SHARP SHOCK SHORT — ABE

ABE (2013) 

Dir: Rob McLellan

Starring: Claire Huskisson, Emily Baxter, Sam Hoare

I think that a significant number of horror shorts are released with the primary intention of getting a feature length film off the ground. As Saw and Mama have both proven, this is a route that can lead to very, very big rewards. Today's short has already achieved this, but works perfectly as a bite sized, deeply disturbing, psychological thriller in its own right with one, key unique selling point. Want to know what it is?

SUMMARY: This is a short, so I won’t spoil too much. A woman wakes up in a room covered in plastic sheeting, gagged and bound to a hospital gurney. As she struggles to get free her abductor arrives and explains why she is their, the abductor's motivation and how this is all a part of a bigger pattern of twisted behaviour.

So far, so generic, right? Except the obsessive stalker in this case is a robot.

ABE is an android, programmed to love and care for his owner and family. He cannot understand how others can fail in this imperative, and as such he intends to take apart and repair those he sees as faulty…

WHY IT WORKS: Obviously one of the biggest selling points for this short is its interesting premise. Artfully combining science fiction and psychological horror, ABE really is one of those fantastic yet simple ideas that makes you smack your forehead and ask 'Why didn't I think of that?'

This premise is masterfully executed as well. The film is brilliantly shot and the effects work used to bring the titular robot to life is jaw dropping. They are polished and incredibly realistic. Kudos to the film makers for this impressive feat!

Finally the performances are excellent across the board, but special praise must go to Sam Hoare for his voice work as ABE. Cold and mechanical, yet somehow hauntingly melancholy and sentimental, Hoare NAILS the character with subtle vocal inflection. I can only hope that Hoare is retained for the feature length expansion of this tale.

This is one of those shorts that EVERYBODY should see. I cannot wait to see what the film has in store for us.

SO WHERE’S IT AT? The lazy among you can check it out right here!

Also get yourself over to film’s official Facebook page, Like it and keep your eye out for further announcements re: the feature film!

10 WORD WRAP UP: Fantastic effects and premise make this short a must-see

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.