Thrills, Spills, and Chills: or How I Learned To Stop Complaining (Mostly) and Love Horror Films Again
The Strangers / Agent Bedhead
In 2004, Bryan Bertino sold the original script for The Strangers to Universal Pictures. After the studio negotiated with directors who refused to helm the film for less than $40 million smackers, someone actually got the brilliant idea, a few years later, to offer Bertino the director’s seat with a lowly $10 million budget attached. The novice screenwriter and director ran like hell with it, and now Bertino makes an impressive debut and scores what is easily the scariest horror film to hit the celluloid screen in several years. Bertino has crafted an efficiently lean and tauntingly mean, highly-controlled mess of a film that will make you spastically jump in your seat until you can’t take any more. Then, at that exact moment, Bertino instinctively releases all of that built-up tension into a swiftly merciless conclusion that’ll make you squirm and jump once more. Somebody had to do it. Horror fans have been sorely neglected by the genre keepers as of late, and, dammit, sometimes, we just want to be scared out of our wits, and that impotent, PG-13 Prom Night bullshit just ain’t gonna do it. Hell, even the recent R-rated offerings have pretty much limited themselves to gore, exploitation, and more gore without the requisite smattering of suspense. Somehow, all of this added up to a big fucking surprise that the horror genre’s box office began bleeding buckets of corn syrup as well. In the absence of an actual story and all-important suspense, a horror flick just cannot deliver genuine scares to the audience. Fortunately, a ruffian director named Bertino has arrived and actually knows how to not blow his own load all over the camera lens.
Bertino’s influences — Alfred Hitchcock and John Carpenter — are rather obvious, but instead of going into rabid fanboy mode and failing to maintain a grip on the film’s subject matter, Bertino is quite cautious in his execution and controlled in his technique. This minimalism is in sharp contrast to a director like, say, Rob Zombie, who puts audiences through the boredom of unnecessary scenes just so he can throw in several masturbatory homage sequences to his favorite movies. Instead, Bertino is clearly concerned with furthering this film’s actual story and its necessary components, no more and no less, which is quite the novel concept these days, really. For the first fifteen minutes or so of the film, Bertino actually crafts some decent character development in comparison to most of the horror genre. Here, again, the audience is spared the overwrought Rob Zombie treatment of an endless backstory to illustrate a main character’s anguish over everything from scratching his ass to contemplating whether taking a dump will make him a more kick-ass villain. Whatever. The Strangers only gives the audience the precise amount of information necessary to kick-start some empathy for the characters, so that when all the mayhem commences, we actually give a rat’s ass whether the couple lives or dies. More importantly, we are scared shitless of the masked trio that later appears, so when one of them raises an axe behind the back of the film’s only minor character (Glenn Howerton), we don’t cheer for the bad guy. As a result, how this particular scene plays out is one damn ingenious plot device that will likely be imitated by future directors. Bertino is definitely one director to watch — repeatedly.
At the start of The Strangers, James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) are clearly not in a good mood. They’ve just left a wedding reception and are headed, in uncomfortable silence, towards the Hoyt family’s secluded vacation home. At this point, Bertino is already at work creating tension in the audience as the couple waits — she with tear-streaked face and he with obvious wheel-gripping discomfort — at the mercy of a small-town red light in the middle of the night. It’s one of those moments where yelling, “Turn green, you motherfucker!” wouldn’t be uncalled for in reality, and this is just one example of how this film’s attention to sparing detail really works. When the couple arrives at their destination, scattered rose petals, candlelight dinner settings, and champagne on ice all reveal that a failed marriage proposal is the source of the couple’s somber mood. Their obvious discomfort is accompanied by questions of the immediate future and whether they will actually remain a couple after the sun comes up. A few hints are made towards genuine intimacy and a plausible reconcilation, and as the couple’s tension builds into a moment of clutching and clasping of each other’s bodies, the two are interrupted by a disturbingly loud knock at the front door. Although it is 4:00 AM, James stupidly opens the door to a young woman (Gemma Ward), whose shadowed face emits a creepy voice asking for a random, nonexistent person. The couple turns her away, but she hasn’t gone without the precious knowledge that, as Dollface, she and her two accomplices have found this night’s targets.
