YellowBrickRoad

In the fall of 1940, the town of Friar, New Hampshire vanishes as a group, letting the members walk into the wilderness together. One by one the residents abandon their homes, their clothing, and their money, leaving nothing but an eerie hush and an empty valley. The only trace of what happened is a solitary word carved into stone near forest edge: YELLOWBRICKROAD. The narrative follows a group connected to Friar, including Teddy Barnes and his wife Melissa, along with their friends Walter Myrick and Erin and Daryl Luger, as they hunt for clues that might explain the disappearance. What starts as a search becomes a creeping ordeal that tests beliefs, perception, and resolve without tipping the audience toward explanation.

Directed by Andy Mitton and Jesse Holland, YellowBrickRoad is an indie horror feature produced on a tight 500,000 budget. It emphasizes atmosphere and character over gore, while drawing loose inspiration from L. Frank Baum's Oz universe and its mythic tone.

Although it never topped the box office, YellowBrickRoad earned a foothold with horror fans who value restraint and atmosphere. Its forest sequences and the ominous YELLOWBRICKROAD motif linger, giving the film a small but steady presence in circles. Its influence appears in conversations among enthusiasts discussing dread and sound design.

Critics noted the patient pacing and the way fear is built from what is unseen rather than loud shocks. The film contemplates how communities erase memory after catastrophe, the lure of a whispered place, and what price people pay when curiosity overrules caution. Performances from the core cast deepen intensity.

Box office details for YellowBrickRoad are not widely publicized, reflecting its festival run and limited release. With a budget of 500,000, the film aimed for arthouse horror audiences rather than mass-market appeal, and found a modest afterlife on streaming platforms.