Signs (2002)

Director:

M. Night Shyamalan

Writer (WGA):

M. Night Shyamalan (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It's Not Like They Didn't Warn Us.

Plot:

A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.

Plot Keywords:

Crop Circle | Crops | Farm | Faith | Extraterrestrial

Awards:

3 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Rev. Graham Hess
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Merrill Hess
Rory Culkin	...	Morgan Hess
Abigail Breslin	...	Bo Hess
Cherry Jones	...	Officer Paski
M. Night Shyamalan	...	Ray Reddy
Patricia Kalember	...	Colleen Hess
Ted Sutton	...	SFC Cunningham
Merritt Wever	...	Tracey Abernathy, the Pharmacist
Lanny Flaherty	...	Mr. Nathan
Marion McCorry	...	Mrs. Nathan
Michael Showalter	...	Lionel Prichard
Kevin Pires	...	Brazilian Birthday Boy
Clifford David	...	Columbia University Professor
Rhonda Overby	...	Sarah Hughes
Greg Wood	...	TV Anchor
Paul L. Nolan	...	Mexico City Reporter (voice) (as Paul Nolan)
Ukee Washington	...	Off-Screen TV Anchor (voice)
Babita Hariani	...	Car Radio Voice (voice)
Adam Way	...	Radio Eye Witness (voice)
Angela Eckert	...	Soda Commercial Girl
Jose L. Rodriguez	...	Radio Host (voice)
Paul Wilson	...	Soda Commercial Singer (voice)
Thomas Griffin	...	Soda Commercial Singer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chuck Pressler	...	Fireman (uncredited)
Samantha Steffen	...	Bo Stand In (uncredited)

Directed by
M. Night Shyamalan

Writing credits (WGA)
M. Night Shyamalan		(written by)

Produced by
Kathleen Kennedy	....	executive producer
Frank Marshall	....	producer
Sam Mercer	....	producer
M. Night Shyamalan	....	producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto

Film Editing by
Barbara Tulliver

Casting by
Douglas Aibel

Production Design by
Larry Fulton

Art Direction by
Keith P. Cunningham

Set Decoration by
Douglas A. Mowat		(as Douglas Mowat)

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Don Kozma	....	assistant makeup artist (as Donald A. Kozma)
Bernadette Mazur	....	key makeup artist
Francesca Paris	....	key hair stylist
Waldo Sanchez	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Lynn Andrews	....	production supervisor
Abby Callahan	....	post-production supervisor (as Abigail Callahan)
Sam Mercer	....	unit production manager
Jose L. Rodriguez	....	executive in charge of production: Blinding Edge Pictures
Gerald Scaife	....	location production supervisor (as Jim Scaife)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maya Choldin	....	dga trainee
Frank Ferro	....	first assistant director: second unit
Brick Mason	....	second unit director
Alison C. Rosa	....	second assistant director (as Alison Rosa)
John Rusk	....	first assistant director
Kathryn-Ann Oaks Shertzer	....	second second assistant director (as Kathryn Shertzer)

