‘THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN’ (2024) A frightening tale based on true events and a stark warning for all

relativity media logoTHE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN

The Man In The White Van poster

Filmmaker Warren Skeels brings a terrifying film based on events in 1970s Florida with THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN. Annie is the middle child in a family very much concerned with her becoming a proper young lady. She is more concerned with being validated in her indivisibility and perhaps the new boy in town. When she notices a white van following her around town, her family accuses her of making up stories.

The Man In The White Van 1The script has an underlying “Boy Who Cried Wolf” (but with a young girl at the center) while simultaneously reminding audiences to believe women. It is a clever mix. The film cuts back and forth in time, showing us glimpses of abductions of women and girls by the mostly faceless serial perpetrator. Years crank by forwards and backward in a creative transition of rusted numbers.

The score is jarring in the best way possible. Ominous closeups from inside the van make your skin crawl. Classic tropes work like gangbusters. Skeels slowly reveals more details of each abduction, building the intensity for an inevitable run-in with Annie.

The Man In The White Van 2Sean Astin and Ali Larter, playing Annie’s traditional parents, deliver pitch-perfect portrayals of the times. Brec Bassinger is fantastic as the eldest daughter, Margaret. Deemed the pretty people pleaser, her chemistry with Madison Wolfe solidifies the emotional stronghold of the family dynamic. Wolfe gives Annie all the vulnerability, pure innocence, and bravery we want from this character. She is endlessly fierce and a joy to watch. Wolfe owns the film.

The Man In The White Van 3There is no escaping the terror. It is a meticulously crafted script of anxiety-drenched moments. THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN is a film every parent needs to see, every husband who thinks his wife is being paranoid. It is a warning and a perfect example of gaslighting women experience daily. Stick around for the credits.


THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN Trailer:

IN U.S. THEATERS FRIDAY DECEMBER 13th

Directed and Co-written by: Warren Skeels

Starring: Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin

BASED ON A TRUE STORY.

In 1975 Florida, a series of violent disappearances go unnoticed, and young Annie (Madison Wolfe) is targeted by an ominous white van that stalks her every move. As the menace escalates, her parents dismiss her fears, and Annie is soon plunged into a terrifying nightmare that shatters her world.

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Popcorn Frights 2022 review: Calls for help fall by the wayside in Christine Nyland and Terence Krey’s ‘Distress Signals’

DISTRESS SIGNALS

**World Premiere**

Synopsis: When a fall down a steep rock face separates her from her friends, Caroline finds herself stranded. Now, alone and with a dislocated shoulder, she must make her way out of the woods — and contend with how she got there. Distress Signals is the second feature film from Terence Krey and Christine Nyland, the team behind 2021 Shudder Original An Unquiet Grave

What would you do to survive all alone in the woods? Do you have enough common knowledge to rescue yourself? A visceral watch, Distress Signals takes Popcorn Frights 2022 audiences on an undoubtedly intriguing journey. The title alone plays double duty in this surprisingly nuanced film focused on survival. Distress Signals is a complete genre shift from Terence Krey and Christine Nyland‘s previous film festival hit, now streaming in Shudder, An Unquiet Grave. Equally complex, Distress Signals relies on Nyland’s ability to reel the audience into a plausible scenario. Essentially carrying this film alone is astounding. Even the most minute idiosyncrasies scream off the screen. The lack of dialogue forces you to focus on Nyland, which isn’t a challenge considering her attention to detail.

Daniel Fox‘s cinematography (particularly the nighttime scenes) combined with a triumphant score by Shaun Hettinger is something to behold. Filmmakers used the elements to their storytelling advantage. The light, the terrain, the flora, and the weather become characters in the plot. Don’t get too comfortable. The final act will flip the script into one intensely harrowing narrative.


Popcorn Frights 2022 Online Screening Info
– Available online from Thursday, August 18th – Sunday, August 21st

 

Writer/Directors: Terence Krey, Christine Nyland
Starring: Christine Nyland, Jonathon Strauss, Stephanie Hains
Runtime: 80 min


 

Review: ‘WEREWOLF’ is terrifying and profound.

In Werewolf, children liberated from a Nazi concentration camp have to overcome hunger, thirst, and vicious attack dogs in an abandoned mansion surround by the forest.

Werewolf is incredible from the very first frame. The fear is visceral in the visual presentation but especially in the performances from a cast of children. This is a new version of Lord Of The Flies as a group of Holocaust survivors lies in wait as they are stalked by attack dogs, and even one of their own. Hormones, trauma, hunger, and anger, all drive this riveting plot forward. It is easy to root for these kids. As a Mom, it made my heart race at every turn. I was sweating watching their ingenuity. Survival is not guaranteed especially when the threat comes from within. It was profound watching these young actors, at times, become as wild as the dogs they feared. Other scenes momentarily allowed them to be children again. This ensemble casts’ chemistry will blow you away. Adrian Panek has given us a thrilling gem. The writing is intelligent and enthralling. Your heart will be in your throat from beginning to end.

Adrian Panek’s intense WWII survival horror/thriller Werewolf is due to release on Blu-Ray, DVD, and VOD across North America on December 1st via Indiecan Entertainment.

ON BLU-RAY, DIGITAL AND DVD DECEMBER 1, 2020

The intense Polish film was an official selection of Fantastic Fest (where it was nominated for Best Picture) among many other fests, has won 11 festival awards worldwide, and been nominated for 14 more.