"In crafting a film about the ways fear can manipulate -- are there really creatures of mass destruction in the woods? Shyamalan gives the film a metaphorical weight that goes deeper than goose bumps." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE "Every bit as rich and unforgettable an experience as The Sixth Sense." Randy Shulman WASHINGTON DC METRO WEEKLY "I take perverse pride in admitting that they caught me totally by surprise." Steve Schneider ORLANDO WEEKLY "An eloquently suspenseful film." Audrey Rock-Richardson UTAH TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN

"A good looking and well-paced oddity that's marketed as a thriller but manages to stand on its own legs as a touching romance" Sean O'Connell ECLIPSE MAGAZINE "A more interesting movie than those two most recent Shyamalan films." Mary F Pols CONTRA COSTA TIMES "...the combination of Shyamalan's natural gift for storytelling and the strongest ensemble cast he's ever featured is impossible to resist." David Nusair REEL FILM REVIEWS "The Village is M. Night Shyamalan’s best work since The Sixth Sense." Scott Nash THREE MOVIE BUFFS

At A Glance

"Sure to divide, if not downright piss off a lot of people. Personally, I loved it." Kevin N Laforest MONTREAL FILM JOURNAL

Those who enjoyed, nay loved, M Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs" will be pleased to know that his latest film "The Village" is very entertaining. Unlike some scary movies that rely on shock tactics, M Night Shyamalan uses the greatest fear factor or all; the fear within all of us. That fear unseen. Fear hidden in the deepest, darkest corner of the brain. Laying dormant, until the right catalyst comes along and then snappo, we are gripped, consumed by sheer terror. "Fear doesn’t necessarily need to be something we are afraid of," says Shyamalan. "Sometimes it just lets our imaginations run wild. I hope through "The Village", audiences are able to explore a world of fear and how, even in the midst of chaos, you can find a way to cope." It's not hard to understand where Shyamalan is comingng from. Fear manufactured by our imagination can be very intense indeed. It can lead to a huge adrenalin rush; a racing heart that beats so loud it's almost deafening; a cold sweat that breaks out on the brow and that terrible feeling when the hair on the back of your neck slowly stands up. Fear is now in total control. Hands up all those who can remember when as a kid, you were too afraid to go to sleep with the light off because you were convinced that there was something lurking in that dark corner of your bedroom. Or those who were afraid to go out in the backyard on a dark night because they believed there were ghosts hiding in the shadows, just waiting to leap out and scare the bejeezers out of you. Perhaps worse. It's late. You're walking home on a dark night. Suddenly you're spooked. Something's not right. You hear footsteps behind you keeping pace with your own. You stop. So do they. You look behind, but there is no one to be seen, only dark, flickering shadows, dancing eerily in the broken moonlight. Could it be your imagination is playing tricks on you. You walk on, but a little faster. The footsteps return, almost matching your own. You dare not look back. They sound so close. Panic is setting in. You can see your porch, its welcoming reassuring light shines across the front path. It's only a few steps away, but it seems so far. Your heart races, blood surges through your veins, you try not to breath too loud and give your pursuer any hint you realize they are there, right behind you. Fumbling through your bag you ask yourself," Oh hell, where is that key"? Its got to be here somewhere. But where? Finally you find it. Oh geez, it's upside down. Time is of the importance now. You have to get inside. The end of the key dances across the slot, then finally slides in. You turn it with such force that as the lock is released the door flies open. As if knowing your imminent danger it drags you through to safety. Quickly you shut the door, turn off the light. You stumble through the house, reach a window and gently, very gently, pull the curtain across just enough to see out. There's no-one to be seen. Where the hell are they. You want to know. You want to see their face. Your eyes have adjusted to the dark now and you can just make out the furniture in the front room. There's a noise. What is it? Where did it come from? Too afraid to turn a light on you make for the safety of your bedroom, quickly undressing in the dark. You slip between the sheets and stare in the dark at your open bedroom door. Then you feel it. Just softly at first. Someone is breathing ever so quietly, and they are in your bedroom. Your daren't turn on the lamp. You want to, but by now, frozen with fear your are unable to move. You feel their weight on the bed. Your mind screams, "Oh please go away". Finally, your every emotion is released. Just as your life flashes before your eyes you leap up and frantically turn on the light. Your heart is in your mouth. You turn around. "Oh Shit, it's only the bloody cat!" If that little story got your mind going, you can imagine the suspence you are in for when viewing "The Village". Shyamalan's style is not to use scare tactics but rather to use techniques that builds on suspence. "When I write I gravitate toward having a streamline of suspense. I like to surprise people and that just feels natural," he said. "At the same time I try and give humanity to my stories. Hopefully audiences leave with something to think