Art Department
Greta Alexander	....	scenic artist
Chris Bauer	....	shop electrician
Lewis Bowen	....	scenic foreman
Ricky Bowen	....	scenic charge
Krzysztof J. Bratun	....	scenic artist
James Breen	....	key greensman (as James 'Jimbo' Breen)
John J. Breen	....	construction grip
Jon C. Breen	....	construction grip
Thom Bumblauskas	....	scenic artist
Tim Callahan	....	construction grip
Janet Cleveland	....	scenic artist
Jonathan A. Davidson	....	construction grip
Tony Denoi	....	construction grip
Jennifer Desnovée	....	scenic artist (as Jenni Desnovée)
John J. Donaghy	....	construction grip
Anne Donovan	....	scenic artist
Chip Eccles	....	shop craftsman
James C. Feng	....	assistant art director (as James Feng)
Michael T. Galvin	....	set dresser
Edward R. Geller	....	construction grip
Jon E. Graf	....	mill foreman
Christopher F. Graneto	....	construction grip
William J. Hamilton Jr.	....	construction grip
William F. Hennessy Jr.	....	set dresser
Alicia Jacobson	....	scenic artist
Erika S. Katz	....	scenic artist
Richard Kelusak	....	construction grip
Laila Kjoersvik Swanson	....	scenic artist
Marion Kolsby	....	assistant art director
Kevin Ladson	....	property master
Buddy Lawn	....	construction grip
Paul Maiello	....	location foreman
Janice E. Manser	....	assistant draper
Lori Marks	....	scenic artist
Nicole Marsella	....	art department assistant
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist
Cricket McGehee	....	scenic artist
Alan J. Mehlbrech	....	construction grip
Morgan Miller	....	set dresser
Scott P. Murphy	....	assistant art director
Jim Orr	....	set dresser
Sharon Potts	....	on-set dresser
Ricky Riggs	....	scenic charge
Robert Butch Samarzich	....	key greensman (as Robert Samarzich)
Skylar Schmidt	....	construction clerk
Charles J. Scott	....	set dresser
Joseph Siwinski	....	lead man
R. Vincent Smith	....	assistant property master
Duncan M. Spencer	....	key construction grip (as Duncan Spencer)
Kia Steave-Dickerson	....	props
Nell Stifel	....	camera scenic artist
Nancy Stroud	....	scenic artist
Christine Sysko	....	draper (as Christine M. Sysko)
Sameena Usmani	....	art department coordinator
Kendra D. Wadsworth	....	scenic artist
Tom Watkins	....	set dresser
Tim Weston	....	construction grip
Christine Wick	....	assistant set decorator
Jim Williams	....	set dresser
Paul Williams	....	construction coordinator
Gary Wimmer	....	scenic artist
Stacie M. Ziegenfuss	....	constructor
Stacie M. Ziegenfuss	....	scenic buyer
Jeff Zook	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Paul Berolzheimer	....	foley editor (as Paul Beroizheimer)
Andrew Bock	....	second assistant sound editor
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
John P. Fasal	....	sound effects recordist (as John Fasal)
Chris Fitzgerald	....	adr recordist
Eric Gotthelf	....	adr mixer
Frank Graziadei	....	utility cable (as Frank J. Graziadei)
Michael Haight	....	adr supervisor
Michael Haight	....	dialogue supervisor
Gary A. Hecker	....	supervising foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Richard King	....	sound designer
Richard King	....	supervising sound editor
Caseline T. Kunene	....	sound effects voices
Patricio A. Libenson	....	foley supervisor (as Patricio Libenson)
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Tony Martinez	....	adr & dialogue editor
Michael W. Mitchell	....	sound effects editor
Douglas Murray	....	adr recordist (as Doug Murray)
Nancy Parker	....	foley artist
Eric Potter	....	sound effects recordist
Brian Ruberg	....	foley artist
Ambition Sandamela	....	sound effects voices
Michael Scott	....	boom operator
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marsha Sorce	....	adr recordist
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Hugo Weng	....	dialogue editor
Linda Yeaney	....	first assistant sound editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Bob Olari	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	sound designer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Bird	....	special effects technician
Steve Cremin	....	special effects supervisor
Michael Frechette	....	special effects technician
Anh Le Hoang	....	special effects technician
Erik Jensen	....	puppeteer (as E. Erik Jensen)
William Lee	....	special effects assistant supervisor
Rodney Morgan	....	puppeteer
Andrew Mortelliti	....	special effects technician
