Hangman's Curse (2003)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Rafal Zielinski

Writers (WGA):

Frank Peretti (novel)
Kathy Mackel (screenplay) ...
(more)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Watch your locker. Watch your back. Watch your soul.

Plot:

Bullying students are becoming deathly ill after screaming the name of a legendary ghost. What's to blame...

Plot Keywords:

High School | Bullying | Undercover | Mobile Home | Suicide

Cast

David Keith	...	Nate Springfield
Mel Harris	...	Sarah Springfield
Leighton Meester	...	Elisha Springfield
Douglas Smith	...	Elijah Springfield
Jake Richardson	...	Ian Snyder
Bobby Brewer	...	Leonard Baynes
Daniel Farber	...	Norman Bloom
Edwin Hodge	...	Blake Hornsby
Andrea Morris	...	Crystal Sparks
William R. Moses	...	Coach Marquardt
Margaret Travolta	...	Debi Wyrthen
Tom Wright	...	Dan Carillo
Frank Peretti	...	Dr. Algernon Wheeling
Liz Schilling	...	Shawna Miller
Teresa Suter	...	Julie
Kristin Cowan	...	Karine
Kristopher Higgins	...	Carl
Alexander Deeney	...	Trevor (as Alex Deeney)
Ryan Flanery	...	Jimmy Boltz
Debbie Kalman	...	Mrs. Boltz (as Debi Kalman)
Jesse Kendall	...	Marv
George Humphreys	...	Abel Frye
Stephanie Brush	...	Abel's Sister
Christopher Bovey	...	Wiseguy (as Chris Bovey)
Ken Williams	...	Sidekick
Ben Downey	...	Police Officer
Paul Lucas	...	Mr. Carlson
Cecil Ellsworth	...	Dr, Stuart
Dennie Schrecker	...	Teacher In Office
Linda Schrecker	...	Receptionist In Office
Darylin Goodman	...	Drama Teacher
Nehemiah Ziler	...	Doug Anderson
Steven J. Barry	...	Tod Kramer
William Shakesbear	...	Max the dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sara Messer	...	Teacher (unconfirmed)
Suzanne Niles	...	Teacher (unconfirmed)
Bethany Webley	...	Student (unconfirmed)
Naomi West	...	Teacher (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Rafal Zielinski

Writing credits (WGA)
Frank Peretti		(novel)
Kathy Mackel		(screenplay) and
Stan Foster		(screenplay)

Produced by
Steve Buhai	....	co-producer
Rich Cowan	....	producer
Joe Goodman	....	producer
Bobby Neutz	....	producer
Kelly Neutz	....	co-producer
Frank Peretti	....	co-producer
Jerry Rose	....	executive producer
Ralph Winter	....	producer

Original Music by
David Bergeaud

Cinematography by
Dan Heigh

Film Editing by
Mary Morrisey
Tiffany Wallach

Casting by
Dean E. Fronk
Donald Paul Pemrick

Production Design by
Vincent DeFelice

Art Direction by
Mike Cassell

Set Decoration by
Brian Cox

Costume Design by
Nickolaus Brown
Shelly Cowan

Makeup Department
Sam Debree	....	makeup artist
Julie Farley	....	additional makeup artist
Brian Goede	....	assistant makeup artist
Lori Hustad	....	assistant hair stylist
Trista Jordan	....	key makeup artist
Taci Van Leuven	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Ian Kennedy	....	post-production supervisor
Tiffany Wallach	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Craig Borden	....	second assistant director
Steve Buhai	....	first assistant director
Aaron Walters	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Kirstin Bianchi	....	art department assistant
Kirstin Bianchi	....	set dresser
Leroy Burrowes	....	art department assistant
Larry Conboy	....	graphics
Justin O'Shaughnessy	....	property master

Sound Department
Heike Ast	....	re-recording editor
Stacey Clark	....	sound editor
Chris Clifford	....	sound utility
Dave Earnest	....	sound editor (as David Earnest)
Nigel Elliot	....	sound mixer
Hubert Henle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Greg Mills	....	foley artist
Bernd Popella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Niels Rinke	....	sound coordinator
Tom Taylor	....	boom operator
Chris White	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Christine Albers	....	2D lead
Corey Bastiaans	....	visual effects
Melissa Best	....	digital compositor: Frantic Films
Chris Bond	....	visual effects supervisor
Jason Booth	....	compositor
Shane Davidson	....	on-set visual effects supervisor
Jeff Douglas	....	Avid DS HD artist
Mark Halsall	....	visual effects producer: Frantic Films
Bill Lord	....	digital color timer
Brad Pitre	....	3D lead
Casey Sargent	....	computer graphics
George Taylor	....	compositor
Darren Wall	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Webber	....	visual effects animator
Dan Wrightsell	....	visual effects
Ken Zorniak	....	visual effects
Matt Broeska	....	lead matchmove artist: Frantic Films (uncredited)

