A Horrible Way to Die
Japan, United States
2010
85 Min
Color
Japanese, English
Synopsis
Embark on a trip into a quiet, paranoid world where ugly things happen behind closed doors and down desolate country roads. Garrick (A.J. Bowen) has escaped from prison and is on the run. His ordinary looks and casual demeanour mask his menacing true nature – that of an unassuming serial killer who can’t control his compulsion to kill. Disguising his appearance and driving along interstates under the cover of night, he leaves a trail of corpses as he makes his way across the country.
Meanwhile, Sarah (Amy Seimetz) spends her days working as a dental hygienist and her evenings in AA meetings. She slowly opens up to the support group and makes a tentative romantic connection with fellow member Kevin (Joe Swanberg). Awkward in their newfound sobriety, they bump and fumble in their courtship until Sarah gradually gains the confidence to reveal a dark secret from her wounded past – a secret that, unbeknownst to her, is about to resurface.
The two juxtaposed storylines interweave as the film progresses, allowing the mystery to unfold at its own contemplative pace. While the title might imply a degree of exploitation and nastiness, director Adam Wingard triumphs in placing the dramatic narrative ahead of genre conventions. Still, the frenetic tension is palpable as it builds to a boiling point and the characters’ secrets are gradually revealed.
Wingard gained attention for numerous videos and shorts, as well as his micro-budget, head-trip features Home Sick and Pop Skull, which were both self-financed and made with friends. He’s developed a keen cinematic eye, melding striking imagery with intricately layered soundscapes to create emotionally honest characters and an intimate atmosphere. A Horrible Way to Die marks the arrival of a fresh, dedicated vision in independent American cinema. –TIFF
Director
Adam Wingard
Adam Wingard (born December 3, 1982) is an American film director, editor, cinematographer, and writer.
Wingard was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He graduated from Full Sail University in 2002.
Wingard’s first feature, the horror-comedy Home Sick, starring genre icon Bill Moseley and scream queen Tiffany Shepis, proved to be a stepping stone to his second feature, the psychotropic ghost story thriller Pop Skull. Made on a total budget of $2,000, Pop Skull had its international premiere at the Rome Film Festival and its domestic premiere at the AFI Film Festival in 2007. A Horrible Way to Die (2010) and What Fun We Were Having (2011) followed. The serial killer love story thriller A Horrible Way to Die premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in the ‘Vanguard’ section and was acquired by Starz/Anchor Bay at the festival for a North American theatrical and home media release. What Fun We Were Having is a 4-part anthology dealing with the taboo subject of… read more
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Displaying 4 of 10 wall posts.
FailedImitator
18Apr13
Way too many out of focus transitions and fade to blacks. It just seems very lazy to me. And the story itself has a lot of holes. Having said that, I'll watch Amy Seimetz in anything. She's like a cross between Sarah and Greta Gerwig. Then again, maybe not.
davehalb
29Dec12
This is a terrible trick of a film. Would you expect a mumblecore drama based on this title? Because that’s what this is. I haven’t seen many mumblecore films but I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not a fan of it. And if the genre can’t be improved by adding a serial killer murdering his way across the country, I don’t think it has any business existing.
Westley
23Dec12
Very creepy mood piece. I liked the style of the camerawork, editing and music. It does have one flaw in the narrative that kind of took me out of film though: (*SPOILER*) Why wouldn't Sarah ask the police, or the FBI, for protection once she knew that Garrick was in town following her? Why would she go to a cabin in the woods instead of calling the police? Seemed like bad writing just to move the plot forward.
FailedImitator likes this
Antoine
31Oct12
Un bon essai pour se démarquer des autres films d'horreur mais je ne peux pas dire que j'ai apprécié. Le revirement final est assez original mais il sombre rapidement dans le grotesque. La façon de filmer un peu à-la-von-trier ne m'a pas dérangé, j'ai trouvé que ça «coulait» bien et l'acting était quand même okay.
Related Films
Fans
Displaying 5 of 36 fans.
Articles
Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
Adam Wingard's "You're Next"
By David Hudson on September 27, 2011
Wingard and Simon Barrett’s followup to A Horrible Way to Die has swept the Fantastic Fest awards.
Late Summer Horrors
By David Hudson on August 20, 2011
A roundup of horror-related reads, lists, remembrances and reviews.
