The Strangers (2008)

Director:

Bryan Bertino

Writer (WGA):

Bryan Bertino (written by)

Release Date:

30 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Lock the door. Pretend you're safe.

Plot:

A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants.

Plot Keywords:

Stranger | Mask | Wedding Reception | Invasion | Execution

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 6

1:50 AM

HBO

Cast

Liv Tyler	...	Kristen McKay
Scott Speedman	...	James Hoyt
Glenn Howerton	...	Mike
Gemma Ward	...	Dollface
Kip Weeks	...	Man in the Mask
Laura Margolis	...	Pin-Up Girl
Alex Fisher	...	Mormon Boy #1
Peter Clayton-Luce	...	Mormon Boy #2

Also Known As:

The Faces (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/terror and language.

Runtime:

86 min | 88 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #43588) | Canada:14+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:18A | Australia:MA | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:16 | Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:U | New Zealand:R16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:16 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Norway:15 | Italy:VM14 | Peru:14 | Germany:18 | Japan:R | France:U (with warning) | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Florence, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Rogue Pictures

Trivia:

Loosely based on the 1981 Keddie Resort murders in northern California.

Goofs:

Continuity: After James leaves in the beginning and Kristen is alone, the record player turns off without anybody turning it off.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: What you are about to see is inspired by true events. According to the FBI, there are an estimated 1.4 million violent crimes in America each year. On the night of February 11, 2005, Kristen McKay and James Hoyt left a friend's wedding reception and returned to the Hoyt family's summer home. The brutal events that took place there are still not entirely known.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-05-31)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

My First Lover

Who knew they still made movies like this?

The Strangers is a movie that delivers everything it promises it would. It scares you. Simple as that. Instead of relying on buckets of gore and an over-contrived premise, it keeps things simple and thats what makes it work. For an hour and a half, the viewer is subjected to a slowly mounting sense of dread that just keeps building without ever pulling back. The story never falls victim to the usual horror movie clichés, but at the same time , it doesn't make any ridiculous attempts to go against them. Perhaps the best thing that the movie has going for it is it's believability. There isn't really any thing to distract the viewer from buying into the premise wholeheartedly. Considering that this is the director's first ever movie, it's a feat that's even more impressive. This is the kind of movie you shouldn't watch at home alone in the dark.