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Horrorphile - August 2007

HOME INVASION!

August 24th 2007 01:56

Tyronne over at Hunt Famous gave me a heads up on this movie, which is apparently still in post-production, although there’s a teaser trailer out (and a doozy too!) The Strangers is about a suburban home invasion. Home invasions scare the bejesus out of me. In the city I live in, Sydney, home invasions have increased over the last few years.

The Strangers is written and directed by Bryan Bertino, an actor turned first time writer/director. The premise is not new, let’s face it, psycho-killers terrorising strangers is not a new idea. In fact several movies come to mind; House on the Edge of the Park (1980), Funny Games (1997), Ils (2006), Panic Room (2002), Haute Tension (2003).

The Strangers Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman

The calm before the storm

In The Strangers a young married couple on vacation has their suburban house set upon by several masked strangers who procede to terrorise the couple with the intention of murder.

Look behind you Liv!!

The release schedule has the US for October, the Uk for November and Spain for early next year. I guess down under will be sometime later, knowing out luck it’ll be a DVD release. Mind you Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman are the leads and Aussie model Gemma Ward has been cast as one of the “masked strangers” (?!), so maybe it will get a theatrical release, you never can tell these days.

Watch out Scott!!!

The “random play” element of this premise adds the necessary unpredictable behaviour angle which gives the movie the thriller edge. I must admit the trailer has been cut together rather effectively, creating what feels to be a genuinely palpable sense of terror. The poster is old school cool. And the stills capture a great sense of “Watch out!!” and “Look behind you!!!” Call me old fashioned, but I’ve always been a fan of that “cheap” Halloween cinematic effect.

Liv doin' the garden crawl ... is that Gemma Ward I see in the background?

I’m not a huge fan of either Tyler or Speedman, but perhaps this Bertino chap, having been an actor, might be able to elicit convincing performances from both of them. Certainly the movie’s plot will have them trying to survive, pitting their frazzled wits against the malevolence of the intruders, and so it becomes Home Alone for adults.

When in doubt ... hide!

Some of the other cast of characters’ descriptions sound intriguing; Laura Margolis plays “Pinup” and Sterling Beaumon supplies just his “(voice)” and there’s Kip Weeks playing another “masked stranger”. Where the hell do Americans get their (stage)names from?! (Rip Torn has to be the most absurd of the lot)

Original music for The Strangers is by duo tomandandy, who stick in my mind for having produced the brilliant soundtrack to Roger Avary’s highly under-rated bank-heist-on-drugs-gone-horr ibly-wrong flick Killing Zoe.

Liv doin' the kitchen crawl

I also noted the MPAA have already delivered an R rating to the movie for “violence/terror” … since when has “terror” been the subjective basis for a rating classification? Is this a post-9/11 censorship clause?? These are definitely strange days.

Here's the teaser trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: bait

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Comments

17 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

August 24th 2007 03:06

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

Looks like a good bit of fun.

Time to play my favorite game victim Bingo.

Comment by Dustin

August 24th 2007 04:02

That's a pretty stellar teaser they've put together, even if the film doesn't offer much more than a standard slasher, that was enough to make me want to see it.

Comment by Terry

August 24th 2007 04:05

MysTerry's Mansion
Theatre of the mind

Don't you just love it when they say "Inspired by true events." Might as well say this movie brought you by Brinks Security.

It looks spooky but not I'm going to the theatre to see it spooky, more like watch at home with all the lights on spooky...lol

Hurdy Gur

Terry

Comment by KylieW

August 24th 2007 04:43

Celebrity Obsession

Victim bingo. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!

Trailer looked good. Scary!! I hope it gets a cinematic release here.

Comment by Bryn

August 24th 2007 06:14

Horrorphile

Dustin (Hoffman??),
stellar it is ... the trailer editors know their schtick.

Terry,
the spookier the better ... tis harder to be spooky than it is to do splatter.

Kylie,
here's hoping (fingers crossed)

Comment by JohnDoe

August 25th 2007 00:07

Film & TV on DVD

Hi Bryn,
You know i dig on Funny Games with much fervour and this looks like a similar plot, sans kid.

The trailer does use all the tools to hint at true terror, but it all looks too derivative so I will await your review.

Comment by Bryn

August 25th 2007 00:58

Horrorphile

JD ... righto.

Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner

August 25th 2007 08:12

Bryn,

inspired by true events? Don't all major horror movies claim much the same thing to attract audiences?

It looks like it might be something I'd have a look at when it comes on cable, this way I can sit at home, eat a cheeseburger and shut it off when it bores me...

LOL

Great review and nice trailer...

Take care,

Nick

Comment by Bryn

August 27th 2007 02:29

Horrorphile

I'm partial to a good cheeseburger.

Comment by Cibbuano

August 27th 2007 02:59

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

hmmm, that trailer doesn't really get me interested... we'll have to wait and see what your review is like...

Comment by Bryn

August 27th 2007 03:19

Horrorphile

Cibby, really? I thought the trailer was good.

Comment by Carter

June 1st 2008 05:35

Hey I Just Saw The Strangers AMAZING Movie Definatally A Must See

Comment by Bryn

June 2nd 2008 04:36

Horrorphile

Carter, I'm looking forward to it, it hasn't been released down under yet ... Probably straight to DVD ... Cheers

Comment by Anonymous

June 12th 2008 23:12

SCOTT IS SOOOOOOOOOO HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Anonymous

June 14th 2008 08:27

Just saw the movie. Wait for the DVD. No plot, typical cheap scare tactics. It was very pedestrian. In a nutshell...Nice couple go to secluded house. Scary people who could kill them at any point wants to play cat and mouse (or mice). In the end, the mice lose. Slow beginning, some scary stuff in middle, bad ending. For those who love it, they don'e know a good movie if it came up and bit them in the butt.

Comment by Bryn

June 18th 2008 05:46

Horrorphile

Anon, thanks for the heads up ... I'll probably have a squizz on DVD ...

Comment by Anonymous

December 27th 2008 00:08

ok the couple is not married. he asks her to marry him, but she says no. just thought i would clear that up

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