PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The Howling Wind is a short horror film that was released this year and was directed by Lorian Gish (One New Message) and Justin Knoepfel (Dear Ellie). The film stars Anthony Arkin (Pound Ridge), Mark Silverman (The Twilight Zone), and Nicky Boulous (God Friended Me).
Coming in at just over 15-minutes, The Howling Wind takes place in 1963 and centers around a countryman named Arnold Cunningham. Cunningham prepares himself for a windstorm that is set to plague his town. During his preparations, a voiceover the radio gives a warning, “Be wary of those around you,” and, “Don’t get caught in the winds.”
These messages are a truly eerie aspect of the film as the doom impends on this small town. After Cunningham gets his house ready, he hears a bang coming from his basement. There, he meets a refugee who broke into his house. The two share a few laughs until Cunningham learns the truth about the imposter.
The Howling Wind is great, a chilling tale about reality and not trusting everyone you meet. The entire film is in black and white, and it really enhances the unnerving atmosphere.
Both Arkin and Boulous have great chemistry together, and you truly feel their early connection. The music was subtle; it worked perfectly in some parts of the short. But, what The Howling Wind did the best was build tension. The viewer knows something is wrong, but they don’t know what it is. When the punch hits, it hits hard.
The filmmakers did a great job at drawing inspiration from films like Night of the Living Dead (1968 – check out our retro review) and The Lighthouse (2019 – check out our review). The loneliness you feel while watching is frightening.
I highly recommend The Howling Wind, especially if you like dark, classic horror films. It’s well acted, and the direction is fantastic. But remember, don’t get caught in the winds.
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