The Girl Next Door (2007)

Director:

Gregory Wilson

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Farrands (screenplay) &
Philip Nutman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 October 2008 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

In this town murder became the neighborhood game

Plot:

Based on the Jack Ketchum novel of the same name, The Girl Next Door follows the unspeakable torture and abuses committed on a teenage girl in the care of her aunt...and the boys who witness and fail to report the crime. |

Plot Keywords:

Abuse | Torture | Teenage Girl | Incest | Psychological Torture

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Blythe Auffarth	...	Meg Loughlin
Daniel Manche	...	David Moran
Blanche Baker	...	Ruth Chandler
Grant Show	...	Mr. Moran
Graham Patrick Martin	...	Willie Chandler Jr.
Benjamin Ross Kaplan	...	Donny Chandler
Austin Williams	...	Ralphie 'Woofer' Chandler
William Atherton	...	Adult David
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kevin Chamberlin	...	Officer Jennings
Dean Faulkenberry	...	Kenny
Gabrielle Howarth	...	Cheryl Robinson
Spenser Leigh	...	Denise Crocker
Catherine Mary Stewart	...	Mrs. Moran
Peter Stickles	...	EMT
Madeline Taylor	...	Susan Loughlin
Michael Zegen	...	Eddie

Also Known As:

Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sadistic torture and sexual abuse, nudity, language and strong sexual dialogue - all involving children.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:R | Germany:18 | Australia:R (2009)

Filming Locations:

Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Modernciné

Trivia:

In the backyard tent scene where the boys are looking at the Playboy magazine, they refer to 1950's actress and pinup girl Carroll Baker, the real-life mother of actress Blanche Baker, who portrays Ruth Chandler in this movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Megan has her shorts taken off as she's hung up in the basement, and left in her panties, she's in hipster style panties with a "multi-colored" waistband, which if as in the scene, her panties are white, cotton, circa, 1960s, there would not have been a colored waistband. It would have been white. Rarely if ever were girls' panties other than white in those days.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Charlie Franklin: [on David's voice mail] Hey David, it's Charlie Franklin calling to say Happy Birthday. Sorry I couldn't get those tickets, man. I know you were counting on me, but my brother-in-law's in town. I'll give you a call next week, and maybe we can get together. Okay, have a good birthday. Take care.

Movie Connections:

References Halloween (1978)

WOW! What a powerful punch this one packs!

Before I get into the film let me briefly surmise the actual case that this film is based on. Firstly, the actual case of Sylvia Likens was in reality much more brutal than this movie portrays. If you can try for a moment to wrap your mind around that fact than you can begin to fathom the unbelievable torture that this young woman actually endured. The actual case took place in the 1960s but for some odd reason this story is set in the 1950s this is where the confusion begins. Also, in the actual case, Sylvia was not raped nor was she forced to suffer the final indignity that the character in this movie does. That aside, this is a shockingly brutal and powerful film...yes the acting is stiff but I do believe that this was intentional in order to reflect the times. This film is a period piece and should be taken as such. When you take a look at the cast and realize the caliber of actors/actresses in this film anyone can easily see that these are not bad actors. Much of the brutality in this film is implied violence rather than in your face blood and guts. There are cut-aways during some of the more intense moments of the torture scenes but in many ways this makes things even worse! In this sense, this is genius film making. It makes the viewer believe that they have seen something much more horrific than they actually have, not to say that this makes the images seen in this film any less disturbing. A friend of mine who watched this film with me told me that he was unable to sleep for the rest of the night because of this film...and we're talking about a grown man in his late thirties! That's the sort of impact a film like this has. I am looking forward to "An American Crime" which is based on the court transcripts of the actual case and should adhere more to the facts but nonetheless "The Girl Next Door" is a film that punches you in the gut and refuses to relinquish it's grip on your senses.