On this week’s terrifying installment of World of Death, we investigate the terror that comes along with losing one of mankind’s most powerful weapons – speech. We use language to fight, to love, to identify, so what happens when that power is stripped…

The first tale is Ron Stratton’s “Mute”, who handles the subject matter with aplomb. We are introduced to a woman in distress, running from a mysterious assailant who’s just attacked her viciously – slashing her throat – and now the villain is chasing her through the halls of an unknown institution to finish the job. Without giving too much away, the pursuit ends in the kind of bitter irony that makes the viewer lash out at the poetic injustice that one can only find in a horror movie. “Mute” is shot well, with handheld creepiness and an uncomfortable strobe effect, and the special effects are cringe worthy (in a positive way), but where Ron excels is his use of sound or lack thereof. The short is “muted”, so to speak, with no diegetic sound or music to be found, simply a scary, minimalistic soundtrack, which further helps us connect with the desperate plight of the heroine. It’s a solid piece, which deserves your views.

Next is “Mimes”, directed by Ryan Rigley. For centuries, mimes have creeped the crap out of us. Like a clown’s creepier younger sibling, a mime’s monochromatic face paint and actions that attempt, but fail, to mimic real life, serve to remind us that they are not human – just pretending to be. And what’s creepier than a mime – why, two mimes of course! Ryan plays his World of Death entry as a dark comedy, toying with the idea of how much power actual mimes yield. But let’s not forget the blood, which visually pops against the background of black and white. “Mimes” is an uncomfortable little horror nugget and is laugh-out-loud awesome so go check it out!
– Ashton Golembo

World of Death is the web series that fans of independent horror have been waiting for.  Featuring short horror films from all over the globe created by the largest variety of talent that a collection has ever been able to boast, WOD provides plenty of blood, guts, screams and laughs for all fans of the macabre.  And with episodes averaging around eight minutes in length, WOD is the perfect entertainment for a fan base constantly on the go.  Watch it anywhere, at any time, for FREE! New episodes premiere every Monday and Thursday at 10am CST.

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