Welcome to the DoT Daily Horror Film Fest! Throughout the month, I’ll be featuring new horror every weekday. Sometimes that will be indie films, sometimes it’ll be big-name stuff, shorts, or even TV shows. Scary, funny, schlocky, quiet, eerie – something for the well-rounded horror fan. Plus interviews with filmmakers and a chance to support projects still in the works. Today’s featured short is Downstairs from writer/director Lee Boxleitner. Downstairs won best short film at Dark Scream UK last year.

Ever had a bad job? Probably not as bad as security guard Flip Schubbers (Lee’s brother, Sam Boxleitner), who has to deal with both snobbery and the supernatural on his worst night on the job. An enjoyably humorous touch, having fun with some horror tropes (including the creepy haunted basement the title refers to). The obnoxious artists Orpheo and Danuta are played with amusing flair by John Lyke and Phoebe Neidhardt, and Lee Boxleitner makes a cameo when the ghouls come out. Seems like a family affair, as Andrea Boxleitner plays another basement dweller. The spare score works very well, too, and that was written by poor ol’ Flip.