It’s hard to pinpoint why certain movies stick with us into adulthood while others fade away. Sometimes it’s because a film carries the weight of a profound memory, like watching "E.T." for the first time on television and sobbing at the ending. I still have vivid memories of waiting in an epic line to see "Independence Day" on July 3rd, or the massive spectacle of "Titanic" — complete with the poor woman the theater hired to give a history lecture to the audience before the film started.
- Genre: Psychological thriller / mystery
- The vibe: "Misery" meets "Knives Out" in a blizzard.
- Stars: Mary Steenburgen, Roddy McDowall, Jan Rubes.
- Where to Watch: Streaming now on Prime Video
- Perfect For: A cold January night when you want a mystery that keeps you guessing.
Yet, other films don't stand out because of a theatrical event or an Oscar win. One such film for me is "Dead of Winter." Not to be confused with the 2025 film of a similar name, I caught a re-airing of this 1987 thriller on TV as a kid. It likely stuck in my brain because of one particular, gruesome scene near the beginning (more on that in a moment), leading to a lifelong quest to find it again.
Starring Mary Steenburgen, Roddy McDowall, and Jan Rubes, "Dead of Winter" follows an actress hired to replace a lead who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances.
Plot: What is 'Dead of Winter' about?
"Dead of Winter" begins with a murder. Amidst a dark, snowy landscape, a mysterious woman flees a house with luggage full of cash, only to be strangled in a desolate parking lot. The killer then amputates her finger — the exact gruesome scene that haunted me as a child and led to years of Google searches like, "What is the film with the lady who had her hands cut off?"
The story then introduces us to struggling actress Katie McGovern (Mary Steenburgen), who is invited to a remote mansion by a strange producer, Mr. Murray (Roddy McDowall). She’s auditioning for a role made vacant because the previous actress abruptly quit. There, she also meets the steely, wheelchair-bound Dr. Joseph Lewis. Dazzled by her resemblance to the missing woman, they hire her on the spot to live at the estate while they film.
The first hint of trouble arises when Katie finds she can’t make a phone call, which Dr. Lewis dismisses as a weather-related outage. But as the "filming" progresses, the red flags become impossible to ignore. Despite Katie willingly altering her appearance to fit the role, she soon discovers the actress she replaced didn't just leave, she reportedly committed suicide. When Katie finds her own ID burned and the phone lines intentionally cut, she realizes she must find a way out before her own life is at risk.
Why you should watch 'Dead of Winter'
Watching "Dead of Winter" again took me back to a time when payphones were common and GPS didn’t exist. I couldn’t help but relish the healthy dose of nostalgia it gave me. At the same time, this film delivers an involving, captivating mystery for those who aren’t watching it for mere "revisiting a childhood memory" purposes.
Mary Steenburgen did an excellent job playing the innocent actress, as well as a more mysterious role (to not give too much away). Roddy McDowall is always a delight to see, managing to portray the seemingly well-meaning but clearly manipulative elderly gentleman.
While there were several scenes when I wanted to yell to Katie's character, "What are you doing, you fool!?", it clearly points to my enjoyment of the film. I also couldn’t help but be taken away by the snowy, isolating setting—it’s the perfect atmospheric watch for a cold January night, especially when you’re safe and warm on the other side of the screen.
Stream "Dead of Winter" (1987) on Prime Video
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