#wolf in the white van

[fuckyeahlegionm]

THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN is now available on-demand!!

Watch via: Apple TV Amazon

(or your favorite VOD platform!)

[theoutcastrogue]

[From a 2014 article by John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats. He's talking about how a random spam email ended up inspiring a part of his book Wolf in White Van. Later, in 2020, the album Getting Into Knives came out, and I think it inspired its artwork too.]

"It took years for me to be able to just reflexively delete spam, or filter it so that I never see it at all. I blame the spammers for this; the quality of their work took a sharp nosedive at some point. But during whatever period of the internet’s growth you’d call the early 2000s, it seemed like you’d still get some winners: things that had been typed up by a person, sent out to a bunch of email addresses they’d bought or rented for 5 or 10 bucks from the only guy who was ever going to make any money in this particular exchange. Most of them went directly, if manually, into the trash; but once in a while, there’d be one that seemed to earn, at the very least, the minute it’d take me to read it.

The one I’m remembering here was subject-lined SUPPLY OF KNIVES. [...] The subject line opened on an all-caps email that boasted, in ornate, antiquated English appealing to the reader’s more refined sensibilities, about the high quality of the knives on offer at an external website. You shouldn’t click on links in spam email. I live my life on the razor’s edge! I clicked the link.

I want to tell you about these knives: They were beautiful. They were weird. They had elaborate designs in the handles, moons or stars of wolf heads, and special grips, and a variety of points. They were made from metals whose pedigrees were described lovingly, and had been struck — smithed? wrought? — via processes I knew absolutely nothing about, but that sounded fantastic, difficult, arcane. It’s the joy of specialized language: When you’re an outsider to it, it can’t help but sound cool.

Of course this is the whole idea of any operation like this. SUPPLY OF KNIVES could well have been, and probably was, a company in Ohio who’d stumbled across an old warehouse full of knives, and knew enough about sales to describe these things in the most exotic terms they could find. I’m pretty immune to pitches: Who likes to feel like he’s being pitched? But somebody involved with SUPPLY OF KNIVES had had just enough authorial flair — that, or true faith — to caption each knife’s mysterious, blurry accompanying JPEG with a description whose constant recourse to specialized vocabularies seemed to say, “You’re not even reading this unless you already know about this sort of thing. Let us therefore speak like the fellow travelers we are.”

It was like a trade catalog for roadside bandits in need of knives.

I can’t speak for everybody, but I know that when I was a child the life of the roadside bandit seemed like a pretty romantic way to go. I looked at all these knives and read the descriptions and was just generally delighted about the whole thing, so I saved the email in a “memorable spam” folder I used to keep that had maybe two other emails in it. A few years later, Apple came out with this robotic-arm-screen iMac you never see any more, and we were long overdue for a new computer so we got that; and then, after a while, I got myself a laptop, because I was traveling all the time, and eventually both the old iMacs ended up in the basement, and they were both asleep but alive until fairly recently, as far as I knew.

But when I went to check for the email, it was gone. The old blue iMac is dead, bricked, lifeless. Searches on the term “supply of knives” on this laptop and on good old robot-arm-screen find nothing. The backup CD for the blue iMac drive is probably in a drawer around here somewhere, but that’s like saying, “The coin I had in my swim trunks’ pocket is probably somewhere in the ocean.” There is no SUPPLY OF KNIVES. There’s only the memory."

[source]

And this is the wonderful cover art of Getting Into Knives. Back cover and promo material below. Note that "Knives International" and "Knives Wordwide" are not real companies, they appear to be a callback to that elusive spam email.

[isbergillustration]

Head North

[wylanslcve]

WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO POST THESE ON THE SAME DAY AS IF MY HEART CAN HANDLE IT

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[spiderwebx]

Clueless (1995)

Gossip Girl (2007 - 2012)

Scarface (1983)

White Chicks (2004)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Legally Blonde (2001)

Pretty Little Liars (2010 - 2017)

H2O: Just Add Water (2006 - 2010)

[womenofwrestlingfashion]

Our Story Pierce Hoodie & Dual Wolf Everson Seamless Valencourt Shorts in Vintage Blossom Woodland Camo from Darc Sport (sold out), Classic Crew Socks (3 pack - $15) & Classic Slip On Shoe ($55) in White from Vans

[bechdxl]

lead singer of the mountain goats just accepted my goodreads friend request??

[chicinsilk]

Harper's Bazaar November 1954

Jean Patchett in a luxurious Jasmine EMBA white mink coat by Ritter Bros., turquoise and diamond jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Jean Patchett dans un luxueux manteau de vison blanc Jasmine EMBA de Ritter Bros., bijoux turquoise et diamants de Van Cleef & Arpels.

Photo de Louise Dahl-Wolfe

[vernalloy]

It’s disability pride month and that means it’s time for me to talk about Wolf In White Van again.

For all its storytelling, what really jumps out to me is the lack of proper endpoints. The people in the movies and books and rock albums are doomed. But for Sean, he didn’t end up where he was meant to. For the theme of being lost in violent fiction in childhood, to him, the only way forward is to repeat it— where fiction bleeds into reality, reality lies bleeding on the floor.

And then he survives.

Wolf in White Van is told in reverse chronological order, so when things end, we know how they end, and that sucks all the dramatic tension out of the story. Lance and Carrie’s trial leads to nothing for anyone. Sean’s suicide attempt doesn’t kill him, and there was no concrete rationale behind it. Not that Sean could see, looking back, anyway. Perfectly normal parents, perfectly normal life.

