The Strangers

ExtremeSleuth

ExtremeSleuth

Veteran
Just saw this. Was pleasantly surprised. Ya it had some cliche moments, but overall I really dug this film. The first reveal of the bad guys was awesome. The dialogue wasn't great, but I don't go to see a horror movie for amazing dialogue.

Out of five stars I'd give it a 2 1/2. Wasn't great, but did keep me engaged.
 
I thought this was really good. Out of five stars I give this 3.5.

It was a solid psychological horror film, and I actually thought the dialogue was good.
 
Dialogue was better than most slasher films, but overall I just didn't think it was that great.

But the movie was one hell of a ride. It's the director's first film too. Great job on his part.
 
I loved it. The director is super talented. Beautifully shot and atmospheric, and I was freakin' terrified from start to almost finish--because the ending is, well...underwhelming. And that's a shame, because ultimately the story just didn't hold up to the quality of performance and direction. Music and sound design is amazing too. I'm a little surprised how closely they seem to have ripped off the French hit "Them." Check out "Them" on DVD. Totally well done. Very VERY similar to The Strangers. Even the titles are sort of the same, but I don't think anyone optioned Them. I guess they figured a "haunted house" is a "haunted house."
 
Here's more details about it. It's better known as the the Manson Murders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson

This film fits pretty closely to what happened. From the wiki article:
Encounter with Tate
On March 23, 1969,[44] Manson entered, uninvited, upon 10050 Cielo Drive, which he had known as the residence of Terry Melcher.[21] This was Rudi Altobelli's property, where Melcher was no longer the tenant; as of that February,[45] the tenants were Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski.
Manson was met by Shahrokh Hatami, a photographer and Tate friend, who was there to photograph Tate in advance of her departure for Rome the next day. Having seen Manson through a window as Manson approached the main house, Hatami had gone onto the front porch to ask him what he wanted.[44] When Manson told Hatami he was looking for someone whose name Hatami did not recognize, Hatami informed him the place was the Polanski residence. Hatami advised him to try "the back alley," by which he meant the path to the guest house, beyond the main house.[44] Concerned over the stranger on the property, Hatami was now down on the front walk, to confront Manson. When Tate appeared behind Hatami, in the house's front door, and asked who was calling, Hatami said a man was looking for someone. Hatami and Tate maintained their positions while Manson, without a word, went back to the guest house, returned a minute or two later, and left.[44]
That evening, Manson returned to the property and again went back to the guest house, where, presuming to enter the enclosed porch, he spoke with Rudi Altobelli, who was just coming out of the shower. Although Manson asked for Melcher, Altobelli felt Manson had come looking for him,[46] as is consistent with prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's later discovery that Manson had apparently been to the place on earlier occasions since Melcher's departure from it.[44][47]
Speaking through the inner screen door, Altobelli told Manson that Melcher had moved to Malibu; he lied that he did not know Melcher's new address. In response to a question from Manson, Altobelli said he himself was in the entertainment business, although, having met Manson the previous year, at Dennis Wilson's home, he was sure Manson already knew that. At Wilson's, Altobelli had complimented Manson lukewarmly on some of his musical recordings that Wilson had been playing.[44]
When Altobelli informed Manson he was going out of the country the next day, Manson said he'd like to speak with him upon his return; Altobelli lied that he would be gone for more than a year. In response to a direct question from Altobelli, Manson explained that he had been directed to the guest house by the persons in the main house; Altobelli expressed the wish that Manson not disturb his tenants.[44]
Manson left. As Altobelli flew with Tate to Rome the next day, Tate asked him whether "that creepy-looking guy" had gone back to the guest house the day before.[44]
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Hey Isaac. I'm curious why you think that Manson chronology echoes any of the events in The Strangers at all. Other than some bad guy coming to the house, I don't see any connection whatsoever. There are so many films that have bad guys coming to the house that were NOT based on Manson (Halloween, The Dark Hours, etc.), I just don't see the connection between Manson and The Strangers.
 
For a first time director (Bryan Bertino) , I thought the film was ok (a decent first act) - he certainly "borrowed" from a number of others in the genre.

I agree ZFarms, the slow burn to first reveal was frickin' scarey! There were also another 4 or 5 good jumps!

