Phantasmal Gallery
Phantasmal Gallery
OUTSIDE NOISE (2026)
From the twisted minds at Terror Arcade.
Review by Victoria Smith
Still from Outside Noise (2026).
So instantly, I’m locked in thinking, “Oh no, don’t mess with my phone habits”
I often wonder why phones aren’t featured more in movies . I think we like to romanticise a lighter, carefree, phone-free world, but the reality is much darker.
Fitting a scary story into seven minutes is a tough task; as a storyteller, it’s a disciplined art, and because it’s so concise, you have to be focused. You’ve got to put the audience in the zone quickly, with not a second to waste, and that’s what this does. As a horror fan, I think I’m also a tough nut to crack. Instantly thinking, right. How are you going to scare me in seven minutes? Well, prove me wrong, I was in for a treat.
Still from Outside Noise (2026).
'Praised by horror’s biggest filmmakers, including David F. Sandberg and Mick Garris, Outside Noise is the latest award-winning short from Terror Arcade, presented by CenterFrame. Directed by Ethan Evans and co-written by Evans and Jess Bartlett, it stars Bobby Rainsbury (Last Breath) and was executive produced by Jed Shepherd (Host) and Alex Noyer (Sound of Violence). Outside Noise had a successful festival circuit, from screening at the 68th BFI London Film Festival to being a finalist in Sony’s Future Filmmaker Awards, where it was endorsed by Jason Reitman, Minhal Baig and Justin Chadwick. The short has garnered high ratings on Letterboxd from festival audiences who described it as 'a modern nightmare' and 'one of the creepiest shorts I've ever watched'. Made as a proof-of-concept, the short only scratches the surface of a terrifying, larger world.' -Terror Arcade (2026)
Still from Outside Noise (2026).
This movie checks the boxes. In a focused way, set up, humanity, jumpscares and mystery. Without any spoilers, we all take our phones into our bedrooms. Using them is a handy light at night , something to play audio on. Trust me, there was about a year when I couldn’t sleep without kittens on a boat dock on a meditation app. Now that’s another great original concept.
To jump right into that bed and capture the tension of not being able to sleep can quickly put anyone in a terryifing Head Space (pardon the pun). I loved the nuance of this great compact horror story . Lying on your back, the slowly revolving lamp illuminates the room, looping round and round. Building tension with the repetitive action and shadows cast around the room. Quick and effective storytelling to get you right in the sweet spot of being ready to be scared. As a miniaturised horror, it made every second count and I loved that about it . Leaving you dazed and alienated in the reality of technology is not a friend. There are some clever tricks going on with this film, along with some old favourite scares. Without spoiling anything, I would love to see where this could go as a feature-length given its ending.
Years into the future, I’m sure there may be many films about the impact of phones on our lives. The phone is not our friend, an intruder on our natural world. Despite our technological progress. Some lovely basic understanding of horror is still the best. Being alone, not sleeping, Shadows, Dark, Surprise visitors, everyday things you normally trust. How to be scared in seven minutes checks all the boxes.
You can watch 'Outside Noise' for yourself on Bloody Disgusting's youtube below.
Review of 'Outside Noise' (2026).
Written By Victoria Smith