Soon enough, Dollface, Pin-Up (Laura Margolis), and Man in the Mask (Kip Weeks) start circling their prey with apparent murderous intent. The phone lines are cut, and absolute silence is interrupted only by Merle Haggard on the turntable and the continued incessant knocking on doors and windows. Once these psychopaths manage to infiltrate the home, they don’t immediately announce their success. Instead, they slowly clue Kristen and John into their situation by strategically moving objects around and removing cell phone batteries. Then, the strangers, sufficiently dehumanized in their masks, silently appear and linger in the shadows to stalk Kristin and John for seemingly long stretches of time. All the while, the audience gets lost in the mostly real-time telling of the story, and Bertino has made us his bitches for the duration of his 85 minutes. To be certain, a fair amount of bloodshed does occur, since this is a story about three psychopaths whose main objective is to emotionally fuck with the occupants of an isolated home before going for the official deed. However, Bertino’s simplicity of style — long stretches of silence and very little dialogue — is what allows the suspense to build so momentously. As a director, he has no need to rely on gore f/x or shock cuts in an attempt to induce fear. It’s amazing how actual filmmaking skills can get the job done in such a fine manner.
Unfortunately, The Strangers will suffer needless comparison to Michael Haneke’s Funny Games because of the common theme of vacation home invasion, but the two films couldn’t be more different in execution. Bertino doesn’t dwell in self-aware dialogue, wink-wink nudges towards the audience, or hypocritical preaching in manner of Haneke, who wags his bloody fingers at the audience while clearly enjoying the entire process a bit too much. Further, the physical torture present in Funny Games doesn’t occur within The Strangers, which primarily uses emotional and psychological torment to a far greater effect.
The Strangers isn’t a perfect film, for it suffers along with the rest of the genre by containing protagonists who seriously lack basic survival skills. They do some really dumb things, but if they didn’t, we wouldn’t have this film. In fact, for most of the movie, the injuries that the couple suffers are a direct result of their own actions. Of course, their weaknesses aren’t necessarily shortcomings on the part of the film, for Bertino has slyly woven some complexity into the fold that will, long after the closing credits, keep some audience members replaying certain scenes in their minds. Also excellent are Speedman and especially Tyler, whose Kristen is clearly losing it by the end of the film but still manages not to become pathetic. If one thing spoils the realistic nature of the film, it is, ironically, the “inspired by true events” opening, which has become such a movie cliché that it almost distracts from the realistic tone that Bertino so carefully creates. Small flaws aside, this film really fucking works. I cannot remember the last time I screamed obsenities at a movie screen and meant it in the best way possible. After the theater lights go up, returning home will never be the same again.
Agent Bedhead (a.k.a. “Kimberly”) lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She can be found not answering her door over at agentbedhead.com.
Sex and the City The Movie | | Pajiba Love 05/30/08
Comments
I agree with you almost 100%. The one thing that really cheesed my broccoli... was the fucker in the mask and his incessant wheezing!!!
My God man, take some Albuterol you Asthmatic-scary-fuck!!!
Posted by: Ryan P at May 31, 2008 2:20 PM
Can't you tell he had some serious congestion? The real horror of the night was seasonal allergies...
Posted by: Noah at May 31, 2008 3:01 PM
The villain in the mask keeps wheezing? Sounds like the killer in Student Bodies - he couldn't stop breathing heavily either.
OT, but I finally went to see Iron Man. A very moderate amusement, worth the $6.50 matinee ticket but not worth springing for refreshments. There was exactly one scene that made me laugh aloud, when Stark fired his foot repulsors and pancaked into the wall, after which the robot hosed him with the fire extinguisher. The rest of the scenes raised a chuckle and not much else.