Paul Sabourin	....	special effects shop foreman
Michael Steffe	....	puppeteer
John Stifanich	....	special effects technician
Thomas Viviano	....	special effects technician
Danny Wagner	....	puppeteer (as Daniel J. Wagner)
Mark Walas	....	puppeteer
Jim Boulden	....	artificial dog replica (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Alleneck	....	animator: ILM
Joakim Arnesson	....	computer graphics sequence supervisor: ILM
Colin Benoit	....	technical support: ILM
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor
Carey Burens	....	assistant visual effects editor
Geoff Campbell	....	digital modeler
Robbie Clot	....	practical effects: ILM
Kingston Cole	....	visual effects production assistant
Rob Coleman	....	animation supervisor
Michael Conte	....	digital compositor: ILM
Ryan Cook	....	technical director: ILM
Jay Cooper	....	digital compositor: ILM
Marc Cooper	....	technical director: ILM
Gail Currey	....	senior staff: ILM
Beth D'Amato	....	digital paint and roto supervisor
Virgine d'Annoville	....	animator: ILM (as Virginie Michel D'Annoville)
Art David	....	digital compositor: ILM
Laura Denicke	....	visual effects production assistant
Andrew Doucette	....	character animator: ILM
C. Michael Easton	....	character animator: ILM
TyRuben Ellingson	....	character designer: ILM
Mike Ellis	....	scanning operator
Chrissie England	....	senior staff: ILM
Stefen Fangmeier	....	visual effects supervisor
Anthony Fung	....	digital effects artist
David Gainey	....	animator: ILM
Ryan Galloway	....	digital artist
Randy Gaul	....	character designer: ILM
Grantland Gears	....	digital resource assistant: ILM
Chris Goehe	....	model maker: ILM
Orin Green	....	sabre artist
Doug Griffin	....	motion capture technician
Nicholas Hasson	....	visual effects technical assistant
Carlos Huante	....	character design supervisor: ILM
Greg Hyman	....	visual effects editor
Edward Jones	....	technical support: ILM (as Ed Jones)
Maia Kayser	....	animator: ILM
Michael Kennedy	....	digital compositor
Audra Koklys	....	motion capture coordinator
Donna Lanasa	....	technical director: ILM
Lenny Lee	....	creature developer
Joshua Levine	....	technical director: ILM (as Josh Levine)
Sean MacKenzie	....	digital compositor: ILM
Tia L. Marshall	....	digital compositor: ILM (as Tia Marshall)
Scott McNamara	....	model maker: ILM
Richard Miller	....	character designer: ILM
Todd Mitchell	....	scanning operator: ILM (as Todd Mitchel)
Terry Molatore	....	viewpaint artist
Josh Novak	....	lead compositor: main title sequence
Rick O'Connor	....	CG animator
Michael Olague	....	visual effects gaffer
Jeff Olson	....	visual effects producer: ILM
Hiromi Ono	....	technical director: ILM
Eddie Pasquarello	....	compositing supervisor: ILM
Mark Powers	....	animator: ILM
Corey Rosen	....	creature developer
Corey Rosen	....	creature technical director: ILM
Jeff Saltzman	....	3D matchmove artist (as Jeffrey Saltzman)
Victor Schutz	....	visual effects technical director
Amy Shepard	....	lead digital paint and roto artist: ILM
M. Zachary Sherman	....	digital effects artist
Kenneth Smith	....	digital color timing supervisor: ILM
Scott Smith	....	production engineering
Rick Sparr	....	opticals
Tim Stevenson	....	animator: ILM
Jeff Sutherland	....	digital compositor
Stephanie Taubert	....	digital plate restorator
Lisa Todd	....	visual effects production coordinator: ILM
Tristan Tom	....	digital matte technical support: ILM
Hans Uhlig	....	computer graphics sequence supervisor: ILM
Paola Varvaro	....	digital plate restorator
Todd Vaziri	....	compositor: ILM
Omz Velasco	....	digital modeler
Lauren Vogt	....	character designer: ILM
Christopher Waters	....	visual effects production accountant
John Whisnant	....	location matchmove technician: ILM
Huck Wirtz	....	animation supervisor
Kevin Wooley	....	motion capture technician
Habib Zargarpour	....	associate visual effects supervisor: ILM
Salvatore Catanzaro	....	apprentice editor: ILM (uncredited)
Zachary Cole	....	technical support: ILM (uncredited)
Lloyd Hess	....	technical support (uncredited)
Stuart Lowder	....	manager (uncredited)
Kristen Millette	....	sabre artist (uncredited)
George Sakellariou	....	production engineering: ILM (uncredited)
Mike Sanders	....	motion capture (uncredited)
Danny Wagner	....	character design group: ILM (uncredited)

