Short films are like Hi-Chews — bite-size flavor explosions that should be savored before moving onto the next one, and the one after that. Given the bottomless well of compelling shorts that exist, we decided to carve out a space where we could gush about our favorite discoveries. Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off is an ongoing series of articles exploring underseen short films from all centuries. The only criteria for inclusion is that each one has to . . . well, tear our heads off. Every volume will cover five shorts in chronological order that deserve to be appreciated and re-watched anywhere from three to fourteen times before you die.
Hold onto your head!
The Occult: X-Factor or Fraud? (Unknown, 1972, Internet Archive)
In just under 20 minutes, The Occult: X-Factor or Fraud? convinces us that the world would be a better place if our leaders were suburban witches from New Jersey. This educational documentary from Canada feels like an extension of Satanis: The Devil’s Mass. We meet an inspiring group of psychics, witches, and Satanists who are following their bliss, and if you have a problem with that, they’re happy to shoot you a middle finger (or a curse). From interviews that are bathed in Argento neon to stock footage of gothic castles, this is a jubilant autumnal mood piece that features hyperbolic narration, grungy prog-rock jams, and photos of Mick Jagger’s crotch. When a woman named Sybil Leak says, “I’m happy—I guess it’s because I’m a witch,” it’s obvious that there’s a lot more to learn from her than how to choose the best candles for a seance.
Twilight Journey (Jeff Morrison, 1980, Vidcrest VHS)
This is a friendly reminder that the power of acid can be used for good. Composed of live-action Super 8 footage and dazzling homemade animation, this incomprehensible nightmare blasts the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons through the visual sparkle of a blacklight poster drawn by Jack Kirby. And it’s incredible. Twelve-sided dice that shoot lasers! Bloodbaths in living rooms! Dragons! Demons! ANIMATED GORE! As a hallucinogenic experience, Twilight Journey can’t be beat. It’s filled with ideas that sound great when you’re high, like floors transforming into outer space voids and swords that are made out of shooting stars. But the twist is that these ideas were actually realized by amateur filmmakers/professional stoners with talent and ambition. The story might be foggy, but there’s a dark message simmering below the haze. I’m excited to figure it all out during my next two-hundred viewings.
The Adventures of Mutilator: Hero of the Wasteland (Eric Fogel, 1991, YouTube)
As it turns out, Johnny Ryan’s Prison Pit wasn’t the first post-apocalyptic scumfest that looked like it was made by a 12-year-old genius after snorting fifteen rails of coke. Hooray! Directed by Eric Fogel (who would go on to create Celebrity Death Match for MTV) while he was an undergrad at New York University, this 4-minute miracle follows Mutilator as he meets psychotic mutants and . . . mutilates them. Mutilator himself invokes a cartoon version of Dolph Lundgren in The Punisher, dishing out gratuitous gore (decapitation, brain-slicing, dismemberment) and existential angst (“There is much death in the wasteland, it is a way of life!”). There’s also a thrash-metal theme song over the end credits by a band named Deth Boat. I was a huge fan of MTV’s Liquid Television. But I would have been an even bigger fan if this short and its sequel were shown during every episode.
The Fear (Angel Nieves, 2001, Other Cinema DVD, YouTube)
Three cheers for subtlety. Shot sometime during the 1980s—but not released until 2001 as part of Other Cinema’s Experiments in Terror DVD series—The Fear is a lovely slowburn gothic that’s as enigmatic as it is nostalgic. The handheld 16mm camerawork, melting synthesizers, and sickly green spot colors suggest a lost episode of Tales From the Darkside. But writer-director Angel Neives steers clear of that series’ campy tone. Instead, there’s a serious focus on dream logic and the manifestation of anxiety. We’re never really sure why things happen, but that’s not the point. Like Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, The Fear provides a spooky headspace that gives us plenty of room to dig around at our own pace. It’s time well spent.
Release the Bats (Michelle Tea, 2018, Vimeo)
If Release the Bats doesn’t make you smile, it might be time to trade in your heart for a new one. A semi-autobiographical short that was written and directed by queer author and filmmaker Michelle Tea (Valencia), Release tells the story of Eleanor, a disaffected goth teen who escapes from abuse and homophobia by making a DIY vampire movie with her friends. From the cemetery hangouts to the ‘80s-era production design, this feels like a narrative version of M83’s “Graveyard Girl” video with a touch of camp. The stunning photography sometimes clashes with the choppy editing style, which makes the whole thing feel like a proof-of-concept for something bigger. But that’s okay—we’ll take all the movies about vengeful goths kidnapping skinhead babies that we can get.
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 1!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 2!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 4!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 5!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 6!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 7!
Read Shorts That Tore Our Heads Off: Volume 8!