Posted by: The Wanderer at May 31, 2008 3:36 PM
Sounds a bit like Ils (They), a French movie that set up a creepy premise that basically petered out after 50 minutes (the film was 77 minutes long).
Posted by: Shazza at May 31, 2008 3:40 PM
I saw an extended trailer of this movie on a HDTV channel and it was very scary. Bertino seems capable of making a scary movie without having to resort to tricks to tell a story. I hope he's giving the chance to make more movies with bigger budgets.
Posted by: Pookie at May 31, 2008 3:43 PM
Great, I was debating whether or not to see this movie. In my dreams it was always me that would make Liv Tyler scream... but you know, in a good way... not in a killing her way.
Posted by: Jesse at May 31, 2008 3:49 PM
I was trying not to get my hopes up about this movie, but it actually sounds good. It would be nice to actually be scared by a horror movie again.
Posted by: jM at May 31, 2008 3:52 PM
So this chick from work walked in this morning and talked all about seeing this movie last night, going on and on about how stupid it was, what a waste of money... and that her two children, ages 4 and 5, didn't think it was very good either.
I tried to give her my best "dot dot dot" face, but it was lost on her. As are a lot of things, I'm certain.
Posted by: divinityblue at May 31, 2008 4:16 PM
Suh. Weet. I've been looking forward to this. Thanks, Bedhead, I owe you a soda-pop...
Posted by: Skittimus Maximus at May 31, 2008 4:21 PM
Hmmm...I've never been a big fan of horror movies (keep in mind, I'm only 18, so my lifetime hasn't offered much). I didn't think this would be any different, but now I'm intrigued. I may have to check this out.
Posted by: joe at May 31, 2008 4:35 PM
The first time I saw this trailer was also on TV late at night, by myself. I was so freaked out I walked through every room with a baseball bat after seeing it. Glad to hear the movie is good too; will be seeing tonight.
Posted by: FourKings at May 31, 2008 4:37 PM
Thank You Thank You Thank You.
Posted by: fairmaiden327 at May 31, 2008 4:56 PM
Horror fans have been sorely neglected by the genre keepers as of late, and, dammit, sometimes, we just want to be scared out of our wits
You ain't kidding, sister. Thank GOD this is good - hell, the trailers had me shivering and locking the doors. Bitchin' review, Bedhead.
Posted by: TK at May 31, 2008 5:14 PM
I'm with you TK and Bedhead, horror fans have been thrown the crumbs of soggy remakes and totally impotent gorefests for the past few years. I've been dying to see a good creeper, and the trailers had me covered in goosebumps.
I might be able to catch this one in the theater, but it seems like one that would be just as terrifying viewing at home (perhaps even more). Mr. Pink won't be able to finish watching it, and I'll sleep with my gun under my pillow.
Now that's a movie I can get excited about, and that's my idea of some effing entertainment. Yowza.
Posted by: Alabamapink at May 31, 2008 6:13 PM
I caught the late show last night. First movie in a long time that's made me yell out loud. After the first instance of seeing the Man in the Mask....I wanted to go home. I felt the ending could have been a tad stronger, but still, it packed a certain emotional punch. Apparently that's the second ending, there was an original that was screened though audiences didn't respond well to it. Maybe we'll see that one on DVD?
Posted by: Manda at May 31, 2008 6:37 PM
Very impressive for a first time director. I read in a different review that he was a grip who randomly tried to direct movies and somehow got a job. He said he had to go buy books about how to direct. Like, literally "Directing for Dummies" type of books. Hilarious that someone who learns a little bit of common sense can out-direct most directors today.
