Dead of Winter (1987)

Katie McGovern, a dedicated but struggling actress, is entangled in the humdrum life of supporting her husband and her visiting student brother. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon a seemingly golden opportunity—an audition notice in the newspaper. Selected to shoot a short video for the director's approval, the path to her big break seems to be clearing. Her journey takes her to a remote mansion, the stronghold of Mr. Murray, the enigmatic man behind the audition. Here, she films the video, her hopes soaring as she's chosen to replace the film's previous lead who bears an uncanny resemblance to her. The role, she is told, was abandoned when the original actress suffered a breakdown and fled the set. Yet, as Katie gets more involved, the glamorous veneer of her new opportunity starts to crack, revealing a sinister underbelly. The isolated country house in upstate New York, initially a retreat for her craft, becomes a stage for an unfolding mystery far darker than the plot of any film she's auditioned for. The chilling realization that the stakes are far higher than a mere movie role dawns upon her. Caught in a chilling web of deception and danger, Katie finds herself in a scenario more menacing than anything she's ever performed. As the eerie echoes of the mansion whisper unspoken secrets, Katie must summon her acting skills to not only escape but also survive. In the chilling dead of winter, the line between reality and performance blurs, setting the stage for a suspenseful climax that even Katie, the actress, could never have rehearsed.

Dead of Winter is a horror movie featuring Mary Steenburgen and directed by Arthur Penn.

Dead of Winter is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video.

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