Shadows the Clown is a chilling and inventive short horror film from director Frank Palangi and writer Christopher Pelton, adapted from Pelton’s short story collection Toe In The Water. In this brief but memorable journey, we are drawn into the terrifying world of a young girl whose imagination gives life to a nightmare clown—a manifestation that blurs the line between psychological terror and supernatural horror.
The film excels at building tension in a compact runtime. Aaliyah Al-Fuhaid delivers a compelling performance as Felicia Reymuls, grounding the film’s more surreal moments with genuine fear and vulnerability. Andy Scullin and Kelly Kohn provide solid support as the family navigating the increasingly sinister manifestations, while Frank Palangi himself embodies the dual role of Larry Reymuls and the eponymous Shadow Clown with an unsettling, almost hypnotic presence.
Visually and atmospherically, Shadows the Clown impresses. The cinematography and lighting evoke a haunting dreamscape that enhances the film’s psychological depth, effectively making viewers question what is real versus imagined. The pacing is tight, with well-timed scares and moments of creeping dread that linger long after the screen goes dark.
As a teaser for the upcoming feature-length anthology based on Toe In The Water, this short successfully whets the appetite. Its focus on psychological horror over jump-scares signals that the full anthology may explore fear with a more cerebral, unsettling touch. While the short’s brevity occasionally limits character development and backstory, it also keeps the story concentrated and taut, leaving audiences both intrigued and unnerved.
Overall, Shadows the Clown is a strong, atmospheric short that showcases Frank Palangi and Christopher Pelton’s flair for imaginative horror. Fans of psychological and anthology-style horror will find much to appreciate, and it serves as a promising introduction to the larger world of Toe In The Water.
Jessie Hobson