about that is worthwhile." This film is set in the 19th Century, in a village surrounded by woodlands which are inhabited by "Those we don’t speak of". Though these are, for all intent and purpose, fearsome creatures, they are also protecting those who inhabit "The Village". That protection allows the inhabitants to maintain their own particular lifestyle and beliefs. There is no evolution here. The status quo remains unbroken. Unlike "The Village", Shyamalan sees his latest film as a form of evolution for himself. "The Village is different from my previous films. I think it is me growing up and evolving as a filmmaker. I wanted to write about innocence," he said. Shyamalan achieves that by setting the film "after the civil war and before industrialization when it was a simpler life." Or to put it another way; "When it wasn’t about money or greed. People spoke without sarcasm and you could hear the truth and sincerity in their voices." He notes too that there were new grounds for him as a writer in this 19th century tale. "It was new for me to include elements of romance in my writing along with the unknown supernatural elements that audiences have enjoyed in my past films," he says. "This movie is ultimately about the power of what love can do to create things, and what it can overcome." While the tale of "The Village" is pure fiction, there is a genuine feel of authenticity to the film. Thats comes courtesy of the craftsmen who took two and a half months to painstakingly build the "beautifully authentic 1897 town in southeast Pennsylvania". As if that wasn't authentic enough, Shyamalan had this demand of those who were cast for "The Village". It was a must for the actors. "If they wanted to be in “The Village,” they had to commit to three weeks of boot camp prep time prior to shooting." Now that's a tough ask. Why was he adamant about the 'boot camp' for the cast? Simple he says; "I wanted to form a real community of people where they needed to rely on one another for survival. I didn’t just want to do my version of this movie. I wanted to be surprised. I wanted to be entertained. I wanted to come to work and not know what was going to happen, and the only way that is going to happen is if the actors are in it with me, standing right beside me." The 'boot camp' introduced cast members to the rigours of late 19th life and the tasks people had to handle in such a community. They actually did learn about "everything from skinning and tanning to candle-making to blacksmithing to wood chopping, and even butter churning and shearing sheep." Word has it that actress Sigourney Weaver even turned her hand to ploughing, renaming the task, "surfing on dirt". And here's a bit more inside information; "The chef, every night prior to dinner, would pick two cast names out of a hat and those picked would help to prepare the evening meal for the entire group. Everyone participated and shared the tasks and chores." Shyamalan knew what he wanted and how to go about it. He was wise enough to realize; "No matter how independent we are or think we are, people need people and a sense of community. We crave it," he said. "Crave to be part of something bigger than us." And he's right you know. Let's hope that those who see "The Village" can grasp what the talented writer and director has crafted into his latest film. Crew Bytes "The Village" was .......
directed by M Night Shyamalan ["The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable" and "Signs"]; written by M Night Shyamalan ["Praying with Anger" and "Wide Awake"]; production design by Tom Foden ["The Cell", "One Hour Photo" and "Matchstick Men"]; edited by Christopher Tellefsen ["Changing Lanes", "The Human Stain", "Man on the Moon" and "Birthday Girl"]; costume designer by Academy Award ® winner Ann Roth ["The English Patient", "The Hours", "Places in the Heart" and "The Talented Mr Ripley"]; cinematograhpy by Roger Deakins ["Intolerable Cruelty", "The Man Who Wasn't There", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "The Big Lebowski" and "The Shawshank Redemption"]; original music by James Newton Howard ["Pretty Woman", "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable" and "Signs"] produced by Sam Mercer ["Van Helsing", "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable" and "Signs"] and Scott Rudin ["The Stepford Wives", "School of Rock", "The Hours" and "Changing Lanes"]. Casting About "The Village" stars .......
Joaquin Phoenix ["Spacecamp", "Parenthood", "To Die For", "Clay Pigeons" and "Gladiator"]; Academy Award ® winner Adrien Brody ["King of the Hill", "The Thin Red Line", "Summer of Sam" and "The Pianist"]; Academy Award ® and BAFTA winner William Hurt ["Tuck Everlasting", "Sunshine", "Altered States" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman"]; Sigourney Weaver ["Ghostbusters", "The Year of Living Dangerously", "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Working Girl"]; Brendan Gleeson ["Troy", "Dark Blue", "Tailor of Panama", "Braveheart" and "The Snapper"]; Cherry Jones ["Cradle Will Rock", "The Perfect Storm", "The Horse Whisperer" and "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"]; John Christopher Jones [The Hurricane", "In and Out", "Substance of Fire", "Desperate Hours", "Awakenings" and "Moonstruck"]; Celia Weston ["Far From Heaven", "Runaway Jury", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", "The Hulk" and "K-Pak"] and introducing Academy Award winning director Ron Howard's daughter Bryce Dallas Howard ["The Village"] as Ivy Walker. The Story

