No, this short is not about Chris Rock.
Some things are not as they seem to be. For example, today’s subject initially looks to be an absurdist British comedy, but then as it goes on, turns into something more depraved.
In this post, we’re discussing the horror-comedy short Peter the Penguin, by Andrew Rutter. It is now streaming on Alter’s YouTube channel, and you can also watch it at the end of this article. It might inspire you to get a script ready for the next Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.
The Plot
Nigel is meeting his girlfriend’s daughter, Emily, for the first time. But when he gets to her house, Emily is having an emotional breakdown, because her stuffed penguin, Peter, has ripped, and she’s convinced he’s dying. Nigel is confused by how everybody, including paramedics, are treating this as an actual emergency. And it all culminates in him being dealt a fate worse than death.
That Meeting Could Have Gone Better.
This short starts out as a ridiculous comedy which makes the horrific events at the end hit harder. The comedic tone lures the audience into a false sense of comfort, and allows them to let their guard down by the end when the story takes a particularly cruel turn.
Even the dark ending is handled with a sense of humor, but that humor really just makes it seem even more haunting. The upbeat tone over the disturbing final scene makes for an unsettling contrast. It’s set to what feels like a children’s song, but the lyrics emphasize the more gruesome details about the situation. Particularly disturbing is the song’s suggestion that he deserved it for not being “man enough” when Peter was “dying.”
Also admirable, is its refusal to explain anything. It would be easy to imply something along the lines of “Peter has some sort of magical force around it that causes people to act this way.” But it didn’t, and that only makes it creepier, but also helps to maintain the absurdism that was prevalent in the comedy portions.
In Conclusion
Peter the Penguin is a creepy bait-and-switch horror short. Its absurdity and humor only make the body horror even more disturbing. An unsettling tale of when a kid’s love for her stuffed animal goes too far.
Watch it below.
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