The Strangers (Exclusive Series) (Netflix)
- Matt Palmer
- Oct 6, 2021
- 2 min read
Initial release date: May 30, 2008
Studios: Universal Pictures/Rogue Pictures/Vertigo Entertainment
Taglines: Inspired by Real Events
Lock the door. Pretend you’re safe
Plot: Kristen and James are expecting a relaxing weekend at a family vacation home, but their stay turns out to be anything but peaceful. First, a mysterious woman arrives at the door while James is out on an errand. When he returns the real danger shows up - in the form of three masked torturers, leaving them struggling for survival.
Cast
Scott Speedman (Netflix’s You) - James Hoyt
Liv Tyler (Ad Astra; 9-1-1: Lone Star) - Kristen McKay
Gemma Ward - Dollface
Kip Weeks (Netflix’s Spenser Confidential) - Man in Mask
Laura Margolis - Pin-Up Girl
Glenn Howerton (The Hunt; FXs It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Mike
Writer/director: Bryan Bertino (wrote The Strangers: Prey at Night)
Rated R for violence/terror and language (86 minutes)
The 2008 thriller ‘The Strangers’ delivers some solid acting and terrifying moments. One thing that I really enjoy about the movie is that the scares mainly come from loud noises that the intruders cause to torment the characters.
Just like most thrillers and horror movies, there are a few moments that you will question what the characters are trying to do to survive the night. This home invasion thrill-fest can be really suspenseful and the film’s atmosphere can be creepy at times,
If you’re looking for a tense thriller, you can stream ‘The Strangers’ on Netflix. It’s also available to rent online through Apple TV, VuduFandango and Amazon Prime.
Here are some interesting tidbits about ‘The Strangers’:
According to director Bryan Bertino, the film is partially based on an incident he experienced as a child. One evening a stranger came to his door, asked for someone who wasn’t there, and left. Later, Bertino found out that other homes in the neighborhood had been broken into that night.
During filming, in order to get an actual reaction from actress Liv Tyler, Bertino would tell her where to expect a loud bang from, but would ten have the loud noise come from a completely different direction.
Many theaters across the US were sent faulty reels of the movie, containing sound problems, which made a few minutes to several scenes of the movie filled with nothing but static. Most audiences didn’t realize the sound was a problem, since the dark overtone and loud background music in some scenes make the static seem part of the movie.
According to Bertino and Liv Tyler, the finale in the original script had much more interaction and dialogue between the victims and the strangers. This was cut in order to keep the intruders mysterious and eerie.
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $21 million, at 2,467 theaters, ranking No. 3 at the box office. The film became a sleeper hit with a successful box office return, earning $82.4 million worldwide.
A long-awaited sequel, ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night,’ was released in March 2018.
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