Stunts
Jake Brake	....	stunt rigger (as Jack 'Jake' Brake)
Jeff Chase	....	stunts intruder
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Haberstad)
Shane Habberstad	....	stunt double: Morgan Hess
Keii Johnston	....	stunt double: Graham Hess
Derek Mears	....	stunt intruder
Brian Smrz	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sheridan Braxton	....	company grip
Michael W. Brennan	....	company electrician
Richard Brooks Burton	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Richard Burton)
Patrick Capone	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian Carmichael	....	video assist operator
Mark Catania	....	grip
Jian Cong	....	second assistant camera: second camera
Andrew Reed Conner	....	company electrician
Daniel C. Cook	....	additional second assistant camera
Jason Cortazzo	....	additional best boy grip
David A. Darrowski	....	rigging grip
Glenn Davis	....	company electrician (as Glenn R. Davis)
Thomas Devine	....	additional electrician
John Duncan Jr.	....	rigging electrician
Mark Fiedler	....	company electrician
William P. Fiedler	....	generator operator
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	first assistant camera: second camera (as Carlos Guerra)
Brian Heller	....	aerial director of photography
Brian Heller	....	camera operator: second unit
Gregory F. Johnson	....	rigging grip
William Jones	....	dolly grip (as Bill Jones)
Craig Ligget	....	rigging gaffer (as Craig Heston Ligget)
Steven Litecky	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Steve Litecky)
David W. Lowe	....	company grip
Rob Mabin	....	rigging electrician
Frank Masi	....	still photographer
Ken McCallum	....	company grip
Tom McCarthy	....	rigging electrician
Joe Mellon	....	rigging grip (as Joseph Mellon)
Billy Miller	....	key grip
Vincent Morsillo	....	rigging grip
Christopher Murphy	....	24 frame video operator
Christopher Murphy	....	video assist operator
Cheri Cameron Newell	....	still photographer
Richard Nordaby	....	rigging grip
David B. Nowell	....	aerial director of photography: second unit
David B. Nowell	....	camera operator: second unit
Scott H. Ramsey	....	chief lighting technician (as Scott Ramsey)
Kimberly A. Rial	....	company grip
Daniel Rieser	....	company grip (as Daniel E. Rieser)
Kyle Rudolph	....	camera operator
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Leon Sanginiti	....	additional second assistant camera (as Leon S. Sanginiti Jr.)
Jon Sibert	....	best boy grip
Jon Sibert	....	key rigging grip
Baird Steptoe	....	camera technician (as Baird Benton Steptoe Sr.)
Jill Tufts	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jarvis B. Wilsher	....	rigging electrician
John Young	....	second assistant camera
Michael M. Silver	....	electrician (uncredited)

