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

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:

In one scene, Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" plays loudly on the record player. His band was "The Strangers."

Goofs:

Continuity: James wraps his necktie around Kristen's injured hand. In the next scene, he is wearing the tie. In the scene after that, he is not wearing the tie.

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 "20 to 1: Sizzling Superstars (#8.15)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Hopeful

An open "Dear John" to The Strangers.

You can't fool me. I'm on to you. I was on to you from the start. I knew it the instant you started out with the beginning at the end... That is a red flag for "I'm not confident in the script, or my characters, so I'll hook you in with flashes of cryptic violence." I admit, your beauty was hypnotic... almost sublime at times, but alas, you cannot polish a turd. Your pretty face and moody imagery can only get you (or me) in the door, but you lacked follow through. You lacked confidence. You lacked compelling characters I even remotely care about. You lacked even the actual John Laroquette to do the docu-drama Texas Chainsaw Massacre voice over in the beginning. (I mean, what would it cost to get him - a hot meal?) So what did you do to fill the obvious void? You followed all of those before you: Step. By. Step. There was not ONE genuinely scary moment in your heart, only silly, shallow shockers.

The sad thing is, I had such high hopes for you... for US. We could have had something really special together, there... in the dark. I can forgive so much, and I only ask for honesty in return. But you, with your obvious plot devices and 2nd rate scare tactics - you sadden me. Nay, you disgust me. My mama told me never to trust a pretty face. (And what a pretty face you had!)

But in the end, the joke is on me. You got my $11, my 90 minutes and were gone from my life the minute the lights went up. You're all the same. All of you.

Where are all the good thrillers??