Midlands Review of Dead Quiet
January 1, 2021
Dead Quiet
Directed by Alex Withers
2021
Gentle bird song opens new survival-horror short Dead Quiet from director Alex Withers which follows a lone survivor in a world gone quiet.
Written by Dan McGrath, we are introduced to the protagonist as he slowly and quietly peels off the lid from a can of food in what looks like a makeshift bunker in a caravan.
A tiny noise arouses his suspicion, and a voiceover describes that being quiet all the time “is a lot like being dead”.
This opening cuts to shots of eerily silent and empty roads and towns presenting a cut off world. We then move to a different man who studies a mobile phone filled with family pictures. The voiceover continues querying an unexplained event that led to this situation. Explaining the lack of batteries left in the world, this precious moment of connection is interrupted by the phone alarm blasting out and as the film cuts quickly away we are left to wonder what became of the man.
John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place (2018) is the obvious, but appropriate, parallel – doubling as it does with a post-extinction world where silence is key to survival. The addition of a backpacking mum and clumsy child is another echo but like Armageddon and Deep Impact, sometimes ideas just coalesce at the same time.
The film’s sound designer Scott Rockingham should certainly be praised for his clever mix of eerie atmosphere and specific noises to maintain interest and intrigue. From water dripping to the jangling of metal, each tiny sound is amplified by its relation to the silence preceding it.
The soft cinematography is a highlight too. It illuminates the gentler human emotions against some stark shadows and the unseen dangers lurking in the background. At just 8 minutes the short brilliantly creates a world whose dangers are made clear yet not really clarified. And the ambient nature of the film continues towards its conclusion with memories of a previous life, the healing power of music and the longing for company and shared conversational experiences.
As an official selection of Nottingham’s Mayhem Film Festival and the Sacramento Horror Film Festival, Dead Quiet is already gaining some worthy praise for its impact.
And although the film has been long in production, the delay in its release allowing audiences to forget its similarity to A Quiet Place is helpful. But it could also be that its metaphorical themes of isolation and loss of company is far more relevant in a post-Covid world than when it was first created.
How survivors cope with and without the aid of modern medicine and technology, the film could be seen as a social commentary on the pandemic. And so, with these heady themes balanced well with the film’s technical aspects, Dead Quiet’s excellent engaging aesthetic and satisfyingly melancholic atmosphere should resonate loudly with audiences.
Michael Sales
On Sunday 26th April Midlands Movies Editor Michael Sales & awards ceremony co-host Ed Stagg (BBC Radio) announced the nominations for the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards live from the Queen of Bradgate Vintage Cinema in Leicester. A big thanks was given to the entire Jury Panel of industry experts who gave up their precious time to watch a huge selection of creative projects and as always, had a difficult time choosing from the excellent number of films from the region. You can read the full list of nominations across all 16 categories below and watch our announcement videos here: Part 1 & Part 2 And please also check out our great awards partner Chrome Video Best Actress in a Leading Role Karendip Phull for Family Kate Bracken for The Lace Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit Chloe Wade for How Long Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison Best Animated Film Of All the Things by Steff Lee Big Red by James Pyle Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu Butterfly by Jacob Christie Best Director Luke Worrall for The Waterline Lily Portman for Quiet Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed Sophia Dall'Aglio for Man from Mars Best Documentary Nothing's Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders We Bring Light: Leicester's Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert Through the Viewfinder by William North Best Sound (Editing or Mixing) Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution Deepanjali Patel for Earworm David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things Best Actor in a Supporting Role Devon Junior for Lazar Tim Sparrow for Safety Net Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family Luke Rollason for Quiet Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring Best Visual & Special Effects Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit Nick Willett, Matt Burkey & Jayne Hyman for Black Goat JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour Pete Key, Jai Blanks and Jacob Christie for Countenance Best Cinematography Gary Rogers for The Pause Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed Ian Snape for Soul Trader Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room Duane Adamoli for Surfing (nominations continue below...)
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