We previously had the chance to check out Thomas Burke’s short film Camping Fun, a quick dive into a small cult that showed that Burke had the knack to channel his love of the found footage genre into a terrifying short. Now/ looking to take on a subgenre from the overall found footage genre of ‘screen life’, SHC: Freak Accident sees Burke putting himself on the screen and divulging in his greatest fear: spontaneous human combustion.
From the director’s statement:
“This is my demise in the most frightening way I could imagine… When I was seven years old, spontaneous human combustion became the forefront of my thoughts- as well as my biggest fear after learning about it through a TV-aired docu-series. Ever since then, I can’t help but picture something like this happening to me…”
The result is an intense yet highly enjoyable meltdown on screen. The effects and tone of the short are certainly on the lighter side, but it is a wonderfully morbid indulgence in bringing one’s greatest fears to life — who does not want to see a man burst into flames on camera? Easily the greatest appeal is the 90’s aesthetic as the icons, effects, and art direction all seem to take inspiration from the era; the whole production exhibits crude displays and graphics that will have their own nostalgic charm to those who lived through the early internet era.
Overall, the work is a disturbing mix of nostalgia, dark humor, and general terror that makes for a lovely two minutes of madness. You will even want to stick around for the end of the credits as the screen becomes awash in garish graphics that will remind you of early internet pop-ups from a computer slowly dying. It is unabashed fun and terror from start to end, a lovely little introduction into the twisted humor and horrors of Thomas Burke’s filmography.
Produced by the people at POV Horror, this short also goes to show promise for the platform in creating its own unique content for the avid found footage fans. Even better, those in the San Francisco area can check this out on the big screen at the Unnamed Footage Festival as it opens for a screening of the pioneering digital horror film, The Collingwood Story.
Check out the teaser for the Fest and make sure you catch the screening of SHC: Freak Accident!
Past Festival Coverage
“Ever try to lose yourself? No! Because you’re too busy trying to find yourself.” -Sissy St. Claire Subversive feminist filmmaker Amanda Kramer returned to this year’s Fantastic Fest… The Ax Wound Film Festival is a horror fest featuring works by female and non-binary filmmakers. In December 2021, with the help of the Future Of Film Is Female initiative,… Preman is a 2021 Indonesian action crime drama, written and directed by Randolph Zaini in his first feature length directorial debut. After witnessing the murder of an old man at… The Sadness has been a film making some early commotion due to an extreme and graphic nature – a new angle on the zombie genre in the age of our… “Probation officer Cathy Madden is given the task of rehabilitating notorious killer ‘Bloody’ Mary Laidlaw back into society after she was imprisoned 20 years earlier for butchering her husband with… A film about the intersection of sexuality with food might initially feel like a pretty out-there pitch. However, anyone casually considering the topic will find that the concepts of hunger…
GIVE ME PITY! (2022) Film Review – A Bold Assault on the Senses
Every Short Film From The AXWFF 2021 Alumni Showcase Reviewed
Preman (2021) Film Review – Indonesian Action Crime Drama
The Sadness Film Review – What The F*** Did I Just Watch!?
Mandrake (2022) Film Review – Eerie Folk Horror
Sexual Drive (2021) Film Review – Exploring the Eroticism of Food