Shelby Oaks Trailer Released and Breakdown

Chris Stuckmann, a name synonymous with meticulous film analysis and passionate movie reviews on YouTube, is making his directorial debut with the highly anticipated found-footage horror film, Shelby Oaks. Fans will realize this is what this entire site was driving towards. I wish they focused a bit more on the ARG component they kinda left in the air, but well.. here we are.

The trailer for Shelby Oaks, which has been in the works for years, has finally arrived, offering a chilling glimpse into a mystery that promises to get under our skin. Executive produced by horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass), the film’s pedigree alone has garnered significant buzz. This post will break down the unsettling trailer, exploring its key themes, cinematic style, and what we can expect from Stuckmann’s first foray into filmmaking from what we see here.

Overall detailed thoughts [SPOILERS AHEAD OF OUR THOUGHTS]

Here is our LIKE AN ARG breakdown of what we see in the trailer…. definitely spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk of our guesses!

• 0:18 The trailer’s narrative begins with the sound of a door opening.
• 0:20 Mia asks, “Do you need help?” followed by a male stating, “She finally let me go.”
• 0:23 A gunshot is heard, and you see blood splatter on a terrified Mia’s face, suggesting the person at the door has just shot themselves.
• 0:26 A close-up on a VHS tape labeled “Shelby Oaks,” which appears to be from an old camcorder.
• 0:30: Mia is shown with blood still on her face, recognizing the words on the tape.
• 0:41: Mia is upstairs watching the tape; it does not seem that she has called the police or cleaned up since someone just killed themselves on her doorstep.
• 0:43: Riley appears on the tape, which is “lost footage” from Shelby Oaks. Mia is visibly crying and shaking as she watches it.
• 0:56 Screaming can be heard coming from the tape.
• 1:03 A sign for Shelby Oaks and the amusement park asks, “Who took Riley Brennan?”
• 1:10 A new scene in a library, where a news report mentions that “bodies were found.” These seem to be the bodies of Laura, David, and likely Peter(if he put his hoodie back on) from the Paranormal Paranoids.
  

  

  

  

  
• 1:12 The news report states that Riley is still missing.
• 1:18 A dark figure is seen in the woods.
• 1:22 There are references to an “Incubus parasite devil.”

  

  

• 1:25 A creature, believed to be a dog or wolf with glowing eyes, is shown in the woods.
• 1:27 Mia is shown touching a tree.
• 1:28 A shot of the Shelby Oaks Ferris wheel.
• 1:34 A rough female voice calls Mia’s name, and Mia turns to see a dark, cloaked figure that looks like Riley.
• 1:41 Mia follows the figure into a house and does not appear to be afraid.
• 1:46 Mia asks, “You live alone out here?” as the cloaked figure is seen sitting in a chair in a rundown house.
• 1:49 The rough voice answers, “Nope.”
• 1:50-1:55 A rapid sequence of events shows Mia and possibly another female being scared and running.
• 1:56 A VHS tape shows a man with a mustache in pain, which could be David.
• 1:57 A close-up shot of the cloaked woman, who is likely Riley. (could be Jess the Paranoid? Some other hermit blondish-haired woman?)
• 1:58 Mia falls backward.
• 2:06 Mia is shown to be very scared again.
• 2:11 A mysterious waving man, who could be Peter? appears at the very end of the trailer.

…and those are our thoughts on the new Shelby Oaks trailer. Did you see anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!

The Mystery of Riley Brennan

The trailer wastes no time in setting up the central mystery: the disappearance of a young woman named Riley Brennan. A key piece of the puzzle is a cassette tape labeled “Shelby Oaks” [00:26], which seems to contain footage from the “Paranormal Paranoids,” a group that was investigating the abandoned town of Shelby Oaks [00:44]. A voiceover tells us, “I’ve been searching for Riley for the last 12 years. I know my sister’s not dead” [01:01:00].  So we find out that MIA, is continuing to look for her sister.

We see glimpses of a news report, with a voiceover stating, “Bodies were found outside of Shelby Oaks. Riley Brennan is still missing” [01:10:00], suggesting that, as we sort of saw in the last video, perhaps other members of the Paranormal Paranoids are no longer alive. Signs that read “WHO TOOK RILEY BRENNAN?” [01:02:00] and “Justice for Riley” [01:14:00] emphasize the unresolved nature of this cold case. The trailer is well done with its crafting… to make us question whether Riley is a victim of a serial killer, a paranormal entity, or something even more sinister.

 

The Found-Footage Aesthetic

A significant portion of the trailer leans heavily into the found-footage genre, a stylistic choice that Stuckmann has publicly discussed. We see shaky camera work, grainy footage, and the use of old media formats like VHS tapes [00:26] [1:57]. This analog horror aesthetic immediately creates a sense of unease and realism, as if we are piecing together a genuine archive of events. The “Paranormal Paranoids” segment on an old television [00:44] is a perfect example of this.

The low-quality video and audio give the impression that we are watching a relic from the past. This technique has been a staple of horror since films like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, and it’s clear that Stuckmann is using it to his advantage to build suspense and a feeling of unease. The trailer suggests that the story will unfold through a combination of old footage and present-day investigation, weaving a complex narrative across two timelines.

Paranormal or Psychological Horror?

While the mention of “Paranormal Paranoids” might suggest a straightforward ghost story, the imagery hints at a more complex and potentially psychological narrative. The mention of the word “Incubus and parasite” in a book [01:21:00] and Riley seeing “a man standing in her window staring at her” [01:16:00] could be hints of a demonic presence. However, a mysterious figure appears at [01:33:00] and a different waving figure [02:12:00] hints at some real-life presence that could also suggest a human threat.

This ambiguity is one of the trailer’s greatest strengths. Is the horror in Shelby Oaks rooted in the supernatural, a psychological breakdown, or a very real human monster? The involvement of a master of subtle, character-driven horror like Mike Flanagan as executive producer makes the latter two possibilities even more likely. The trailer expertly blurs the lines between these subgenres, leaving the audience to wonder what truly happened to Riley Brennan and who, or what, is responsible.

The Promise of a New Voice in Horror

The trailer is not just a showcase of the film’s plot. No no… It’s a testament to Chris Stuckmann’s skills as a storyteller. The quick cuts, the haunting sound design, and the palpable tension all point to a filmmaker with a deep understanding of the horror film genre. The glowing quotes from critics, such as “‘Will get under your skin” [01:28:00] and “‘One of the most promising new voices in horror’ ” [01:37:00], back this up. The trailer for Shelby Oaks looks spooky.

By combining classic found-footage tropes with a modern, true-crime narrative and a talented team, Stuckmann has created a film that looks to be both a homage to the genre and a fresh take on its conventions. The mystery of Riley Brennan and the dark secrets of Shelby Oaks are waiting to be uncovered, and audiences will undoubtedly be ready on October 3rd to face the horrors that lie within.

You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHvDm-ZMthw