Review ‘The Howling Wind’ (Short Film) Knocks You Down

June 15, 2020

Clocking in at just over fifteen minutes, you need to see this film. The Howling Wind is a poignant metaphor for a reality from which we can’t hide. There was a time when talking about the weather was the innocuous choice for pleasant conversation. We shoot the breeze to pass the time. But now, the breeze is coming back with a vengeance. The radio is urging everyone to stay inside. WKRG is broadcasting an emergency weather alert. Something strange is happening, and people who are caught in the winds are behaving erratically and violently. There’s a storm coming, but confusion and death are in the forecast.

Arnold Cunningham (Anthony Arkin) finds Jacob Thompson (Nicky Boulos) on his property during one of the deadly wind storms. The ease with which Arnold allows Jacob to stay sheltered with him was a touch contrived, but it’s a short film. There isn’t time to have the protagonist hem and haw over his scruples for survival. Arnold is more neighborly than he looks, but he’s not entirely convinced Jacob is from the neighborhood.

Writer, editor, and co-director, Justin Knoepfel (Lorian Gish is listed as first director), had a clear vision for the story he wanted to tell. Knoepfel states, “Though the film was in development since mid-2019, and shot in early 2020, our story has become scarily relevant to current events in the midst of pandemic, and we believe it says a lot about humanity in trying times.” This is not a lie. Don’t expect to escape while you’re watching it. You may hope to learn something, though. The clear vision Knoepfel has in presenting The Howling Wind leaves a message that may be left for interpretation, but at the very least it may start a discussion. We often find ourselves at odds with friends, family, and strangers when discussing the current real-life pandemic. When you can remove real-life stress and turn the topic to fiction, we can see more clearly. We realize no one can survive alone. Here’s where there will be divergence in the message: Some will say helping others will only get us into trouble, and this is the proof; and some will say if we just help others, we won’t get into trouble, and this is the proof. I choose the latter, but I may be wrong.

Shot in black-and-white, the tone harkens to a Twilight Zone vibe. The old-time radio voice and music give The Howling Wind a timeless feel. Watch this back-to-back with the Twilight episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” to understand how well this production team came together to make their art. The radio voice done by Mark Silverman is the glue to this whole production. His voice is spot on, perfect, War of the Worlds real. It’s so good it can fool you into believing his voiceover was recorded in that timeless black-and-white era. Director of Photography, Harrison Kraft, has a keen eye for story-telling. The props and backgrounds are showcased to lend the film its vintage mood. Enormous kudos go to what may be the least recognized creative task in any film. Storyboard Artist
Annabelle Waszkiewicz’s achievement in expressing visual story beats is without question what gives the film its undeniable classic impression. There’s an approach to the sequences that force your eyes to fix on the screen. You don’t want to miss a detail. This story board artist’s gift is granted to us in so many inventive ways, you’ll want to watch it twice just to catch everything. Waszkiewicz explored every corner of the set like a famous investigator might.

Don’t listen to the radio voice when he says, “Do not get caught in the winds.” You definitely want to get caught up in this. You won’t walk away feeling satisfied one way or the other in seeing this film, but maybe that’s the idea. It’s as unsettling and dark as it should be. After citing a few Bible verses Arnold Cunningham says, “Whatever’s going on out there; maybe we deserve it.” He may be right.

The Howling Wind will be featured soon in upcoming film festivals.