‘Lights Out’ (2013) Is Still the Scariest YouTube Short Ever Made [Video]
I love horror, but sometimes I get overwhelmed by just how much there is to watch. Between new releases, nostalgic favorites, and the obligatory Halloween party background movies, October can start to feel like a never-ending movie marathon, which is fun in theory until you try to watch an entire franchise over the span of a few days (don’t ask). That’s why I love a good short, and Lights Out (2013) remains one of the scariest you can find on YouTube.
Written, produced, shot, scored, and directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation, Until Dawn), Lights Out unfolds almost entirely in a hallway over the course of just a few minutes. A woman (Lotta Losten) is getting ready for bed when she realizes she’s not alone. Someone—or something—is following her, but she can’t see it unless she turns off the lights.
Watch the short below:
Like any good ghost story, Lights Out is effective because it’s so simple and relatable. Everyone has had that half-second of unease after flipping off a hallway light or seeing something shift in the corner of their eye. I admit, I’ve been startled multiple times by my coat rack in the middle of the night or a rogue pair of lashes on the floor. Even getting an image for this was a pain because every single frame reminds me of yet another thing I don’t want to think about during my own nighttime routine.
Lights Out the short was expanded into a feature in 2016 to mixed reviews (you can find ours here), so I wouldn’t recommend watching that, but if you’re still in the mood for a full-length movie that captures the creepy, hey-something-is-watching-you-from-the-dark feeling, then I suggest Caveat (2020) or Oddity (2024).
And as always, if you love Lights Out or if you have any horror shorts you’d like to recommend, let me know: @ashjenexi on Instagram and X.
Categorized: Streaming News