Posted by: Jeremiah at May 31, 2008 6:38 PM
I saw this movie and i'm wondering what film you saw. I will agree for twenty minutes i couldn't even breathe because it was so scary.... Then it kept going. At about 20 minutes this movie starts to drag so much that i almost fell asleep and the ending was far worse than Funny Games because Games didn't tease us with a good movie. From the beginning it was a bad film and it ended as a bad film. The strangers had so much promise and build up and then it threw it away with cliches.
Posted by: Andrew at May 31, 2008 6:58 PM
The trailer alone made me nearly pee my pants with fear. I want to watch it but...I probably won't.
I tried watching Wolf Creek and as soon as the random old guy asked them if they were having any car trouble I had to turn it off.
Posted by: amanda at May 31, 2008 7:52 PM
I was hoping this would be the movie of a cool book of the same name, that I read years ago.
It was about a sort of cult of murderous sociopaths, who could recognise each other immediately because of an aura they all had. They were like another species almost, but they were living among all the normalies, having families and careers. But all biding their time waiting for a special signal, after which they would go crazy-ape-bonkers in unison and kill everybody else on earth.
After then, I don't know what. Seems like you'd have to find a new hobby.
Posted by: Loob at May 31, 2008 8:03 PM
Loob, that book sounds cool as hell - who's the author?
Posted by: TK at May 31, 2008 8:46 PM
I know, doesn't it? hehe
I'm sorry to say I can't remember the author so I have been googling it for ages, unsuccessfully. I am desperate to find my copy, which is somewhere in a packing crate, dammit. If I can find out I'll tell you right away. It was the eighties when I read it. In pulpy novel form.
Posted by: Loob at May 31, 2008 9:23 PM
The only, and I mean only, thing I hate about the movie is that you see 90% of the best parts of the film in the previews/commercials. The part where The man in the Mask just stands behind Kristine as she smokes was ruined by seeing it int he preview.
Still this is pretty much the best horror film in the past five or so years. Easily!
Posted by: Angelmonster at May 31, 2008 11:03 PM
The book, gentlemen, is called The Strangers, by Mort Castle. It's probably going to be pretty hard to find, nothing that your average bookstore or library is going to carry. It's from 1984, and it's FUCKED UP.
Let it never be said my Barnes and Noble dogged booksellery research skills went unheralded.
Posted by: insertclevernamehere at May 31, 2008 11:11 PM
I could have sworn the name was something more faux, like Brandon Schmandon! :)
That does look like the one, clevername! Thanks! I was slowly dragging myself through Barnes and Noble just then too, and they have it listed as though they can get it in for you. :)
Posted by: Loob at May 31, 2008 11:27 PM
Maybe Brandon Schmandon wrote that other book I was reading then, about the girl who makes an evil clone of herself because she's bored.
Posted by: Loob at June 1, 2008 12:09 AM
Hey, don't forget, your local public library can most likely interlibrary loan it for you if it's not on hand. WorldCat says there's about 30 systems in the country that have it.
Posted by: Jay at June 1, 2008 12:50 AM
I just got home from watching this movie. While I'll agree that the ending could have been stronger, it still scared the everliving fuck out of me. I can't get the knocking sound out of my head. I will not be sleeping tonight.
Posted by: brenia at June 1, 2008 3:22 AM
It's Haneke.
Posted by: jd at June 1, 2008 4:59 AM
Great review. Really looking forward to this one.
Posted by: jvon at June 1, 2008 5:12 AM
They put a mask on Gemma Ward? I don't care how many people say she looks like an alien--bitch is gorgeous.
On a more relevant note, it's good to know that there's a decent horror movie out there right now (and that the trailer was not misleading). Looking forward to letting my brain melt after finals are over.
Posted by: nh at June 1, 2008 6:07 AM
Prisco, you have confirmed my suspicion that you are, in fact, the balls.
Thanks for the author name.
