The Swank Quarterly

 No mask. No pants. Hilary is celebrating the end of Covid-19 restrictions in her own way!

'The Howling Wind' became even more impactful because of Covid-19 paranoia

The Howling Wind (2020)
Starring: Anthony Arkin, Nicky Boulos, and Mark Silverman
Directors: Lorian Gish and Justin Knoepffel
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A strange storm carrying a dust cloud that drives people insane has engulfed a rural county. A gruff farmer (Arkin) allows a young stranger (Boulos) to take shelter with him in his house... but soon discovers he may have made a deadly mistake.

"The Howling Wind" is an interesting little chiller that effectively captures not only the look and feel of a 1960s horror film, but it's got a storyline that resonates very strongly due to the way Covid-19 shook up everyone's lives and some of the hysteria that came with it. The film is further lifted by excellent performances from Anthony Arkin (as a gruff but ultimately good-hearted farmer) and Nicky Boulos (as a mysterious young man who may or may not be carrying the deadly plague sweeping through the area).

Of course, the actors were aided by excellent dialog and a clever storyline. One thing that was especially effective was how the film was moved toward its climax by how Arkin's character trusted the media reports about how the plague was being spread through the county and how lethal it was

Also impressive about this short film is the cinematography and lighting. The filmmakers clearly knew how to use the black-and-white media to its full dramatic advantage, something that's not seen often enough in films like this. (That's the second time in recent weeks I've said that; either my trawling through YouTube short films has been yielding better pay-offs of late, or there's a generation of up-and-coming filmmakers who have absorbed what the great black-and-white films of the past had to teach them.)

I recommend you take a few minutes of your day to check out this moody, well-executed film. (If I steered your wrong, let the world know in the comments section. The same is true if there's something great about the film I didn't mention and you want to call attention to!)

Musical Monday Bonus with Chris Mann

Comedian Chris Mann has done a parody version of "Vogue" to remind us all to be Social Distancing during this global pandemic AND offer some suggestions as to what we can spend our time on! Enjoy... and stay home!

Advice for successful Social Distancing

Musical Monday with Spirit Animal

Since Covid19/Coronavirus/whatever-the-acceptable-shorthand-for-the-global-pandemic-is-today is turning many of us into shut-ins, we here at Shades of Gray have teamed up with Spirit Animal (a band from Brooklyn, N.Y.) to bring you an exercise regiment that will keep you physically fit.

Please follow the instructions in the video carefully.



(Come to think of it, this is also a perfect illustration of this blog's unifying theme!)