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The Ugly

  • 19971997
  • RR
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
3K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
34,755
34,180
The Ugly (1997)
DramaHorrorThriller
A female psychologist wants to understand the minds of a confessed serial killer who spent the last five years in a mental hospital because of his state.A female psychologist wants to understand the minds of a confessed serial killer who spent the last five years in a mental hospital because of his state.A female psychologist wants to understand the minds of a confessed serial killer who spent the last five years in a mental hospital because of his state.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
3K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
34,755
34,180
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Scott Reynolds
    • Writer
      • Scott Reynolds
    • Stars
      • Paolo Rotondo
      • Paul Glover
      • Chris Graham
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Scott Reynolds
    • Writer
      • Scott Reynolds
    • Stars
      • Paolo Rotondo
      • Paul Glover
      • Chris Graham
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 57User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 7 nominations

    Photos9

    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)
    The Ugly (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paolo Rotondo
    Paolo Rotondo
    • Simon Cartwright
    Paul Glover
    • Phillip
    Chris Graham
    Chris Graham
    • Robert
    Darien Takle
    Darien Takle
    • Marge
    Rebecca Hobbs
    • Dr. Karen Schumaker
    Roy Ward
    • Dr. Marlowe
    Cath McWhirter
    • Helen Ann Millar
    Carolyn Beaver
    • Helen's friend
    Caelem Pope
    • Simon, aged 4
    Jennifer Ward-Lealand
    Jennifer Ward-Lealand
    • Evelyn Cartwright
    Finn Johnsen
    • Future cop
    Phillip Brown
    • Future cop
    Tau Luke
    • Future cop
    Tim Barlow
    Tim Barlow
    • Police photographer
    Sam Wallace
    • Simon, aged 13
    Aaron Buskin
    • Roland
    John Steemson
    • Bully #2
    Oliver Hodges
    • Bully #3
    • Director
      • Scott Reynolds
    • Writer
      • Scott Reynolds
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Scott Reynolds changes things up by making all of the blood in the movie a dark, black color. Author John Kenneth Muir writes in his book, Horror Films of the 1990s, about how this visual cue may suggest that Simon never saw his victims as being human, making it easier for him to kill.
    • Quotes

      Simon Cartwright: Haven't you been listening?

      Dr. Karen Shoemaker: Refresh my memory.

      Simon Cartwright: People pick on me.

      Dr. Karen Shoemaker: People pick on me. I don't slice them ear to ear.

      Simon Cartwright: Maybe you should.

    • Alternate versions
      Available in both R and unrated versions.
    • Connections
      Featured in Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      FIVE WORD HEADLINE
      Written by Karl Sölve Steven

      Performed by Supergroove

    User reviews57

    Review
    Top review
    Very slick thriller
    I wanted to see The Ugly when it was released in cinemas, but I didn't actually get a chance to watch it until I rented it a few years later. Now I regret not seeing it in the cinemas when I had the chance - this movie would have been awesome on the big screen!!

    Simon Cartwright, a convicted serial killer, is a patient at a local mental institution under the care of two abusive orderlies and the sadistic Dr. Marlowe. Simon requests outsider Dr. Karen Shoemaker to re-evaluate his mental state, and through a series of interviews she learns more about his past and about his crimes. The use of disjointed and out of order flashbacks tease us with glimpses into Simon's past, and as the movie progresses, we see Karen being drawn further and further into Simon's fantasy world. As she begins to be affected mentally, so too are the viewers.

    There's been a lot of criticism over this movie, mostly claims that the characters weren't believable enough or that the SFX were bad. To really appreciate this film you have to pull your mind away from what's conventional and try to see what the director is trying to do. Scott Reynolds isn't trying to follow some set 'horror movie' pattern or copy a particular movie genre. In the movie, "The Ugly" is a monster inside Simon's head, and that's what Reynolds is trying to do- get inside our heads, disturb us and shake us up a bit. This is done through the creepy atmosphere of red and blue colour themes, and the black blood adds to the surreal mood of the movie. Some of the characters are a bit unbelievable but this adds a 'Twin Peaks' feel to the film. And as for the ending, some things are better left unexplained, people!!

    This movie is very violent and creepy, and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like it, tell all your friends about it! I give it a 8.5/10
    helpful•8
    6
    • Sobriquet
    • Aug 8, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 1, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • New Zealand
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The ugly
    • Filming locations
      • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Essential Films
      • New Zealand Film Commission
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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