Some of the handheld camera work at the beginning just didn't work for me and the decision to have the Killer (the main dude) sit down during the closet scene while he thought about where next to look for Liv Tyler - just plain bad direction. A bunch of people actually laughed when he did that!


It wasn't great but had some effective scares.



dmc
 
Just saw the trailer for this and my wife noticed the director's name in the credits - apparently she went to film school with him. Small world.

She said that according to him it was losely 'inspired' by the Manson Sharon Tate incident.
 
Luis Caffesse said:
She said that according to him it was losely 'inspired' by the Manson Sharon Tate incident.
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Based on the movie, I probably wouldn't have made the connection to the Mason family murders - a least not directly. Although it is interesting that in both instances the "family" was the threat.

Hmm...



dmc
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Just saw the trailer for this and my wife noticed the director's name in the credits - apparently she went to film school with him. Small world.

She said that according to him it was losely 'inspired' by the Manson Sharon Tate incident.
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Again, I loved the direction. Including the part when the hooded man sat down! I laughed a bit too, but it was more to relieve the tension of a very scary moment, I think. I thought the film was a really strong example of a directorial talent, as he stretched a thin premise into a riveting, scary trip.

But again, the whole thing is much more "loosely based" on "Them" (recent French horror hit) than on Sharon Tate murder. I just think that's a bit of obfuscation of the truth (that it's a movie borrowed from other movies). But whatever--we're all "inspired" by many things when we create, manyo f which we're not even aware of. I just don't see anything remotely Manson-like in the movie. Only reason I'm arguing the point is that I think the movie unfairly borrows a bit from a foreign hit, and I think referencing Manson is a bit of smoke and mirrors. Maybe he's never seen "Them." I mean, neither are totally original. But there are striking similarities that make me think otherwise (spoilers ahead): loving couple heads to a lonely house away from other people, strangers with faces obscured start lurking around the house, the strangers can inexplicably enter the house and control the goings on, the strangers sabotage the car the couple arrived in, the strangers seem to be supernatural and possibly ghosts, the woman is the one left to fight most of the battle against these strangers, ...use mouse to highlight and read the next line of this post only if you don't care about spoilers... the strangers turn out to be something far less than supernatural with a very pedestrian excuse for their crimes (this aspect is identical in both movies).
 
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I've read the book and the case files from the Manson Murders and would be curious as to what exact events in the film share a similar theme or detail ?

Seems to be getting decent responses from you guys, I may have to go see this.

Rob Zombies Devil's Rejects and House of 1000 Corpses are definite homage to the Manson murders.
 
J.R. Hudson said:
Rob Zombies Devil's Rejects and House of 1000 Corpses are definite homage to the Manson murders.
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Absolutely - the whole Spahn Ranch vibe of where they live and the Firefly's themselves did a great job of bringing to mind (without directly lifting) the essence of the Manson family.

In an effort not to spoil it for ya I won't give away too much, but I really wouldn't say that very much in The Strangers, was taken from the real life Tate murders at all - aside from the actual violent home invasion itself. (Nothing about the visual treatment would suggest that to me either.)

It does do a good job of building dread in the first act - something really lacking in most of the horror films of late. A Rob Zombie movie it ain't... the Devil's Rejects is a far superior movie IMHO.

just my 2¢.



dmc
 
Thanks for that dmc

I love Rob Zombie, even if his reimagined Halloween missed the mark for me. I believe he is the real deal.

We lack real horror films these days; PG-13 horror ? Bah !
 
J.R. Hudson said:
I love Rob Zombie, even if his reimagined Halloween missed the mark for me. I believe he is the real deal.
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Ya know, I really like Rob Zombie's stuff and I so wanted for his Halloween to be better than it was but I also felt a little guilty for hoping that it would eclipse the original - like I was being unfaithful or something ; )

The original still stands (for me anyway) as one of the top 5 horror films of all time!


J.R. Hudson said:
We lack real horror films these days; PG-13 horror ? Bah !
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Well... this one's rated as 14 so...



dmc
 
Yeah in Canada (or specifically British Columbia) there is a 14A (eh).

"14A
Anyone under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Parents cautioned. These films may contain violence, coarse language, and/or sexually suggestive scenes."

Pretty much the same as PG-13.



dmc
 
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