Last year I went to a sci-fi convention and bumped into McKenzie Aston. Almost like a reflex I immediately belted out, “McKenzie! I loved you in GARBAGE PAIL KIDS THE MOVIE.” McKenzie was visibly taken aback to the point of almost being frightened by this psychotic woman (me) in front of him. After a moment of awkward silence, where I’m sure he was looking for the nearest emergency exit, he sheepishly asked, “Really? Are you sure? No one liked that movie!”

In 1968, the world’s conception of zombies was changed forever when George A. Romero unleashed NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Its premise of the deceased rising from their tombs to devour the living was revolutionary, and deviated radically from previous ideas of Haitian voodoo and mysticism, of men devoid of will, puppet-mastered by ebony-skinned figures with white skulls painted on their faces. After Romero, we had humanity’s worst imagining (death itself) rising up and reducing us all to food.

As we celebrate this Summer of Savini (cover story of FANGORIA #304; directorial comeback THE THEATRE BIZARRE debuting at Fantasia this month), I decided to share with you my first-ever professional interview, which I conducted with the King of Splatter as a 17-year-old high school student in 1980. Part one appeared here.

Almost every writer—myself included—has at one point said, “It’d make a better short.” Seconds after the familiar phrase is uttered however, I often find myself wondering if, in fact, the hypothetical “it” were a short, would I have ever seen it? While short films can often be a wholly striking introduction to new talent, and lovely asides from masters, they don’t typically have the widest audience. So, having been exposed to a number really great works in recent weeks, here’s a roundup of some wonderful horror shorts, and where you may be able to see them if you’re on the lookout.