Finley 2019 horror film short comedy by J. Zachary Thurman’s award-winning shorts. Experience scares, laughs, and a unique cinematic blend.
đ„ Finley 2019 AWARD WINNING horror film short comedy: The Killer Dummy Who Canât Catch a Break đ
Ever wondered what would happen if Chucky was more clumsy than creepy? Meet Finley, the worldâs worst killer dummy! Finley 2019 horror comedy short film by J. Zachary Thurman is a gem that flips every scary doll trope on its headâand itâs hilarious. Clocking in at just under 25 minutes, Finley is a wild ride of laughs, scares, and âwait, did that just happen?â moments. Itâs the kind of film that makes you wonder why all horror movies donât have a sense of humor. đ
đ The Plot: A Dummy with a Dream (and a Cleaver)
Three college studentsâAlex (Brooke Wallace), Chris (Keith Dowsett), and Jennifer (Alexa Leigh Fletcher)âmove into a creaky old house and find a dusty crate in the attic. Inside? A ventriloquist dummy named Finley, gagged and chained like heâs up to no good. Spoiler: he is. Chris, being the brave (or dumb) one, frees Finley, and all hell breaks loose. Well, kind of. Finley tries to be a murderous menace, but heâs about as effective as a toddler with a toy knife. đŒđȘ His attempts to off the trio are so bad, they treat him like a naughty pet rather than a threat. Itâs a comedy of errors where the horror is in how not scary Finley is.
đŹ Style and Tone: Horror Meets Hilarity
What makes Finley stand out is its perfect blend of horror and comedy. Itâs like Childâs Play meets Shaun of the Deadâcreepy dolls, jump scares, and all the classic horror bits, but with a twist thatâll have you laughing instead of screaming. The editing is snappy, the script is sharp, and Thurmanâs direction keeps you hooked. Itâs clear he knows the horror rulebook inside out, and heâs having a blast breaking it. The filmâs pacing is tight, and every scene builds on the last, leading to a finale thatâs as satisfying as it is surprising. đ
đ Awards: The Little Film That Could
Finley isnât just a fun watchâitâs a festival darling. It scooped up five Best Short Film awards, including the Audience Award at the Portland Horror Film Festival and Best Horror Short at several others. Critics and fans alike rave about its clever take on the genre, with one reviewer calling it âa breathe of fresh air in a world of stale horror shorts.â đŹïž Itâs proof that you donât need a big budget to make a big impactâjust a killer idea and a dummy who canât kill.
Awards lists:
- WINNER – Atlanta Comedy Film Festival – BEST DARK COMEDY 2019
- WINNER – Atlanta Horror Film Festival – BEST LOCAL SHORT 2019
- WINNER – Carolina Fear Fest – BEST HORROR SHORT 2019
- WINNER – Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest – BEST SHORT FILM 2019
- WINNER – DIE LAUGHING FILM FESTIVAL – BEST SCREENPLAY 2019
- WINNER – Georgia Shorts Film Festival – BEST HORROR SHORT 2019
- WINNER – Horror Films in Hotlanta – BEST COMEDY HORROR 2019
- WINNER – Halloween International Film Festival – BEST SHORT FILM 2019
- WINNER – Spook Screen Film Festival – BEST HORROR ZOMEDY 2019
- WINNER – HorrOrigins Film Festival – BEST HORROR COMEDY 2019
- WINNER – iHorror Film Festival – BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN 2019
- WINNER – Indie Short Fest – BEST DARK COMEDY SHORT 2019
- WINNER – jellyFEST – SEMI FINALIST 2019
- WINNER – Portland Horror Film Festival – AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD 2019
- WINNER – Something Wicked Film Festival – AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD 2019
- WINNER – Something Wicked Film Festival – BADASS OF THE YEAR 2019 (Finley)
- WINNER – Something Wicked Film Festival – BEST SHORT FILM 2019
