Review: ‘Toe’ Horror Short with Haunting Aesthetic

Clocking in at 7 minutes, “Toe” is a masterful work of art. With a chilling sound and surreal presentation, this horror short has a haunting aesthetic that will leave you with a state of dread.

The film is done in stop-motion animation. Which in and of itself is creepy to witness. That lends itself to the atmosphere. We get a bleak landscape. There is no dialogue and yet we know immediately what we are watching. It delivers an unsettling and depressing vibe that reminded me of “Eraserhead.”

The setting is surreal

With no actors, “Toe” relies on its filmmaking. Neal O’Bryan and Chad Thurman serve as directors and animators, with O’Bryan handling the brilliant cinematography. It’s the animations that give us goosebumps as we watch. The protagonist is a lonely looking boy.

The antagonist is something ghastly. The setting of the boy’s house is perfect. The animations, and the score handled by Flora Cheng are unnerving.

“Toe” uses an old narrative. The concept was born from the 1981 horror classic “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” It’s a terrifying fable, and this version is a magnificent compliment.

I would love to see more horror films from this crew, and even a full length movie done in the same style would be intriguing. Because the animation aspect is so strong, the possibilities are endless.

Watch “Toe” if you want to be scared. And if you want to appreciate a short film that’s excellent in its craftsmanship. It’s the type of picture that you’ll be thinking about long after it ends.

“Toe” is currently only available to watch on YouTube. Click to Watch!

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