It’s next to impossible for a filmmaker to tell a story without leaving a bit of themselves on the screen. The ideas we come up with, the stories we tell, they say something about who we are whether we intend them to or not. Every tale spun forth from the mind retains a kernel of its author. This week’s World of Death offerings are no different.

First up from across the pond we have “Mycophobia: A Fear of Mushrooms” by Stuart Fitzsimmons, a decidedly European tale that sends up the silent movie era of filmmaking. Fitzsimmons nails the aesthetic by utilizing hammy overacting, concise visual storytelling, and an antagonist that feels straight out of Georges Millies’ “A Trip to the Moon” (or the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” video if you’re not fluent in early French cinema). This short might not leave you with a bonafide fear of mushrooms, but you’ll definitely think twice before stepping in a circle of them.

On the American side of things we have Arizona’s own Pete Navarro with “Teratophobia”. Now, if you’re wondering what Teratophobia is the fear of you’re in luck because I had to Google it for this write-up. Wikipedia has it as “A fear of giving birth to malformed offspring or general fear of disfigured people” which is odd because all the females in this film are healthy looking and attractive. My take on the film was that it had to do with mental illness and the dangers of our reliance on prescription medicine. Something decidedly American when placed in contrast to this episode’s other short (you remember, the British silent film about forest nymphs and mushrooms).

So there you have it; two filmmakers, two short films about fear, and two very, very different finished products. That’s what makes this the World of Death though, right? It’s a bunch of filmmakers all sitting around a campfire (borrowing someone’s analogy there) talking about what we think is scary. Everyone has their own voice, and everyone brings a different scary story to the circle.

– Pat O’Sullivan

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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