- WINNER – Something Wicked Film Festival – MOST MEMORABLE VILLAIN 2019 (Finley)
- WINNER – Summer in the South – BEST DARK COMEDY 2019
- WINNER – WorldFest – Houston International Film Festival – SILVER REMI AWARD 2019
- NOMINATION – Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR 2019
- NOMINATION – Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival – BEST SPFX 2019
- NOMINATION – iHorror Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR 2019
- NOMINATION – iHorror Film Festival – BEST SHORT FILM 2019
- NOMINATION – Indie Short Fest – BEST HORROR SHORT 2019
- NOMINATION – Indie Short Fest – BEST VISUAL FX 2019
- NOMINATION – Something Wicked Film Festival – BEST ANIMATED/PUPPETRY SHORT 2019
- NOMINATION – Spook Screen – BEST DIRECTOR 2019
- NOMINATION – Spook Screen – BEST FILM 2019
- NOMINATION – Something Wicked Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR 2019
đĄ Themes: Laughing at Our Fears
Beyond the laughs, Finley is a sly commentary on horror tropes. Weâve all seen the âevil dollâ story a million times, but this film asks: what if the doll was just really, really bad at being evil? Itâs a hilarious subversion that makes you rethink what scares youâand why. Plus, itâs a nod to the absurdity of horror clichĂ©s, delivered with a wink and a grin. đ The filmâs message? Sometimes, the things we fear most are just⊠not that scary after all.
đż Why You Need to Watch It
If youâre a horror fan with a sense of humor, Finley is a must-see. Itâs short, itâs sweet, and itâs a masterclass in indie filmmaking. Plus, itâs free on YouTube, so youâve got zero excuses. Whether youâre in it for the laughs, the scares, or just to see a dummy trip over his own knife, Finley delivers. Itâs like a horror movie made by people who love horror moviesâand arenât afraid to poke fun at them. đ
đ„ Where to Watch
You can catch Finley on YouTube, courtesy of Alter, the go-to spot for horror shorts. Itâs only 25 minutes long, so grab some popcorn and settle in for a quick, quirky thrill. Trust me, youâll be quoting âFinleyâsâ antics long after the credits roll. đż
Alexandra (Brooke Wallace), her boyfriend Chris (Keith Dowsett), and her friend Jennifer (Alexa Leigh Fletcher) are three college students who move in together. After finding the titular ventriloquist dummy, they learn to coexist with it as it tries unsuccessfully to off them, one by one. Humiliated by his lack of prowess in the killer doll department, Finley exiles himself back into his attic crate. When violent intruders target the house, though, Finley gets a chance at redemption.
CREW
- Produced by: Unplugged Films
- Directed & Edited by: J. Zachary Thurman
- Written by: J. Zachary Thurman & Maddie Stroud
- Director of Photography: J. Zachary Thurman
- Production Assistants: Keith Dowsett, Zak DenHartigh, Brian Jones, & Corey Grispo
- Composed by: Marshall Coats
- Puppeteers: J. Zachary Thurman & Keith Dowsett
- Make-Up: Cindy Williams
CAST
- Keith Dowsett as Chris
- Alexa Leigh Fletcher as Jennifer
- Brooke Wallace as Alexandra
- Chase Anderson as Burglar #1
- Mike Pearson as Burglar #2
FEATURE PITCH DECK IS AVAILABLE BY REQUEST
đŹ Letâs Talk
Ever seen a horror movie that made you laugh more than scream? Or maybe youâve got a favorite horror comedy? Drop your thoughts belowâIâd love to hear what you think! đŹ
Quick Recap:
- What: A 25-minute horror comedy about a killer dummy whoâs hilariously bad at his job.
- Who: Directed by J. Zachary Thurman, starring Brooke Wallace, Keith Dowsett, and Alexa Leigh Fletcher.
- Why: Itâs a clever, award-winning take on horror tropes with laughs and scares in equal measure.
- Where: Watch it on YouTube for free.