The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Director:

Mark Pellington

Writers (WGA):

John A. Keel (novel)
Richard Hatem (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What do you see?

Plot:

A reporter is drawn to a small West Virginia town to investigate a series of strange events, including psychic visions and the appearance of bizarre entities.

Plot Keywords:

Mothman | Psychic | Small Town | Reporter | Car Accident

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Richard Gere	...	John Klein
David Eigenberg	...	Ed Fleischman
Bob Tracey	...	Cyrus Bills
Ron Emanuel	...	Washington Post Reporter
Debra Messing	...	Mary Klein
Tom Stoviak	...	Brian
Yvonne Erickson	...	Dr. McElroy
Scott Nunnally	...	Orderly
Harris Mackenzie	...	TV Journalist
Will Patton	...	Gordon Smallwood
Lucinda Jenney	...	Denise Smallwood
Laura Linney	...	Connie Mills
Tom Tully	...	Motel Manager
Zachary Mott	...	Otto (as Billy Mott)
Ann McDonough	...	Lucy Griffin

Also Known As:

Mothman (USA) (working title)
The Mothman (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for terror, some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

When the bridge starts to collapse, a cable snaps and smashes into C.J.'s windshield. Just before impact, we look through the windshield from C.J.'s perspective, and a red face (presumably Mothman) is clearly visible. You won't see it at full speed. It is necessary to pause your player or go frame-by-frame.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: John Klein warns Governor Russ McCallum "of Virginia" about the impending disaster at the chemical plant "on the Ohio River". The story takes place in West Virginia and Virginia is not located on the Ohio River. The Extended Version DVD makes the same mistake (assuming that West Virginia is western Virginia) by stating that the movie is "based on true events that shook a small Virginia town" on the case cover.

Quotes:

[first lines]
John Klein: Jesus!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Adam & Eva (2003)

Soundtrack:

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

A cut down modernized Hollywood version of John A. Keel's famous UFO story.

(**** out of *****)

What a wonderful and rich role for Gere who should maybe experiment more in movies that deal with the realms of the unknown.

A much respected reporter for the Washington Post John Klein (Richard Gere) is about to have his life turned upside down when his wife dies in an automobile accident that seems to have been caused by a mysterious flying creature which he never did see himself. The plot takes Gere to the Ohio/West Virginia border where he meets with the local residents who all seem to be having their troubles with strange lights, weird phone calls and a bird like creature which they call the Mothman. Klein investigates the mystery at the cost of his own sanity and career.

The film is very scary but lacks the pace and fibre that made the John A. Keel's book an awe inspiring read. There are no Men In Black, UFO's, alien impregnated women, phone tapings or a clear resolution to some of the character's fate. In fact only about 10% of the book is actually reproduced in the film. The other 90% seems to have been plucked from an episode of the `X-files'... but what a good episode it is! This is a film that has high production values. The lighting, camerawork, sound and editing are always on top form which is something that prevents the movie from disappearing into the ranks of science fiction B movie hokum. `The Mothman Prophecies' looks simply `weirdly' gorgeous on the big screen.

There is not enough Mothman revealed to the viewer but country folk Gordon Smallwood (the well cast and superbly acted Will Patton) creates a much needed conduit into the effects that the Mothman has on the people of Point Pleasant and this is what the film is really all about - The consequences that the supernatural can have on the psyche of a small backward town's population. Although the ending is Mothman free it certainly does jolt the emotions and evokes a sort of belittling sympathy for the human beings of this planet.

Watch this film and then go read the book for a much better look at really went on. All in all, the film is a spine-chilling riveting stuff and well worth repeated viewing even though it never truly escapes its `X-Files' feeling.