Posted by: TK at June 1, 2008 6:23 AM
B&N has The Strangers available for order on their website as being available and usually shipping in 24 hours. Now I totally feel like a shill.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Strangers/Mort-Castle/e/9781892950567/?itm=10
Posted by: Ulwais at June 1, 2008 12:13 PM
I didn't sleep until like 6:20 am this morning and I saw the movie at 3pm. I was terrified. There really is no place to hide in this apartment but there was a terrifyingly eerie knock at a door near ours around 3:30am, and my eyes were never good with shadows. I spent almost the entire movie with my hands over my ears and my eyes partially shut. I seriously wanted to leave after that shot that's in the trailer and the movie poster, with the guy in the hallway and poor Liv Tyler at the sink. I should've. I probably would've slept better.
Posted by: Kash at June 1, 2008 12:33 PM
this movie is the remake for the french "they" the trailer of this one actually looks better though. but why the fact that it is a remake wasn't even mention it in the review?
Posted by: rio at June 1, 2008 1:04 PM
rio, it's not mentioned because it's not true. This has nothing to do with the French "Ils", as you suggest. It's supposedly based on true events, and if you do a little research you'll learn that it was actually written two years before Ils.
Posted by: I Love Beets at June 1, 2008 1:57 PM
I read an article in which Bertino talked about reading "helter skelter" and when I saw Liv crawling across the yard I immediately thought of Sharon Tate :( Even though I figured out the ending would conclude that way I definitely felt completely helpless & upset. I mean, at some point you're going to throw a dvd player at these people, or plates, or whatever you could get your grubby fingers on. At the very least you could always just rush them - the scene with the pantry really upset me because in desperation don't you think you'd at least shove them or do *something*. I hope I would. I guess that's sort of a testament to Bertino's skill - still I left the theatre griping, 'this is some bullshit.'
Posted by: Ninjajeje at June 1, 2008 4:50 PM
Hey there gang,
I'm sure that most of you have moved onto other tasks to get through your Sunday & may never even read this.. but if some intrepid soul out there happens to get this far down the thread so far, I offer a totally off-topic recommendation:
I believe it's generally agreed around these parts that Netflix is one of the greatest inventions of this 21st Century - need I go into all the reasons? - and I certainly maintain that belief.
But yet another of their many charms is that you can watch actual ENTIRE SEASONS of some of your all-time favorite TV shows, right there at your PC with beautiful clarity of visual/audio quality.
I have to highly recommend you take advantage of this Netflix option (at no extra charge) and be turned on to shows that you've loved and remembered, and here they're shown in their beatiful, commercial-free entirety, and I can count at least 36-45 hours of my lifetime spent at this very computer catching up on these shows in the last 3 - 4 weeks. And it's right at the click of your mouse if you're a member.
This weekend I got to enjoy the entire first two seasons of 'News Radio', which I was fanatical about when it first came out, and all these years later it really hasn't aged at all since it's '95 premiere.
Anyone who wants to argue about unreasonable prices, lack of choices, or any other reason not to join this great movie service, please let me know, and I'll be glad to debate your opinions as vigorously as I would if my own money had been invested in this great, new, entertainment frontier of the 21st Century. It's the perfect television, people!
There are two (and ONLY two) half-way satisfying things our Bush administration has given us in the last eight years:
one was the "most generous" TAX REBATE to Americans in 2001 (sarcasm indicated by quotation marks) -
but why not? The bastard was only just beginning to spend every fucking US dollar, plus a few trillion more, from our heretofore BALANCED BUDGET, flinging our nation's resources around like a young kid who stole his uncle's wallet, a drunken punk wandering the French Quarter of New Orleans at 4:00am just to get some more kicks and coke(oh, wait... that was me -- never mind), and just ONE of his dumb-ass decisions was to throw the citizens a bone and 'splurging' on giving tax-payers a - okay, I've gone on far enough on this topic--
SECOND HALF-WAY SATISFYING THING THE BUSH ADMIN HAS GIVEN US:
Oh yes, the all-important, revolutionary and most-needed defense our country ever needed, second only to the Iraq war in importance, the fantastic, ground-breaking creation of the
'Do Not Call' List (gasp!!/spastic at the very concept)
What can I say? I think the phone is one of the most annoying inventions ever created, and to have just SOME relief from the constant barrage of solicitors -- but wait, that ain't working worth a shit either, is it??
