Director: Elmo Rautio
Cast: Hanna Louhimo, Epe Niiranen, Aino-Maria Lehtosaari
Production Company: Asemafilmi
Runtime: 65 minutes

Skeleton Cave (2017) is a psychological thriller that mixes fuzzy childhood memories with stark adult realities. Director Elmo Rautio challenges us to acknowledge suppressed thoughts from the past, and meet them head on in the present.

In the movie, a young woman named Emma must deal with a death in her family. While cleaning out her grandmother’s home, she finds an old video tape that haunted her as a child. She decides to watch it, not realizing that she will awaken the darkest nightmares from her past.


The show that Emma found so troubling as a child is called Skeleton Cave. It has the semblance of a typical children’s show, but one that has gone terribly wrong. The concept of the show itself may even remind you a little of Stephen King’s It (1990).

The film is essentially told in the style of a creepypasta. That’s an internet horror story meant to be shared like an urban legend, frightening those who are exposed to it. The film achieves the right tone with its real world setting, and relatable scary moments.

The film is in Finnish with English subtitles. The dialogue is sparse, and is often limited to the scenes that include Emma’s friend, Noora. The rest of the film’s action is mostly accompanied by eerie sounds and chilling music.


Skeleton Cave makes excellent use of its main location and small cast. The relationship between Emma and Noora is portrayed in an intimate and realistic way. The skeleton puppet can go from looking silly on the show, to disturbing in Emma’s dreams.

The score by Kevin MacLeod, Derek Fiechter and CO.AG Music is used effectively. These composers are known for creating music that is often heard in independent films. Their music is very versatile, and can be used to convey a vast range of emotions.

The film also has an ending that you will likely find surprising and unexpected. The movie was filmed in Oulu, Finland, but deals with themes that are universal in nature. Skeleton Cave successfully walks the line between earthly concerns and otherworldly terror.

– John Migliore

For more information on the film, check out the links below…

Official Trailer

Skeleton Cave on YouTube

IMDb Page

Asemafilmi on Facebook

Asemafilmi on YouTube