PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Our very own Jeremy Herbert created a horror short called The Thing About Beecher’s Gate, and as soon as I heard about it, I knew it was a film that sounded right up my alley. First of all, I am a fan of short films. I have a deep appreciation of how creative they are in cramming so much story and action is such a little amount of time. Plus, I am all about the secrets and traditions of small towns. I am the type of person who, when driving through small towns, always imagine that there are things like this and that happening behind those quiet facades. Add in a small town cop and I couldn’t help but wonder, “Will he survive the night? What, exactly, is waiting for him?” Right away, I knew I was sold. Did this film meet my expectations? Read on to find out!
Film Synopsis:
Deputy Eli Stoker (Morgan McLeod) knew what he was getting into. Everyone told him the same thing. Watch out for the boys from Beecher’s Gate. But he still filed for a transfer as soon as he saw an opening. And there always seemed to be an opening at Beecher’s Gate. It didn’t much surprise Stoker when the Sheriff (Chris Cipa) gave him a short-straw shift before the end of his first week: spend the night in a shed out in the middle of the woods. No explanation. No expectation. All the Sheriff could offer was a flashlight, a shotgun and a word tradition. It happened every year and the fresh meat always handled it. Whatever it was. The Sheriff’s son, Deputy Clancy (Alex Bryan), tried to help as much as he could, but if he was in on the joke, he didn’t seem to find it funny anymore. Whether it was a prank or a pure waste of time, Stoker would have to wait until the oldest tradition in Beecher’s Gate came knocking at the door.
My Thoughts:
The Thing About Beecher’s Gate is one of my favorites, if not my top favorite, short film this year. I also put it in my top ten list of all time as well. For someone who watches as many horror shorts as I do, this s a big deal for me. It is brilliantly executed with a blend of humor and suspense that I love in a horror film. The premise might seem simple and, in fact, it is simple. Newbie to Beecher’s Gate, Eli Stoker (great name by the way!), is put through the tradition of spending the night in a shed in the woods with nothing but a flashlight and a shotgun to protect him. The build ups are spot on, you can feel the tension right along with Eli. You begin to question if this is perhaps a practical joke on the newbie. The shit does get real, however, and you wonder right along with Eli: What has he gotten himself into? Is he going to survive the night? You’ll have to watch to find out!
Final Thoughts
Make sure you see The Thing About Beecher’s Gate! Trust me, it will not disappoint. Everything about this film is so meticulously thought out with details and executed perfectly. There really isn’t anything I can say I didn’t like about it. It will be showing this Sunday at the Nightmares Film Festival in Ohio. So if you are attending that be sure to get your tickets here.
I’ve included the trailer below to get you psyched for the short. As always, stay tuned to PopHorror for all your news, reviews, interviews and much more!