Back to point, & sorry I'm so drunkenly angry on a Sunday afternoon, I must encourage all Netflixers to catch the 'News Radio' series while it's available.
I enjoyed the hell out of it and forgot some truly wonderful sitcom moments that had me laughing out loud.
Oh shit, it's Monday tomorrow, innit?? Hence my getting drunk this early in the afternoon ok bye
Posted by: TMax at June 1, 2008 5:23 PM
...Which I forgot closing by making the point that Netflix was indeed the better concept/idea WAY better over Bush's bullshit (including our current 'stimulus' checks) ideas this entire decade, so I give credit where it's due.
Be well, all.
Posted by: TMax at June 1, 2008 5:30 PM
Half hour later, and I think my original post was 80% bullshit- my primary reason for writing was to promote free 'News Radio' on Netflix, and I couldn't help throwing in my (useless) political comments that served no purpose other than to distract from the real issue. Please forgive my alcoholism, people, but these days it seems to be the only thing that inspires me to write any more.
Let's just forget this little incident tonight, shall we??
Posted by: TMax at June 1, 2008 6:04 PM
WTF? ^
okay, i need someone to go see this with me... mr. bunny still can't make it through the ORIGINAL "the hitcher" with rutger hauer. he's really not good with suspense.
anybody? except that guy above me?
Posted by: bionic bunny at June 1, 2008 6:16 PM
Bunny if you're in Seattle I'm game. :)
Posted by: jvon at June 1, 2008 7:03 PM
Squee, The original Hitcher! Mr Bunny would probably also not enjoy Duel, starring McCloud and the creepy truck! ;)
Posted by: Loob at June 1, 2008 7:06 PM
Loob, you must be old like me. ;)
I saw Duel when it originally aired as an "ABC Movie Of The Week." Written by Richard Matheson, directed by Steven Spielberg, and it completely freaked my shit. I can still remember how tense that movie made me.
Yes, folks, Netflix Duel if you've never seen it.
Posted by: Jerce at June 1, 2008 11:28 PM
So apparently they got the suspense part down, but when are they going to start making horror movies with a plot again?
Killers stalking and terrorizing innocent people because "they were home"?
That sounds like the thematic structural equivalent of a house built from wet kleenex.
Posted by: Some Guy at June 2, 2008 12:32 AM
1969, baby! :D
Jerce, I also saw Duel when I was a little tacker, and it would definitely have been the movie of the week for us here, too.
Probably heaps later than you saw it, but as soon as our idiot Australian tv execs combined their pocket money and bought a copy. :D
Posted by: Loob at June 2, 2008 1:22 AM
Just saw the movie a few hours ago. Wasn't *quite* as scary as I was hoping for, but I haven't had that much fun in a theater in a lonnnng time. Had more involuntary jumps and finger biting than Winehouse 8 hours sober. Watching the whole audience react simultaneously was worth the ticket price alone.
"I thought you went hunting with your dad as a kid?"
--"No, that was just... something I said."
Posted by: FourKings at June 2, 2008 4:42 AM
Interesting. The newspaper here (in Ottawa) gave this movie one star, and basically said that the whole thing was doodoo. Amazing that this review would be in complete opposition! But you know I will always trust my beloved Pajiba over anyone else. Maybe I'll take my man to go get the shit scared out of us tonight.
Posted by: b at June 2, 2008 8:37 AM
Oh please please please don't let this movie suck. Not that I don't appreciate the review, Bedhead, because I do. I really do.
