Jason Sondhi

An appealing premise goes a long way in the horror genre. To be fair, communicating the appeal of a story in a logline is important to films of all genres, but there is a certain fascination with a “does what it says on the package” sensibility in horror circles. I’m not seeing a lot of other niches wring so many potential variations out of a scenario like  “jump scare, but with ___”, be that blank an Amazon Echo, a Ring Doorbell, or famously, a humble lightbulb.

This observation is meant to communicate that today’s film, What Happened Downstairs?, has a fun premise that hooked me pretty early. A horror-comedy that plays within the post-Scream self-aware wing of the genre, the film follows a couple vacationing at an upstate bed and breakfast. Quickly acknowledging that their rental is haunted, they endeavor to leave, but every time they exit their room, supernatural hoodoo returns them to it, absent any memory of what happened outside. The couple must put aside their habit of bickering to come together and solve the mystery of their haunting in order to escape. 

Horror and comedy, as the two most visceral genres, often pair together nicely—though they do have a tendency to undercut each other. What Happened Downstairs? does well enough on both fronts, the script produces fine humor out of its normie protagonists’ bickering dialogue and their ironic reactions to the surreal predicament. Your distance with it may vary, some members on our team found the characters annoying, but I felt they were a solid take on recognizable archetypes; unremarkable in a low-budget character comedy, but interesting transposed to a horror setting (also we must acknowledge that this is purposeful— “A Very Annoying Horror Film” is the poster logline). The comedic aspects create a sense of unreality that can mute the intensity of the horror though. That said, the tonal unpredictability that results has its upsides. I found the film more suspenseful than a standard short because a tidy resolution or a blood-stained denouement both felt distinctly possible.

However, it is the introduction of a third mode that sets the film apart. The film ropes in the fun mystery element that we associate with true crime, detective stories, or puzzle-box thrillers. As a 17min short film, I do not suggest that it has the ammo to power sub-Reddit level theorizing, but some of the same core elements are present, making for a surprisingly engrossing and brisk-paced watch. Fumbling alongside the characters for an understanding of the supernatural rules at play is a consistent pleasure and something we don’t encounter often in the short form. Additionally, by forcing the characters to team up in order to self-consciously probe the mechanics of their scenario, it allows the film’s creator to Trojan horse a rather sweet theme into the film. 

What Happened Downstairs?  is written and directed by Andrew Nisinson, and the filmmaker is also its star, alongside his partner, Meilin Gray. This arrangement allows a degree of emotional authenticity to permeate that is rather surprising. Though arch on its face, the script draws upon the duo’s personalities and was itself born out of late-nite horror film binges where the couple would contemplate what they would do together in a horror-like scenario. Nisinson notes that,

This focus provides an emotional arc to the story that complements the plot, as the couple shift from bored and bitchy with one another to a place of appreciation and respect. The crucible of a tense and traumatic experience is almost a substitute for therapy, as they work out their negative emotional habits and reaffirm their respect and love for one another. It is a deftly handled move for the film and, disguised by the hi-concept gloss of the premise, is an undercurrent that a viewer hardly notices is underway until late in the film. 

It is also core to Nisinson’s ideas for the film’s expansion. The short has a feature script in hand and Nisinson tells us that it “goes much deeper into our relationship and takes us on a greatly expanded journey. Genre is the vessel that takes us on the journey, exploring relationships, connection, and how we deal with trauma together in the face of our problems and disagreements.”

The couple runs Pyramyd Studio in Brooklyn, where they keep busy on a mix of branded content and creative projects, including collaborations with the rising star Kristian Mercado (who will be featured on this site next month). We look forward to what’s coming down the pike from this talented duo, and will report back on future developments with the What Happened Downstairs? feature project!