The Horror Show
The Girl in the Photographs
by Nick Simon
The first thing that comes to mind when watching The Girl in the Photographs is one name: Wes Craven. Even though he is not the creator and has undeniably offered brilliant horror gems in the past, his name is attached to Nick Simon’s latest horror story as he was the executive producer. This, however, works as a double-edged sword, as the viewers’ expectations are understandably raised, and the disappointment will be greater if they are not met.
Nonetheless, The Girl in the Photographs deserves a fair-minded watch and under no circumstances should it be compared to Craven’s previous work.
Simon’s tale follows Colleen (Claudia Lee), a rather stereotypical teen from the small town of Spearfish; stuck in a dead-end job at a local business with a disappointing boyfriend and the burning desire to leave her town and make a fresh start.
A few photographs sent to her stir a wave of panic as they are graphic depictions of mutilated bodies. Are they evidence of the presence of a vicious serial killer or just a prank? For the story’s sake, Colleen is not taken seriously by the local authorities and Spearfish Sheriff Porter (Mitch Pileggi). After all, there is no evidence of an actual crime, so the teen is immediately rebuffed.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to Peter Hemmings (Kal Penn), a sordid LA photographer who finds out about the horrific photographs and instantly sees a business opportunity. As his morals are very low, he decides to visit Spearfish in hopes of creating his own mock-up photoshoot of the murders starring Colleen.
The Girl in the Photographs is not just another meaningless splatter movie, featuring macabre deaths, blood, and clichéd heroes. It takes things to another level by toying with deeper ideas.
As we live in a world where everyone can take a picture of anyone at any time, it becomes clear that what you see may not be actually what you see. Or even worse, you can’t really be sure if anyone took a picture of you and when. Simon’s horror story is an attempt to bring up these themes along with the home invasion element with one ultimate goal: to make us viewers feel uneasy.
Of course, it has its flaws and unfortunately they are not outweighed by its positive attributes. More importantly, you shouldn’t expect the next Scream, but being the final credit of Wes Craven’s unforgettable career, The Girl in the Photographs is definitely worth a watch.
Maria Kriva
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