• Home
  • About Us
  • Submit Article
  • Contact Us
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022Earlybird Deadline
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TVLive
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022Earlybird Deadline
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TVLive
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
No Result
View All Result

Ghost Searchers: Subtly Undoes Horror Tropes

Indie Shorts Mag Team by Indie Shorts Mag Team
29 May 2021
in Reviews
0
Ghost Searchers - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

Neil George’s Ghost Searchers upholds the tradition of goofy paranormal investigators in potentially life-threatening situations, tied neatly with a happy ending. Labeled a dark-comedy, the 20-minute film strikes a satisfying balance between comedy, horror and drama.

The film makes it a point to hit the familiar beats but with a spin on it each time, such that they add up to a story that has shifted ever so subtly onto fresh territory. Take, for instance, the introduction of the house in question. Unlike usual tropes, it is not an ancient house; quite the opposite, in fact. Matt (played by Max Doubt), chief investigator, quips as he records his observations, “House could use a new coat of paint and some landscaping.” The case this time presents Robert (Dylan Terrill), a man who cannot live in the house he has only recently bought, because every night at 11:47, a disembodied entity makes its presence known in the kitchen. A whistling teapot, flying flames, and angry cupboard doors. 

Ghost Searchers - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

The film does not bother with jump scares, choosing instead to build the story organically, allowing it to feel realistic and every day, without losing view of its personal significance. It is an enjoyable change to find that the story progresses rather like a suspenseful thriller in search of answers rather than blood-curdling horror.

MWnIGsE - Indie Shorts Mag
ADVERTISEMENT

George gives the story something of a meta treatment: the investigators are often found disillusioned about the state of their profession. No one believes in paranormal activity anymore. Because of the comic nature, the film never takes itself too seriously, and yet, the drama, when it is time for it, lands well. While Jonny Lee’s Jeff is almost entirely a comic presence, Katie (Ashley McIntosh) falls on the other end of the spectrum, providing the dramatic share of the plot, as well as essential backstory. Here once again the story sidesteps usual stereotypes: the ghost is male and harmless. 

Ghost Searchers - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

With Ghost Searchers, Neil George opted for a series of shifts that steered the film from being the sum of a collection of story tropes into a commentary on them. Does it have room for improvement? Yes. But as it stands, by being more human than horror, Ghost Searchers serves as a reminder that stories need not be larger than life (times two) to be meaningful.

Watch Ghost Searchers Short Film Trailer

Watch Ghost Searchers on Amazon Prime
Ghost Searchers: Subtly Undoes Horror Tropes
  • Direction
  • Cinematography
  • Screenplay
  • Editing
  • Music
3.5
Tags: ComedyComedy Short Film ReviewHorrorHorror Short Film ReviewReviewShort Film Reviews
Previous Post

The Flying Fish: Experimental & Hypnotic, Murat Sayginer Invites You To A Digital Psychedelic Experience

Next Post

Point Symmetry: The Aftermath Of Hate

Indie Shorts Mag Team

Indie Shorts Mag Team

Related Posts

Santi - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

Santi: Grappling With Not Belonging

25th June 2022
The Atomic Spawn - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

The Atomic Spawn: Nuclear Testing and Other Things Beyond Control

25th June 2022
Next Post
Point Symmetry - Documentary Review - Indie Shorts Mag

Point Symmetry: The Aftermath Of Hate

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Featured Post

Announcing Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival(ISMSFF) 2022

Announcing Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival(ISMSFF) 2022

Sponsored

  • Recent Reviews
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube Vimeo

About Indie Shorts Mag

Indie Shorts Mag is a publishing agency that works within the ‘short film circuit’. We review short films, documentaries, music videos and web series, amongst others. We stand out amongst the short film review sites for being multi-diverse & global in our platform and reach.
Our team works tirelessly to help promote, publicize and market your short films that deserve the shout-out! Besides reviews, we host film festival news as it’s a known fact that the film festival buzz is unmissable and we ensure you aren’t left behind!
We aspire to form a niche for ourselves as the ‘short film magazine’ that remains the hub for filmmakers & their audience.

Popular Topics

  • Announcements
  • Articles
  • Crowdfunding
  • Editorial
  • Film Festival News
  • Film Festivals
  • India Edition
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • Marketing
  • News
  • Online Premiere
  • Post-Production
  • Pre-Production
  • Reviews
  • Short Film
  • Short Film Competition
  • Short Film News
  • Tutorials
  • Web Series

Indie Shorts Mag on Instagram

Follow Us On Instagram

  • #ShortFilmReview: Santi: Home is somewhere. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: The Atomic Spawn: Nuclear test results are coming home to roost. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Allende: Shame is a deadly thing. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SpportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Something Behind The Walls: Something is eating everything hollow. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Sharing: It is a bittersweet thing. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: The Code Of Family: Age is the number of years of experience. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmTrailer: Where’s Lilli? Is A Tale About Finding Inspiration & Conquering Fears

Read our review & watch the short, link in bio.

#ShortFilm #ShortFilmReview #SupportindieFilm #Trailer #FilmTrailer #ShortFilms
  • #ShortFilmTrailer: Last Dance: There 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 be someone behind you.. 

Read our review & watch the short, link in bio.

#ShortFilm #ShortFilmReview #SupportindieFilm #Trailer #FilmTrailer #ShortFilms
  • #ShortFilmTrailer: Out Of Place: Sublime Depiction Of Migrant Struggle. 

Read our review & watch the short, link in bio. 

#ShortFilm #ShortFilmReview #SupportindieFilm #Trailer #FilmTrailer #ShortFilm

© 2015-2022 Indie Shorts Mag.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TV
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review

© 2015-2022 Indie Shorts Mag.