"Shyamalan is a master of mood, tone and style, like Hitchcock, and keeps the scary bits off screen, which in this desensitized world, makes them all the more frightening." Jamie Gillies APOLLO GUIDE

To the villagers, those who inhabit the woods surrounding their village are best left alone. We do not go into their territory and they don't come into ours. "Those we don’t speak of", the creatures who inhabit these places have ensured the village has remained a safe haven for many years. It keeps the inhabitants from the outside world and the outside world from those who cherish the isolation. But there are strict rules in "The Village" and they must be adhered too, lest dire consequences befall them. Let the bad colour not be seen. It attracts them; Never enter the woods. That is where they wait; The safe colour should be worn upon approaching the forbidden line; One man should hold post in the tower each night; Heed the warning bell for they are coming. Take care, follow these rules, tempt not the creatures and all will be well. That is until the rule is broken, bringing wrath upon the village. The creatures come out of the woods. Could the truce between "The Village" and the creatures be ending? Ivy Walker is about to find out! The Verdict M Night Shyamalan weaves another magical mysterious journey for viewers with his latest film, "The Village". After seeing "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs", many of his fans were wondering if Shyamalan could come up with another plot capable of keeping an audience focussed right up to that quintessential moment when he gobsmacks them. The answer is simple! He has with "The Village". Shyamalan proves he is the modern day Hitchcock when it comes to hoodwinking the viewer. A stunning debut for Bryce Dallas Howard. Very entertaining." The Cast

Bryce Dallas Howard Joaquin Phoenix Adrien Brody William Hurt Sigourney Weaver Brendan Gleeson Cherry Jones Celia Weston John Christopher Jones Frank Collison Jayne Atkinson Judy Greer Fran Kranz Michael Pitt Jesse Eisenberg Charlie Hofheimer Scott Sowers Zack Wall Pascale Renate Smith Jordan Burt Jane Lowe Charlie McDermott Robert Lenzi Willem Zuur Liz Stauber

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Ivy Walker Lucius Hunt Noah Percy Edward Walker Alice Hunt August Nicholson Mrs Clack Vivian Percy Robert Percy Victor Tabitha Walker Kitty Walker Christop Crane Finton Coin Jamison Young Security Guard Man With The Raised Eyebrows Donald Marybeth 12 y.o Boy Brown Eyed Girl 10 y.o Boy Young Man Gerald Beatrice

The Crew Directed & Written by M Night Shyamalan Produced by Sam Mercer/Scott Rudin/M Night Shyamalan Original Music by James Newton Howard Cinematography by Roger Deakins Film Editing by Christopher Tellefsen Casting by Douglas Aibel Production Design by Tom Foden Art Direction by Michael Manson & Chris Shriver Set Decoration by Larry Dias Costume Design by Ann Roth Makeup Artist Todd Kleitsch Production Manager Mark Indig Production Supervisor Gerald Scaife Run Time 120 minutes Rated M15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2004 - Touchstone Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2004 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved