Some modern horror movies try to capture the retro style of the 80s. Shook takes the cake. From Ben Swicker is another Goodale Horror short that gives us an entire slasher movie in 3 minutes.
When a prank goes wrong and an innocent teen is killed, the bullies are sworn to secrecy. But 5 years later, someone is killing them one by one.
Shook, IMDB
Playing like a trailer for an upcoming movie, Shook gives a similar plot to 80s classics like Prom Night and Alice, Sweet Alice when one friend in a group is accidentally killed, returning five years later to exact their revenge. Wielding an axe (and many other tools of torture), the friends are picked off one by one in classic slasher style.
Besides the premise of a fake trailer, Shook really hit me with the grainy, vintage feel. The video itself feels like it was ripped right from a projector, and all of the characters are missing the modern era’s “Instagram Face,” making them fit so well into the storyline; it’s almost as if they were picked straight off the set from a trashy, straight-to-video story. And being that it’s a faux trailer, it has a voice-over deep enough to send chills down your spine.
For a 3-minute movie, you’d think Shook wouldn’t have so many fantastic kill scenes. They’re only a few seconds long each, but they do pack a punch. One girl gets a broken beer bottle to the butt. Another guy is hung from the school basketball hoop in a glorious wide shot. I almost wish this wasn’t a short and instead a real movie, because it really pulled me in with the styling. The kills aren’t the most elaborate, but a simple knife slice and quick movement is more than enough to sell it. Plus, the occasional gratuitous boob scene is a nice homage as well.
Shook is a quick bite of a film I desperately want more of. For being made in the 2010s, it’s pretty much indistinguishable from the horror flicks we grew up watching almost 40 years ago. Swicker managed to capture the vibe and pull it off flawlessly. Three minutes just isn’t enough!
Shook and other shorts can be found on www.goodalehorror.com. Be sure to give them a follow on Instagram as well!
