| Disappearance | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Walter Klenhard |
| Produced by | Laurie Goldstein Robert Greenwald |
| Written by | Walter Klenhard |
| Starring | Harry Hamlin Susan Dey |
| Music by | Shirley Walker |
| Cinematography | David Connell |
| Editing by | Jason Bretz |
| Release date(s) |  April 21, 2002 |
| Running time | 92 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Disappearance is a 2002 TV movie first aired on TBS and later was released on DVD.
Plot
A family driving through the U.S. state of Nevada discovers an old ghost town, Weaver, and stops to take snapshots. Horrible things begin happening, and there's a reason why Weaver isn't on any map. Patrons at an estranged diner claim to not have heard of Weaver, although a gas-station attendant warns Jim Henley (Harry Hamlin) to "stay on the pavement." Henley, his wife Patty (Dey), his son Matt, along with Matt's friend Ethan and sister Kate make their way to the ghost town, discovering mysterious symbols and a human-sized dry skin on a wall, also discovering a video camera, which reveals previous visitors were taken by an unseen force, ending with a girl running from the unseen threat. The car, an SUV, is disabled and the family is forced to spend the night in one of the abandoned buildings. The unseen person/force steals their car, along with a flashlight and Jim's sweater. The family discovers the car has been stolen. Kate, Patty, and Ethan remain in the building while Jim and Ethan set out for the diner. Ethan is attacked by a snake in the desert, but it only bites his wallet. Jim and Ethan also discover a nuclear bomb test site, "Ground Zero". Ethan vanishes, and Jim runs off to a nearby car graveyard, where many stolen vehicles, including his SUV are parked in the same fashion as the symbol on the wall. Meanwhile, Patty goes to use the bathroom, noticing someone watching her, but falls into a mine shaft. Patty hears growling sounds from below, and climbs further up, discovering many stolen properties. Matt and Kate search for Patty until Ethan finds her, climbing down the mine to help her. The source of the sound, seen only from 1st person camera movement, makes its way faster to Patty and Matt, however before it can do anything, Patty shoots it with a gun. Jim rescues them, after evading another one of the mysterious creatures driving a school-bus. They stop to use a telephone at the diner, but it is useless. Jim and Matt spot a dust cloud moving in their direction. Jim visits the sheriff. telling him about Ethan's disappearance, the town of Weaver, where the townspeople vanished without a trace, and the unseen beings attacking them. The sherrif denies it, but while he is away, Jim is pulled aside by an old inamte named Lester, who gives him a possible explanation, telling him the town does exist and the creatures are the mutated, deformed offspring of the townspeople, who refused evacuation before the bomb was dropped, or the spirits of indians interred in a burial ground under the town, also mentioning Area 51. Kate finds the girl from the video alive, working at the food stand. The family stays at a motel, after the sheriff agrees to search for Ethan the next day. Kate senses someone watching them from the window, before they go away. The sheriff, as a possible sacrifice and exchange, or because of his revealation to Jim, takes Lester to the desert, lights a fire, and leaves him for the creatures. Jim and Patty take Matt and Kate, attempting to flee, but are stopped by the sheriff, telling them he found Ethan. The four of them pick up Ethan, Jim seeing Lester's empty cell. Meanwhile, as the five of them flee, Ethan tells them he fell and does not remember anything else, while Matt questions the events. As Jim is distracted, the car hits an animal or object, causing the SUV to flip over, as one of the unseen creatures makes its way to their wrecked car, only their screams being heard afterwards. Six Months later, Jim is now the gas-station attendant, while Patty works as the waitress in the diner. The film ends with Kate feeding one of the crows. The only characteristics of the unseen predators is their asthmatic breathing. The monsters possibly brainwash the victims.
