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Made and released in the same year as their acclaimed indie erotic horror Harvest Lake, writer-director Scott Schirmer and co-writer/producer Brian K Williams give us an intensely dark and psychological variation on the backwoods hillbilly horror that goes to some very disturbing places.

Nathan Barrett takes the lead as Max, a young man camping in the woods with his girlfriend (Ellie Church). When events take an unforeseen turn for the worst, Max awakens to find himself with a large wooden mask fixed into place on his face, being held prisoner by a trio of feral women who want a man in their family.

Once the plank is attached to his face, Max is no longer able to speak, nor do his captors communicate in anything resembling English; and so, the bulk of the film plays out with no identifiable language. This is key to the oppressive mood that ensues, as gradually Max's humanity is withered away, and the primal brute Plank Face takes over.

A very low budget production, Plank Face draws its power from Schirmer's skillful direction, the atmospheric music and cinematography from Williams, and the terrific performances: Barrett is excellent, and there's a particularly sinister supporting turn from Susan M Martin as the matriarch of the feral clan.