TIFF 2010. Vanguard
By David Hudson on September 23, 2010
Let's start this one with Bob Turnbull: "Fearless. Absolutely fearless filmmaking. Sion Sono takes no quarter, doesn't deal with
UK DVD Review: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE is a great way to spend an evening
By Twitchfilm.com on March 17, 2012
Adam Wingard’s highly accomplished third feature, A Horrible Way To Die, is a pervasively uneasy serial killer flick that scored big on the festival circuit last year, and deserves a wider audience than
Fantasia 2011: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.com on December 16, 2011
[After a very successful run on the festival circuit, this micro-indie gem makes its way to J.A. De Seve Theatre at Fantasia tonite, and I heartily encourage anyone out there who happens to be in town
A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE (Adam Wingard) Review
By Twitchfilm.com on September 26, 2011
After being blown away by Pop Skull, director Adam Wingard became an instant favorite of mine. It’s obvious the man has plenty of talent, so I was quite curious to see where it would lead him next. While
Sitges 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
[After a very successful debut in Toronto, micro-indie serial killer drama A Horrible Way to Die is making its European bow at Sitges tomorrow, and I can heartily encourage anyone out there who happens
Fantastic Fest 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
And now for something completely different: A mumblecore tinged serial killer drama starring Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg (two regular faces in the micro-cinema movement) and House of the Devil’s A.J. Bowen
TIFF 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
And now for something completely different: A mumblecore tinged serial killer drama starring Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg (two regular faces in the micro-cinema movement) and House of the Devil’s A.J. Bowen
HOFF 2011: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.com on April 30, 2011
Atmospheric. Haunting. Subversive. They’re words that could be applied to virtually anything in the Adam Wingard canon and they are no less true here with his latest feature, A Horrible Way To Die. But
A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Star AJ Bowen Considers Stabbing You In The Neck.
By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Neck or spleen, neck or spleen … Oh, decisions, decisions …With Adam Wingard’s A Horrible Way To Die about to premiere in Toronto we’ve just been passed the new image of star AJ Bowen (The Signal, House
TIFF 2010: Trailer Arrives For Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Heads up, everyone! The trailer for Adam Wingard’s TIFF-selected serial killer thriller A Horrible Way To Die has arrived online and it’s looking good. Those wondering whether the director of Pop Skull
TIFF 2010: New Poster And An Exclusive Still From Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Sure to make a splash this year at TIFF is Adam Wingard’s A Horrible Way To Die, a serial killer thriller with AJ Bowen and Joe Swanberg set to have its world premiere in the Vanguard section of the……
POPSKULL Director Adam Wingard Discovers A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Popskull director Adam Wingard is a big favorite around these parts, a natural talent with a remarkable ability to manipulate mood and tone and not just function on impossibly small budgets but to actually
Sitges 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.net on October 10, 2010
[After a very successful debut in Toronto, micro-indie serial killer drama A Horrible Way to Die is making its European bow at Sitges tomorrow, and I can heartily encourage anyone out there who happens
Fantastic Fest 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.net on September 28, 2010
And now for something completely different: A mumblecore tinged serial killer drama starring Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg, two regulars of the movement, and House of the Devil’s A.J. Bowen. It is noteworthy
TIFF 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.net on September 17, 2010
And now for something completely different: A mumblecore tinged serial killer drama starring Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg, two regulars of the movement, and House of the Devil’s A.J. Bowen. It is noteworthy
TIFF 2010: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Review
By Twitchfilm.net on September 11, 2010
Atmospheric. Haunting. Subversive. They’re words that could be applied to virtually anything in the Adam Wingard canon and they are no less true here with his latest feature, A Horrible Way To Die. But
POPSKULL Director Adam Wingard Discovers A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.net on September 10, 2010
Popskull director Adam Wingard is a big favorite around these parts, a natural talent with a remarkable ability to manipulate mood and tone and not just function on impossibly small budgets but to actually
TIFF 2010: New Poster And An Exclusive Still From Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.net on September 10, 2010
Sure to make a splash this year at TIFF is Adam Wingard’s A Horrible Way To Die, a serial killer thriller with AJ Bowen and Joe Swanberg set to have its world premiere in the Vanguard section of the…
TIFF 2010: Trailer Arrives For Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
By Twitchfilm.net on September 10, 2010
Heads up, everyone! The trailer for Adam Wingard’s TIFF-selected serial killer thriller A Horrible Way To Die has arrived online and it’s looking good. Those wondering whether the director of Pop Skull
A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE Star AJ Bowen Considers Stabbing You In The Neck.
By Twitchfilm.net on September 10, 2010
Neck or spleen, neck or spleen … Oh, decisions, decisions …With Adam Wingard’s A Horrible Way To Die about to premiere in Toronto we’ve just been passed the new image of star AJ Bowen (The Signal, House
Lists
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Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1
Not so Horrible
By MR. Universe on September 29, 2011
This is going to sound weird.This film is oddly personal for me. No i am not a serial killer, but it is a story similar to a project i am writing. Not only that but the ruzzle piecing narrative that… read review
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