Animation Department
TyRuben Ellingson	....	character designer: ILM
Rick O'Connor	....	animator

Casting Department
Jordan Beswick	....	casting associate
Brandon E. Brooks	....	extras casting intern
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Diane Heery	....	extras casting associate
Mike Lemon	....	extras casting
Mike Lemon	....	local casting
Cindy Tolan	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy Andrews	....	costume supervisor
Myron Baker	....	costumer: Mr. Gibson
Teresa Binder	....	key costumer (as Teresa Binder-Westby)
Melissa Haley	....	costumer production assistant
Iris Horta Lemos	....	costumer
Michelle Matland	....	assistant costume designer
Kara Morasco	....	seamstress
Amy Roth	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Kate Eales	....	second assistant editor
Conor Guy	....	apprentice film editor (as J. Conor Guy)
May Kuckro	....	assistant editor
Joe Landauer	....	first assistant editor: avid
Mary Beth Smith	....	negative cutter
Jeff Smithwick	....	color timer
Dennis Thorlaksen	....	assistant editor
Renannah Weinstein	....	first assistant editor: film (as Renannah Seliger)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor (as Thomas Drescher)
James T. Hill	....	electronic score producer
James Newton Howard	....	score producer
Kira Lewis	....	assistant recording engineer
Shawn Murphy	....	score recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn
Mark Graham	....	music copyist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gregory J. Cimino	....	driver: cast trailer
William McCleery	....	driver: grip truck
John Morrone III	....	transportation coordinator (as John F. Morrone III)
John Tarlini Sr.	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Dawn Barkan	....	animal coordinator
Joseph Barry	....	stand-in: Rory Culkin
Thomas 'Doc' Boguski	....	production coordinator
Adrienne Boyd	....	office production assistant
Jesse Russell Brooks III	....	production assistant
Abby Callahan	....	assistant: Mr. Mercer
James D. Carter	....	location projectionist
Colleen Casey	....	production assistant
John Catron	....	production accountant
Andrew Cinquino	....	production assistant
Richard A. Clark	....	key assistant location manager
Brad Clements	....	production assistant
Jason Currie	....	office production assistant
Josh Dorn	....	set production assistant
Dianne Dreyer	....	script supervisor
Megan Fenerty	....	assistant production coordinator
Frances Fiore	....	unit publicist
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant
Tim Hussar	....	production assistant
Felicity Jones	....	double: intruder
Tudor Jones	....	set production assistant
Meghan Keener	....	additional set production assistant
Chance Kelly	....	double: intruder
Kathleen Kelly	....	key medic
Mara Kerum	....	caterer
Audrey Kerwood	....	accounting clerk
Elyse Klaits	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy
Derek Larthey	....	stand-in
Laura MacDonald	....	stand-in
Paul Manion	....	additional production assistant
Paula M. Mastrocola	....	assistant: Mr. Shyamalan
Mark Mayer	....	first assistant accountant
Patrick McDonald	....	set production assistant
Maureen McEvoy	....	set production assistant
Brett McKenzie	....	office production assistant
Amanda Miller	....	double: intruder
Chuck Morris	....	assistant: Mr. Gibson
Patricia Navone	....	craft service
Alex Nikolic	....	media producer: Yugoslavia, Macedonia
Paul L. Nolan	....	voice-over
Sharon Pinkenson	....	film commissioner
Alan D. Purwin	....	helicopter pilot (as Alan Purwin)
Mary T. Radford	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall (as Mary Radford)
David Raynor	....	production secretary
Michael Riley	....	teaser designer
Margo Romano	....	second assistant accountant
Julian Ruhe	....	location assistant: second unit
Carmen S. Santoro	....	shop foreman
Gerald Scaife	....	facilities supervisor (as Jim Scaife)
Jonathan Schwartz	....	assistant: Ann Roth
Saleka Shyamalan	....	art works
Penni Smith	....	payroll accountant (as Penni M. M. Smith)
Christopher Sneade	....	set production assistant
Shannon Stewart	....	craft service
Jessica Stone	....	double: intruder
Andrew L. Ullman	....	location manager (as Andrew Ullman)
Paul Vigay	....	researcher
David Vogt	....	helicopter pilot (as David C. Vogt)
Danny Wagner	....	puppeteer
Kevin P. Williams	....	office production assistant
Tim Ballou	....	script clearance manager (uncredited)
Van Cameron	....	stand-in: Mel Gibson (uncredited)
Brad Clements	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Bill Richards	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Tim Williams	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Thanks
Steve Garfinkel	....	special thanks
Bill Nisselson	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures (presents)
• Blinding Edge Pictures
• Kennedy/Marshall Company, The

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Bandur Film (2002) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (theatrical) (Montenegro) (Macedonia)
• Buena Vista International (Austria) GmbH (2002) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (2002) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2002) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cascade Film (2002) (Russia) (theatrical)
• The Walt Disney Company (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United Cinemas International Multiplex (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2003) (Greece) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Animal Makers
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special visual effects and animation)

Other Companies

• ABC News Video Source  footage courtesy of (as ABCNews Videosource)
• Available Light Productions  lighting balloons (as Available Light of New York)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Du Art Film Laboratories  color (as DuArt)
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack published by
• ITN Archive/Reuters  footage courtesy of
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as JoAnn Kane Music)
• Juniper Post  French version
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Mike Lemon Casting  location and extras casting
• Musco Mobile Lighting Ltd.  night lights (as Musco Light)
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Picture Mill, The  main and end title design and production (as The Picture Mill)
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recording
• Studios  media production (Yugoslavia) (Macedonia)
• Technicolor  prints
• Todd-AO Scoring Stage  score recording and mixing (as Todd Scoring Stage)
• Tony's Food Service  catering
• Trevanna Post  post-production accountant
• Xeno Lights  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"M. Night Shyamalan's Signs" - USA (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some frightening moments

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:14 | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Ireland:12 (video rating) | Ireland:15PG (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12A (original rating) | UK:12 (video rating) (2003) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39105) | Venezuela:PG-13 | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | Germany:12 (f) | Japan:U | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Including officer Caroline Paski, all the main characters (the Hess family) have blue eyes.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Army recruiter's uniform ribbons are in an incorrect order.