Nothing has a highest point of tension and then resolves to never have a significant problem again. In real life, people come out of the climax wounded, and the story keeps dragging on.

Try as you might to weave your loose ends into a coherent narrative with an appropriate end, an explanation for all your broken bits and a fate you find comfort in, you never will. You will never breach the Trace, only rest your hands against its cold inner walls.

[gamekids-firewolf]

pgs 131 - 150

(prev) (next)

This was the most difficult chapter to draw by far. The fight scene on top of the White Forest... waugh. On the plus side, though, the space in-between is a lot of fun to draw. Even if it killed at least two of my pens.

[fuckyeahlegionm]

The Man in the White Van opens in theaters across the country THIS FRIDAY (12/13/24)!! Tickets are on sale now! Find your closest theater and access exclusive discount offers here!

[okarasusama]

been meeting a lot of nice normal people lately and when they ask about the music i like i have to restrain myself from allowing them to see the Mountain Goats Madness in my eyes

[sprnklersplashes]

"no fear"

the actor playing kuwei/tailored wylan being ignored at best and shit on at worst because he's getting in the way of the fandom's favourite white boy being on screen

"one fear"

[fearsmagazine]

THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Relativity Media

SYNOPSIS: In 1975 Florida, before the term "serial killer" was coined by the FBI, a string of violent disappearances linked to a mysterious white van went unnoticed. The film follows Annie, a young woman targeted by the van's driver, her concerns are dismissed by her parents and she's drawn into a terrifying ordeal. Based on the true story of Billy Mansfield Jr., the film portrays a chilling reality of a relentless stalker shattering a young woman's life in a simpler time.

REVIEW: Warren Skeels' "The Man in the White Van" masterfully blends true crime and horror, delivering a captivating and suspenseful entry to a successful year for the genres.

The film, written by Warren Skeels and Sharon Y. Cobb, focuses on Annie, her family, and the white van, effectively capturing the essence of the 1970s. The family dynamic portrays the concerns of that era and skillfully develops the characters. The story interweaves family scenes with Annie's passion for horseback riding and school, interspersed with flashbacks of the man's previous victims, building to Annie's encounter. Annie is portrayed as a strong, intelligent young woman, refreshingly assuming the "final girl" role. The parents' beliefs, such as "children should be seen and not heard" and dismissing Annie's concerns about the white van as attention-seeking behavior, reflect the attitudes of the time. As someone who grew up in the 70s, the dialogue and family situations felt genuine and effective.

The film effectively captures the era through its visuals, with cinematography and production design reminiscent of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974). Like that film, this film builds tension through editing and sound design rather than excessive gore. When it comes to the ultimate confirmation, the score enhances sequences featuring the van, the man and his prey, creating an effect as potent as any classic slasher film. Period-accurate costumes, production design, and locations further immerse the viewer.

THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN boasts a remarkable cast, with Ali Larter and Sean Astin convincingly portraying the adults of the era. Astin's interactions with the family unit evoke a sense of familiarity, reminiscent of this reviewer's own grandfather personality and philosophy. The sibling dynamics are expertly presented by Wolfe, Bassinger, and Warren. Wolfe shines as the emotionally strong middle child, contrasting with Bassinger's portrayal of the favored older child. The trio's chemistry is undeniable, particularly evident when the stalker's threat escalates. Wolfe seamlessly transitions into the heroine, while Bassinger embodies the damsel in distress. Their earlier lighthearted interactions add depth to the evolving tension and suspense. Wolfe, a seasoned young actress in the horror genre, delivers a multifaceted and powerful performance that surpasses the typical "final girl" trope.

Warren Skeels' debut feature film, THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN, is an exceptional and memorable blend of true crime and horror. The film excels in capturing the 1970s setting and features a talented cast delivering an intense and thrilling experience. Scott Thomas Borland's memorable score effectively enhances the visuals and performances. Madison Wolfe's performance is phenomenal. The tale here is one of several stories based on the real-life serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr., and a potential possible sequel is hinted at with the closing scene. Skeels has also mentioned having a screenplay ready for a supernatural thriller, and based on his work in THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN, I eagerly anticipate his next film.

CAST: Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, Gavin Warren, Sean Astin, Andy Sibley and Blake Drivas. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - Warren Skeels; Screenplay - Sharon Y. Cobb; Producers - Anne Marie Gillen, Terri Lubaroff, Paul Scanlan & Michael Nole; Cinematographer - Gareth Paul Cox; Score - Scott Thomas Borland; Editor - Billy Gaggins; Production Designer - Lauren palding; Costume Designer - Tiger Curran; Special Effects Foreman - George Landrum Jr.; Visual Effects Consultant - Andru Davies. OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: @WhiteVanMovie TWITTER: x.com/whitevanmovie TRAILER: https://youtu.be/IiDUCGPwxQs?si=XBsxOddQJNjp4N-O RELEASE DATE: In select theaters December 13th, 2024 FEARSmag Interview with WARREN SKEELS: HERE

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[livenudebigfoot]

Maybe it's just because I'm mostly a fantasy and thriller reader with very little experience of books that are straight dramas, tragedies, and tearjerkers, but John Darnielle does heart-rending, unresolvable grief like nobody else. It's a genuine gift. And that gift is really clearing my sinuses rn.