I am just SO FUCKING PICKY when it comes to horror. It must be perfect. But hey, this is Brian's first horror film, you say? Then there is promise.
A very hesitant and subdued "yippee!" from Boo corner.
Posted by: boo at June 2, 2008 8:56 AM
Loved it. Awesome flick. I don't remember the last time I white-knuckled the arms of the theater seat. As a bonus, about 2/3 of the way through the film, a theater worker (I'm assuming) spooked quite a few people by showing up at the exit dressed as the baghead fella. I'm not sure how long he was there, but as soon as somebody saw him and screamed, he turned and walked out slowly.
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Posted by: Yang at June 2, 2008 11:14 AM
I love horror movies with sparse plots. Terrorizing a couple "because they were home" is so much better, in my opinion, than loading on a horror-movie plot, which we can all probably agree, usually ends up sucking, at least lately. Reason being is that "because you were home" is so much more believable than some convoluted and extended crap. The supernatural things don't have the same type of lasting effect on me, because, well, zombies are not going to just be wandering around Manhattan tomorrow. I love the idea that, well, some people are just insane. That's what keeps me up at night, thinking about that. My point being, I like not really explaining too much of a plot in horror, that's what makes the best type of plot for me. Confused? So am I.
Posted by: David` at June 2, 2008 11:20 AM
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As a sidenote, why haven't you been answering your phone? I've left you like, 20 messages, but you've never called me back. I thought we had a good time that night - at least it seemed that we did... Anyhow, you might wanna check into some crotch-soap. Turns out I wasn't entirely cleared up down there... Catch you later, bro!!
Posted by: Skittimus Maximus at June 2, 2008 11:42 AM
Holy crap Skitt, I think that should be a requisite for all area theaters screening this film! Hell, I'd pay extra for audience interaction like that! Anything that can make you lose your shite more than you already do watching a movie like this is gravy in my ceramic boat!
Posted by: JR at June 2, 2008 12:56 PM
Saw the midnight show on Friday and loved it! Normally I'm wishing they'd cut 1/2 hour at least ouf of a lot of movies *cough* SATC *cough* but I actually wished there was about 1/2 hour more of the stalking part. I know being spare was probably a good thing for the plot, I was just so overjoyed to actually get freaked out by a horror movie that I wanted it to last longer.
Posted by: MG at June 2, 2008 1:08 PM
Sir, with all do respect this is not a pick-up site, this is a site for serious movie discussion.
Posted by: Pookie at June 2, 2008 1:09 PM
Congratulations to the production team behind The Strangers. Your team has succeeded in making a die hard horror fan actually throw up in the movie theater for the first time ever. Please accepting my glowing review and inevitable commendations for year end honors issued every year by me (that mean nothing since it's one person listing best of's that all of 30 people may read).
It's the thought that counts, right?
Posted by: Robert at June 2, 2008 2:52 PM
I'm seeing this on Thursday with a co-worker, glad it got the Pajiba thumbs-up.
Posted by: june at June 2, 2008 5:41 PM
Uhh..Robert--why did it make you throw up?
Given I sat there with my knees hugged to my chest, angry that my friend was clinging to her boyfriend, and I had no one, while we all screamed, and I stayed up til 5am just to make sure no one knocked at my door...
but I was never...in danger of vomiting? What gives?
Posted by: bettie bloodshed at June 2, 2008 6:15 PM
I also have to give this movie props for making the protagonists idiots..in the way that normal people are.
Sure some people would have immediately called the cops, but most people rationalize that they are "overreacting" and call significant other--and its too late to call the cops when things really start going down.
I had strange men in disheveled clothing (I live alone, I'm a 20 something girl) knock at my door at midnight on a weekday..and I just hid in my closet, calling my mother, asking if I should call the cops, cause I didnt want to get people in trouble if they were just lost, but at the same time, I didn't want my face hacked off. My mother told me not to call the cops.
They left..but you never know. My mother could have been very. very ill advised.
