Midlands Review of The Front Door
July 14, 2021
The Front Door
Directed by Andrew Rutter
2021
An award-winning comedy horror short has finally been released online from Midlands director Andrew Rutter.
The Front Door won a gong for Chris Butler in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category at our very own Midlands Movies Awards and now the film, and his performance, can be enjoyed by the public in this new release.
The short begins with a couple in bed attempting to drift off to sleep but, as these things often go, are kept up by worrying thoughts as the woman asks her partner if he’s “locked the front door?”
He reluctantly wanders down to check but finds it still open. Yet when he turns around, he's taken aback and discovers a full demonic cult (!) that have set up in his living room.
Encouraging him to go back to bed as they “won’t be a minute”, the scene consists of a half-naked man being sacrificed on a table, three hooded individuals and their bearded leader (Chris Butler as Jacob) who is dressed in a blood-red robe.
The short uses great dialogue to take the sting out of its horror influences (“we’ll be twenty minutes, tops” and “we’re very community spirited” explains the cult leader) and its strange feeling of domestic doom comes across well.
Excellent use of make-up and costume create an ominously dark theme but the film continues to be lightened with well-placed jokes which flow quickly in its short 6-minutes.
And with a previously unseen goat-masked ghoul stealing the home-owners lunch from the fridge, the story continues with its out-of-the-ordinary vibe as we are reminded of the wife who still sleeps upstairs unaware
The Front Door is a quality short film, with its comedic asides contrasting nicely alongside pagan imagery. The short also has superb technical elements throughout especially in lighting, wardrobe and a suitably mundane and homely location.
And with the surprising and disturbing final conclusion it delivers, the film is a darkly delightful success as it blends scares and suburbia in one highly entertaining package.
Michael Sales
As part of our new Midlands on the Move features, we've spoken to local filmmaker Emmeline Hartley about upcoming film Closedown. Read our continuing conversation as Midlands Movies finds out about Leicester actress Parminder Nagra's involvement & more.
Midlands Movies chats to actor, writer and producer Emmeline Hartley, who has been involved in 48-hour film challenges to viral shorts and award-winning films, about her latest film Closedown.
Screenwriter and filmmaker Aaron Sorkin sure knows how to write a courtroom scene. From the iconic “You can’t handle the truth” in A Few Good Men to his 2020 film The Trial of the Chicago 7, the celebrated writer mixes both memorable dialogue with fascinating legal fighting to perfection.
As Bruce Springsteen rises to fame, he starts making a record that no one expected. A passion project that helps him come to terms with his childhood trauma and the overwhelming nature of it all.