Stunts
Jerry L. Buxbaum	....	stunt coordinator (as Jerry Buxbaum)
Marla Casey	....	stunt double
Marla Casey	....	stunts
Andrea Palpant	....	stunt double
Skye Perrigo	....	stunt double
Amanda Steen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Matt Barbie	....	additional assistant camera
Douglas Cheney	....	director of photography: second unit
Tim Cunningham	....	grip
Justin Davis	....	second assistant camera
Carrie Fouts	....	additional assistant camera
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Richard Heinzen	....	still photographer
Deb Hoff	....	additional assistant camera
John Hoffma	....	grip
Eric Jennings	....	first assistant camera
Mike Kjolso	....	electrician
Julia Nielson	....	electrician
Joe Pacella	....	camera loader
Jason A. Payne	....	videographer (as Jason Payne)
Trevor Roberge	....	grip: second unit
Geoff Shotz	....	Steadicam operator
Shane Simonsen	....	videographer
Mike Vukas	....	gaffer
Mark Watson	....	best boy electric
Rick Young	....	best boy grip

Animation Department
Louie Hinayo	....	animator
Tim Linklater	....	animator

Casting Department
Debi Bailey	....	casting assistant
Amanda Fenster	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Casie Ernst	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul	....	assistant editor
Jason A. Payne	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Transportation Department
David R. Johnson	....	minivan driver

Other crew
Casey Balzano	....	office production assistant
Mike Bold	....	title designer
Brian Bush	....	set production assistant
Douglas Cheney	....	snake handler
Aaron Critchlow	....	key set production assistant
Andrew Davis	....	location assistant
Cody George	....	set production assistant
Brian Gibbs	....	spider wrangler
Rachel Gulden	....	craft service
Val Hughes	....	dog handler
Paula Hunziker	....	script supervisor (as Paula Dussman)
Terry L. James	....	digital film transfer
Marnie Keas	....	office production assistant
Jason Mckee	....	production assistant
Jason Mckee	....	set production assistant
Jennifer Montgomery	....	office production assistant
Larry Payne	....	spider wrangler
Frederic Perrin	....	caterer
Jessica Ramberg	....	set production assistant
Greg Rathvon	....	production accountant
Paula Ratoza	....	mouse trainer
Niels Rinke	....	sound coordinator
Sandra Schall	....	set production assistant
Jay Secatello	....	office production assistant
Sara Blythe Smith	....	production coordinator
Elliott Wallach	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Namesake Entertainment
• North by Northwest Entertainment
• The Total Living Network

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Finnkino (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• H.O.M. Vision (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Frantic Films

Other Companies

• Digital Dreams  adr recording
• MainSail Production Services Inc.  special thanks
• Tequila Mockingbird  adr recording

Also Known As:

The Veritas Project: Hangman's Curse (USA) (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for elements of violence/terror and for brief drug material.

Runtime:

USA:106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Hungary:16 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | USA:PG-13 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Riverside State Park - 9711 W. Charles Road, Nine Mile Falls, Washington, USA

Company:

Namesake Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sarah picks up the disk to the digital recorder in the RV, she is wearing white gloves. But when Elijah immediately takes the disk from her, the gloves are gone.

Quotes:

Norman Bloom: It feels so good to see the bad guys scared for a change.

Movie Connections:

References Ghost Busters (1984)

Good for teens, so-so for adults.

Well, Frank Peretti is making movies, and even appearing in them.

Just finished watching his new video, "Hangman's Curse". Now, it has the usual characteristics of Christian films: Forced and/or extraneous dialogue, cheezy over-acting (Peretti), overdrawn stereotypes and a too-inclusive ending.

It also has Mel Harris (Thirtysomething), David Keith (Firestarter), Billy Moses (Mystic Pizza) and some rather talented teen actors -- Meester and Smith.

HC is intended for a teen audience, and if they are not overly discriminating they should enjoy it. It isn't terribly preachy, like many Christian movies, and the plot is actually interesting (before it becomes obvious who the villain is).

The Christianity is sort of sprung on us at the end. There are hints of it during the film, and there are some insightful digs at the naturalistic worldview, but there could have been more obvious examples during the first hour, graduating into the expressions of faith later on.

At nearly two hours HC is also a bit too long, and it could have been shaved during editing to pick up the (leisurely) pace.

I got my copy at Wal-Mart for $10. It is also available at Christian book stores. It's worth seeing and it's a start -- hopefully if they do another one they'll be able to excise the annoying bits.

Someone should write them.