Posted by: Bettie Bloodshed at June 2, 2008 6:20 PM
Pretty much agree with the Agentress except for this: "how this particular scene plays out is one damn ingenious plot device that will likely be imitated by future directors". Hardly ingenious, could see that one coming as soon as the friend pulled up in front of the house. And not original either, *minor spoiler* in 'Dead Calm' Nicole Kidman shots the speargun at the noise at the stateroom door and...whoops, bye-bye doggie.
Posted by: Opie1 at June 2, 2008 7:41 PM
So I just saw it and, not gonna lie, it was pretty creepy. Plenty of jump out of your seat moments and good build ups. I definitely agree the more is less approach works so much better than, say, its a little brats' prom night and her ex teacher has a thing for her. But by the end of the movie it was for nothing. "Why are you doing this?, "Because you were home." hearing this at first sounds creepy enough but giving it a second thought, it just comes off non-sensical. Now I just can't help continue this was nothing new and a tad cliche'. I thought it was scary but felt as though I've seen it before. At the same time though I can't really think of anything lately that has actually delivered. It feels generic but I can't really think of anything to base that off of. I'm just going to simplify things for myself and stick with it was a good scare considering the crap thats been thrown out there lately.
Posted by: DanDan at June 3, 2008 1:28 AM
generally i liked this film...but how many times can you have the "almost scare" moments with the big bang/crash noise thing following the creepy total silence of the "almost scare" that makes you jump out of your seat just because it's a loud noise. i don't think that equates good film-making. that kind of volume would make me jump in the middle of the day. does anyone get what i'm saying...it's 3am and i might be rambling....:)
Posted by: jessie-marie at June 3, 2008 3:11 AM
The movie was not so bad and besides I can watch Liv Tyler anyday. Hulk has the best girl this summer unlike Paltrow and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Those two make me barf.
Posted by: Byron at June 4, 2008 3:07 PM
This was the scariest movie I've seen since the Descent. But when it comes to survival instincts, if the two lead girls from "The Descent" had been the ones in the house instead of that couple, the movie would have lasted all of twenty minutes before they just got tired of waiting and the banging noises and just hunted down the three hooligans with climbing gear for sport.
Posted by: Matt 2.0 at June 7, 2008 11:00 PM
this movie had its suspenseful moments, and that was it. no plot, flat characters, no direction, no meaning. and i walked out of the theater feeling more empty than when i came in. I could have brought myself and a few friends to a dark open field and made a better movie. i sat on the edge of my seat just to find out that nothing was going to really happen. Bertino just threw some random killers and some random couple into a house. oh and for the grand ending was two little boys walking into a random home. because little boys always walk into empty homes.
Posted by: Marie at June 9, 2008 12:44 AM
I just saw the movie last night. Let me tell you, it definitely succeeded in scaring me even if I didn't realize it at first. I am now spending the day at work completely sleep deprived due to the fact that the only sleep I was able to get last night was interrupted by nightmares. After seeing the movie I came home to an empty house. I was a little on edge and went around and turned on all the lights and popped in a DVD of The West Wing to get my mind off the movie. Unfortunately that didn't work because I found myself jumping in my bed every time my neighbor's motion sensor light was set off (how had I never noticed this light before?). Then about 2am my roommate's drunken brother stumbled into our house to crash on our couch. While that isn't that uncommon it was a good couple of minutes before my fear-addled brain realized it was him crashing around my house and not some psycho killer. My point is this movie sticks with you. I am a big fan of well-crafted horror movies and this one definitely fit the bill. It has been a long time since I have been that scared. I highly recommend seeing this movie, I just might suggest that you have someone to spend the night with you afterwards.
Posted by: Jordan at June 9, 2008 11:26 AM
I watched it , but I would really like to know how much of it is real and if the woman survived. Really hope she did and if this has happen to someone else
Posted by: menda at July 4, 2008 1:44 AM