The idea behind filmmaker Chris Stuckmann’s horror feature debut Shelby Oaks came about in 2016, according to the popular film critic. Facing a lack of financial backing, Stuckmann eventually turned to crowdfunding and was shocked when the project became the highest-funded horror movie in Kickstarter’s history. NEON acquired the paranormal horror movie ahead of Shelby Oaks’ premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival in July 2024. Executive produced by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep), NEON also provided additional funding for the movie to “punch up some particularly bloody elements,” Stuckmann told his campaign supporters in April. The final, polished cut of Shelby Oaks is finally ready to hit theaters and it’s well worth checking out on the big screen for Halloween.
Blending found footage, mockumentary, and narrative storytelling, Shelby Oaks follows Mia (Camille Sullivan), whose sister, Riley (Sarah Durn), a paranormal investigator, disappeared 12 years ago along with her team while they were exploring the abandoned town of Shelby Oaks for their show “Paranormal Paranoids.” During Mia’s desperate search for her long-lost sister, she uncovers new and disturbing evidence that leads to a supernatural evil Mia believes dates back to the sisters’ childhood.
Stuckmann previously told ComicBook.com that Joel Anderson’s 2008 cult classic horror movie Lake Mungo was a huge inspiration behind Shelby Oaks, mentioning how that film is “presented as a documentary” and is “one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen in my life.” The director has also shared that he realized during post-production how much his own story with a sister he reconnected with in his early 20s after years of having no communication with her played a part in understanding Mia’s desperate desire to find Riley. Inspired by playing with different styles of filmmaking and his own very personal story, Stuckmann built upon a YouTube sketch he and his wife, Sam Liz, shot for a Halloween special in 2016 and took the concept of missing paranormal researchers to craft a familial horror tale that has genuinely terrifying moments and high emotional stakes.
As previously mentioned, Shelby Oaks is largely told in the traditional narrative style with some scenes dedicated to either found footage or mockumentary storytelling. The transitions between the genres and styles are seamless, particularly during the introduction of the movie that kicks everything off in a fantastic way. The beginning of the movie shifts from found footage to a pseudo-documentary about the “Paranormal Paranoids” to establish the film’s lore, the background of the missing Riley, Mia’s relentless search for her sister, the town of Shelby Oaks, and the discovery of the bloody bodies of Riley’s fellow paranormal investigators. The opening takes its time and then there is a sudden and shocking moment that catapults the movie into narrative mode and the transition into the opening credits is an immensely satisfying sequence. The movie mostly maintains that intense and compelling energy throughout.
Shelby Oaks can be a bit predictable at times, especially during its third act. With that said, there are still a couple of surprising twists and character beats that help the film land on a solid conclusion. The tension-building is impeccable; Stuckmann has a real eye for visual storytelling and a knack for emotional, dread-fueled atmospheric horror. During my conversation with composer James Burkholder, he said he was excited to work on Shelby Oaks because after watching the first cut, he “saw something really, really special in this film,” and that’s a great way to describe it. Shelby Oaks is a special horror movie and a great entry for this year’s spooky season.
Shelby Oaks had its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest and will arrive in theaters on October 24th.
