The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

A reporter is drawn to a small West Virginia town to investigate a series of strange events, including psychic visions and the appearance of bizarre entities.

Director:

Mark Pellington

Writers:

Richard Hatem (screenplay), John A. Keel (novel)

Stars:

Richard Gere, David Eigenberg, Bob Tracey

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Gere	...	John Klein
David Eigenberg	...	Ed Fleischman
Bob Tracey	...	Cyrus Bills
Ron Emanuel	...	Washington Post Reporter
Debra Messing	...	Mary Klein
Tom Stoviak	...	Real Estate Agent
Yvonne Erickson	...	Dr. McElroy
Scott Nunnally	...	Orderly
Harris Mackenzie	...	TV Journalist
Will Patton	...	Gordon Smallwood
Lucinda Jenney	...	Denise Smallwood
Laura Linney	...	Connie Mills
Tom Tully	...	Motel Manager
Zachary Mott	...	Otto (as Billy Mott)
Ann McDonough	...	Lucy Griffin

Storyline

John Klein is involved in a car accident with his wife, but while he is unharmed, his wife mentions a moth shaped creature appearing. After her death, John begins to investigate the secrets behind this mentioned Mothman. It takes him to a small town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where he discovers a connection with the same problem. Here he meets Connie Mills, while he continues to unravel the mystery of what the Mothman really is.

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Plot Keywords:

small town | psychic | reporter | dream | car accident | 

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Taglines:

Based on true events

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for terror, some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mothman

Filming Locations:

Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$215,992 (Japan) (1 November 2002)

Gross:

$565,307 (Japan) (8 November 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The clock radio in John Klein's motel room reads: 6:14. It's a biblical reference to John Chapter 6 verse 14, which reads, 'This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.'

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Goofs

In the scene where John Klein is talking on the phone explaining that he didn't leave the voice mail about the chemical plant, he walks to the mirror and the mirror doesn't match what he was doing. His body movements were a few seconds ahead of the image in the mirror. (This may have been intentional due to the paranormal nature of the film, but they may also have had to add in the mirror image later because the camera was visible and not synchronized it properly.)

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Quotes

[first lines]
John Klein: Jesus!

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Crazy Credits

Soundtrack listing, song Half Light, which plays over the credits. The movie credits for this song say, "Additional Lyrics by Indrid Cold," the Mothman character of the movie. Toward the end of the song, there is a muffled, whispering voice, similar to one of the prophetic voice heard at various times in the movie. The voice continues just past the end of the song and to the end of the credits, but the words are indiscernible.

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Connections

Featured in Shades of Gray (2009)

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Soundtracks

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
Arranged by Benjamin Newhouse (as Ben Newhouse)
Courtesy of Opus 1 Music

User Reviews

A cut down modernized Hollywood version of John A. Keel's famous UFO story.

(**** out of *****)

What a wonderful and rich role for Gere who should maybe experiment more in movies that deal with the realms of the unknown.

A much respected reporter for the Washington Post John Klein (Richard Gere) is about to have his life turned upside down when his wife dies in an automobile accident that seems to have been caused by a mysterious flying creature which he never did see himself. The plot takes Gere to the Ohio/West Virginia border where he meets with the local residents who all seem to be having their troubles with strange lights, weird phone calls and a bird like creature which they call the Mothman. Klein investigates the mystery at the cost of his own sanity and career.

The film is very scary but lacks the pace and fibre that made the John A. Keel's book an awe inspiring read. There are no Men In Black, UFO's, alien impregnated women, phone tapings or a clear resolution to some of the character's fate. In fact only about 10% of the book is actually reproduced in the film. The other 90% seems to have been plucked from an episode of the `X-files'... but what a good episode it is! This is a film that has high production values. The lighting, camerawork, sound and editing are always on top form which is something that prevents the movie from disappearing into the ranks of science fiction B movie hokum. `The Mothman Prophecies' looks simply `weirdly' gorgeous on the big screen.

There is not enough Mothman revealed to the viewer but country folk Gordon Smallwood (the well cast and superbly acted Will Patton) creates a much needed conduit into the effects that the Mothman has on the people of Point Pleasant and this is what the film is really all about - The consequences that the supernatural can have on the psyche of a small backward town's population. Although the ending is Mothman free it certainly does jolt the emotions and evokes a sort of belittling sympathy for the human beings of this planet.

Watch this film and then go read the book for a much better look at really went on. All in all, the film is a spine-chilling riveting stuff and well worth repeated viewing even though it never truly escapes its `X-Files' feeling.