Watch ‘The Chair 2023,’ a terrifying horror short film by Curry Barker. Brace yourself for bone-chilling scares. Stream the official short now!
🪑 The Chair (2023) — Horror Short Film by Curry Barker
Some furniture is just uncomfortable. This one is… hungry.
Curry Barker’s The Chair isn’t your average haunted‑object horror — it’s a 24‑minute descent into paranoia, fractured memory, and the creeping dread of not knowing whether the monster is in the room… or in your own head.
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Supernatural / Psychological Horror
- Writer & Director: Curry Barker
- Producers: Curry Barker · Adlih Torres · Anthony Pavone
- Cinematography: Justin Phillip 🎥
- Composer: Curry Barker 🎼
- Production Design & Makeup: Adlih Torres
- Sound: Garrett Easterly
- Editor: Curry Barker
- Runtime: ~24 minutes
- Country: United States 🇺🇸
- Language: English
- Premiere & Recognition:
- Nominated for Best Film — Los Angeles Short Film Festival 🏆
- Semi‑Finalist — Burbank International Film Festival 🎬
- Available on: YouTube
Watch full short:
🎭 Cast
- Anthony Pavone as Reese 🧠
- Haley Schwartz as Julie 💔
- Jonnathon Cripple as Old Man Franklin 👁️
- Seth Goodfellow as Officer Rodgers 🚔
- David Alan Graf as Officer Morgan 🚨
📖 Story in Brief
Reese finds an antique chair abandoned by the roadside. Against his girlfriend Julie’s protests — “It’s dirty, it’s creepy, get rid of it!” — he brings it home.
From there, reality starts to warp:
- Days vanish from Reese’s memory.
- The chair creaks at night, as if shifting under an invisible weight.
- A strange figure, Old Man Franklin, appears in visions and in the house itself, whispering and screaming, “Don’t forget about me.”
- Reese begins to suspect the chair is possessed… or that he’s losing his mind.
The narrative fractures — time skips, conversations loop, and we’re never sure if we’re watching supernatural horror or the unraveling of a man’s mind.
🎨 Creative DNA & Style
- Psychological ambiguity: Is it a ghost story or a portrait of dementia? The film refuses to answer.
- Fragmented editing: Mirrors Reese’s disorientation.
- Muted, shadow‑heavy lighting: The chair often lurks in half‑darkness, daring you to stare.
- Sound design: Creaks, whispers, and sudden silences keep tension high.
- Minimal jump scares: Fear comes from atmosphere, not cheap shocks.
🧠 Themes & Resonance
- Aging & Alzheimer’s: Reese’s memory loss and confusion echo the disintegration of identity in dementia.
- Fear of being forgotten: Old Man Franklin’s plea — “Don’t forget about me” — hits like a gut punch.
- Possession as metaphor: The chair could be a cursed object… or the physical embodiment of mental decline.
- Unreliable perception: We’re trapped in Reese’s point of view, never sure what’s real.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🌀 Layered horror: Works as both supernatural and psychological.
- 🎭 Strong performances: Pavone’s unraveling feels painfully real.
- 🎬 Festival polish: Cinematography and sound design elevate the short.
- 🧩 Interpretive depth: Invites post‑viewing discussion.
Cons
- ⏳ Non‑linear structure: May frustrate viewers wanting clear answers.
- 🪑 Ambiguity overload: Those craving a definitive “monster” might feel unsatisfied.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
The Chair 2023 short film isn’t just about a haunted piece of furniture — it’s about the horror of losing control over your own mind, and the terror of fading from the memories of those you love. Barker uses the chair as a vessel for both ghost story chills and deeply human fears, leaving you unsettled long after the credits roll.
🔍 Where to Watch & Learn More
- Watch The Chair on YouTube — full short film.
- IMDb page for The Chair — cast, crew, and trivia.
- Why The Chair is such an unsettling horror short — 1428 Elm — thematic analysis.