Quotes:

Morgan:Maybe we should say a prayer.
Graham Hess:No.
Morgan:Why not?
Graham Hess:We're not saying a prayer.
Morgan:Bo has a bad feeling.
Bo:I had a dream.
Graham Hess:We aren't saying a prayer. Eat!
Morgan:I hate you.
Graham Hess:That's fine.
Morgan:You let Mom die.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Chicken Little (2005)

Moody , Atmospheric But Far From A Masterpiece

!!!!! MILD SPOILERS !!!!!

There's a lot to commend M Night Shyamalan's SIGNS for . It's not often we see such a moody atmospheric thriller about an alien invasion and I will praise this movie later . However Shyamalan shots himself in the foot by the way the story is told

Crop circles appear outside the home of the Hess family and after Graham Hess and his brother Merril find out that it wasn't caused by local pranksters Graham's son Morgan comes up with the answer - It was done by aliens . He knows this because he read a book on the subject . Obviously everyone else in the world has read only one book - The same one as Morgan - because as soon as crop circles appear round the world it's the leading story and can mean only one thing: The aliens are coming . And sure enough just like everyone has predicted lights appear over Planet Earth's cities which herald the start of little green men come to wipe us out

If someone told you crop circles were signs on an alien invasion how would you react ? Exactly but at no point does anyone question a possible invasion because it's taken as read by all the characters in the story which starts to become ridiculous when the world's broadcasters start interrupting programmes showing the world wide phenomenon of crop circles . Let's be honest here jet liners crashing into sky scrapers is a good reason to interrupt TV shows with 24 hour news reports but people finding crop circles all over the world is not

There's one other thing : Ten year old Morgan seems to be channeling the minds of Newton , Darwin and Einstien . Listen to this kid's dialogue " Everything people have written about in science books is about to change " and there's several more instances of this . You can't take this child seriously or believe in him as a three dimensional character

Make that two things : Why would aliens invade a planet whose surface is composed of 70% water ? Isn't the human body two thirds water anyway. Oh and how does Graham's neighbour know that the aliens don't like water anyway ?

Better make that three things because if the subtext is about rediscovering ones faith then why is everyone certain of an approaching invasion ? Surely for this theme to work then Graham should have been shouting from the roof tops that aliens don't exist only to be proved wrong . If he's wrong about aliens then surely he's wrong about the non existence of the lord right ?

It's a great pity that Shyamalan didn't think these things through a bit further because despite not ruining the movie these things stop SIGNS becoming a masterpiece of genre cinema which it certainly had the potential to be . Even a critical viewer like myself who noticed the flaws couldn't help being terrified by the climax in the cellar where for one heart stopping moment it looked like a couple of the characters had been abducted . As for the scene Graham sees the reflection in the TV .... I certainly can't fault the good bits and I will recommend this movie even to those who don't like SF/Horror very much . Certainly it's a radical change to watch a film like this that doesn't have tens of millions spent on special effects and the film works better for it . You reading this Mr Spielberg ?

Shyamalan will best be remembered for THE SIXTH SENSE , a film that I found somewhat overrated while his follow up UNBREAKABLE was a masterpiece in my opinion . SIGNS is slightly different because it doesn't have one of those shock twist endings and when you consider what a poor film THE VILLAGE is one can't help thinking that Shyamalan would be better off abandoning clever endings and concentrating on terrifying audiences and I would wonder if he could get away with directing a Hollywood version of Nigel Kneale's QUATERMASS AND THE PIT . Now that would be worth queuing at the cinema for

Update 30 dec : Some have mentioned that the concept of predestination is very important to understanding the movie ie the plot holes aren't actually plot holes viewed this way and while this makes absolute sense in a metaphysical way it still misses out on logic