocodiles
The Brothers Quay are masters of unnerving stop motion animation. This one was a key inspiration behind Nine Inch Nails' music video for "Closer." In fact, watch that after this, because so many details will suddenly jump out at you. There's not really a plot here, just a mood of existing in this derelict, broken down place.

I hope you enjoy these! It's worth mentioning that the algorithm WILL take you to some very weird places once you queue these up, but I'm guessing you've experienced that before, heh.

From:

tomakeanoffer

!!! <3333 Thank you so much! I'm so excited to check these out over the next day or two. You are amazing.

From:

dhampyresa

Thank you for the recs!

From:

rhoda_rants

You're very welcome!

From:

flybirds

Lmao Im just so glad that you feel slightly better, and I'm not the only one finding holidays the perfect season for horror movies.

Family feel good and fairy tales are for Halloween. ;o)

From:

tomakeanoffer

Yesss, on all counts. <3

From:

sideways

Do you often find horror comforting, or is it specific to that one? (I'm afraid I am a huge chicken so haven't clicked the link!)

From:

tomakeanoffer

I've had horror media in my life for forever. I think that' part of it is that I had a rocky childhood/adolescence and seeing things that showed people surviving, or having power, or anything like that, was comforting and full of escapism for me.

From:

sideways

Interesting! I often enjoy reading horror summaries - it's like murder mysteries, but the best ones have wilder twists - and I suppose I've been inclined to think of them as stories about helplessness, but I can see how some would strike that chord. I'd agree it's usually a better story when there are survivors; a more complex narrative than "watch this group of people die horribly", haha.

From:

tomakeanoffer

And even when they don't have survivors, I find that like...Okay, I'm trying to figure out how to put this but I lost my father young, I had a tumultuous childhood and tbh, I wanted to be adopted by Pinhead and Hannibal Lecter. It's weird but, especially with Pinhead, I wanted to be claimed by something bigger than myself, I wanted the protection of someone powerful, and I was watching Hellraiser films with my mom, (Silence of the Lambs too) before the age of 8.

So yeah, it's multifaceted for me.

From:

acid

Funny, I could never watch horror films in my life. How are they ever comforting?

Like, there was that weird horror movie in the late nineties with the tree branches against the window and the pink goo that completely terrified me with its music. I don't think anything I've seen got better from there. :D

From:

tomakeanoffer

It depends on the movie, I suppose. See, some of them are reminders that we survive. Others are that what might be scary to some kinds of people are power and protection to others. Sometimes it's just nice to see other people be more miserable than you are.

From:

singedsun

I've not seen that one before, it's good! I'm glad that it's comforting to you. I find a lot of horror movies are like media comfort food to me too and rewatch my favorites regularly.