Written by Ben Clark and Megan Pugh, and directed by Paul Taylor, “The Blue Door” is a BAFTA-nominated (2019) gripping horror short film, starring Gemma Whelan (from Game of Thrones).
“The Blue Door” tells an original story about a nurse who joins her new job to provide palliative care to a bedridden elderly woman living alone in a dilapidated bungalow. Soon after she gets into her routine chores, she spots a blue door in the house. While her curiosity prompts her to try opening the door, she instantly gets scared when someone or something tries to open it from the other side.
The film is very beautifully written; although it has no dialogue, viewers can sense the fear of the unknown when the nurse discovers that there is more to the house and her dying patient that are hiding some dark secrets.
Without the use of jump scares or cheap thrills, “The Blue Door” relies heavily on the atmospheric elements with suspense inbuilt in the storyline and characters that provoke our imagination.
While Gemma Whelan delivers a beautiful performance, director Paul Taylor cleverly reveals small details such as a walking stick, the dirty utensils in the kitchen, and even the tattoo in the hands of the old lady that is similar to the one on the blue door. These small details drive our imagination to various possibilities but not exactly the unpredictable climax it eventually offers.
All in all, “The Blue Door” is very much immersive and scary that can easily be developed into a feature-length horror film. So, here is the good news: it has been picked up by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin for a feature film adaptation.
Watch “The Blue Door” on the official YouTube channel of ALTER
Plot: When a caring nurse opens the door to her new job, she learns some doors are best left shut.
Director: Paul Taylor
Cast: Janie Booth, Annie McGrath, Gemma Whelan
Editor: Dan Mellow
Screenwriter: Ben Clark, Megan Pugh
Director of Photography: Benedict Spence
Release Year: 2017
BAFTA Film Awards 2019 – Nominated, Best British Short Film
