The horror comedy is a strange beast. Much of Hollywood's output in the post-Scream years has been attempting to combine the two genres on nearly every horror movie and failing miserably. There are exceptions like Shaun Of The Dead but they are few and far between. In the world of no-budget short films, however, the genre is booming and the results are quite often a lot of fun. Whereas Hollywood seems to be trying to include comedy as a way of following a proven formula, indie short filmmakers do it because they actually think their ideas are funny and most of the time they are.

Snow Day, Bloody Snow Day starts off a little weak as we are told by a news reporter that it is snowing in Seattle (this played more like an in-joke than a comedy bit). Things take off quickly, however, when we discover that a horde of zombies have decided to cash in on the crippling effect that snow has on humans and attack. We are introduced to a group of four unlikely heroes who are part of a geeky film club. They have just finished an all night movie marathon and when they turn on the news, they discover that their beloved town has become a horror movie in itself. After seeing the mayhem on TV, they are jolted by a knock on the door by a guy named Eli who wants them to help him stop the zombie holocaust. Arming themselves with shovels and video game controllers, our heroes brave the snowy streets and attempt to take back the city from the flesheaters.

As this is a short film, there is not an abundance of time to develop characters or a plot but writer/directors Faye Hoerauf and Jessica Baxter have crafted an action packed zombie flick that is fast paced and fun to watch. Whether we are being given a sight gag, a nod to a Romero film, or a kung-fu fight, I found that I was entertained throughout. Sure there are a few jokes that don't work but overall this was a great short that shows that these girls have the chops to do something more and has me looking forward what they come up with next. The make-up effects from Tim Vittetoe and his team looked great, as did the fight choreography that was handled much better than many low budget films.

If you ever see Snow Day, Bloody Snow Day playing at a local film festival, it is worth checking out and is a great example of a way to make a short film that can appeal to more than just horror nerds. This is something that could be enjoyed by everyone from housewives to B-movie geeks. In a world of short films that use their budget as an excuse to suck, this is a good example of what can happen if you don't cop out and just go for it. Hoerauf and Baxter are currently working on a feature film entitled Plight Of The Living Dead.

Visit the official website for more info! (Josh Pasnak, 12/23/05)

Directed By: Jessica Baxter, Faye Hoerauf.
Written By: Jessica Baxter, Faye Hoerauf.

Starring: Justin Alley, Ben Dunn, Zach Adair, Tim Tate.