10 Short Films You May Not Have Known Were Made by Your Favorite Horror Director

Whether you realize it or not, a staggering number of commercial filmmakers have shot and distributed short films in the early stages of their careers. Sometimes those short films find their way to light and sometimes they remain tucked away in a dank, dark cellar somewhere.

Today we’re going to show you the killer short films released by some of your absolute favorite horror directors.

The Alphabet by David Lynch (1968)

David Lynch’s mystifying short, The Alphabet is about as odd as it gets. It feels part avant garde, part German expressionist, and part full-on acid trip. What the film truly means is up for debate, what isn’t is how damn unsettling it is.

Vincent by Tim Burton (1982)

No doubt a personal favorite from this list, Tim Burton’s Vincent is all about a kid (I mean, Tim Burton himself, of course) who just wants to grow up and be Vincent Price. It’s an infectious film, and as Vincent Price himself narrates, we the viewer just fall into a hole of amazingness that inspires no desire to escape. Brilliant.

Doodlebug by Christopher Nolan (1997)

Before Christopher Nolan was too cool for school, he was just a hungry young filmmaker with some powerful ideas and a knack for making those ideas come to life on film. Take for example Doodlebug, which seems to just literally be about insanity. It’s such a frantic, nerve wracking picture that it’s just about impossible to deny its effectiveness.

Alive in Joburg by Neill Blomkamp (2005)

At this point we all know that Neill Blomkamp loves to blend science fiction and horror while topping it with a little social commentary. It’s kind of his thing, you might say. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise you that this compelling little pic, Alive in Joburg really fits into Blomkamp’s natural style… the fact that it was the inspiration for District 9 should also give you an idea of how this one plays out.

From the Drain by David Cronenberg

Don’t think for a second that David Cronenberg just became an unorthodox visionary, this film, From the Drain – just the second that Cronenberg ever shot – proves that Cronenberg has always operated against the grain. Watch the flick, it’s creepy as hell, and it’s as ambiguous as it gets, until it sarts to don on you the reality that these men face.

Saw by James Wan (2003)

Finish the list on page two.