The Woods (2006)

Set in 1965 New England, a troubled girl encounters mysterious happenings in the woods surrounding an isolated girls school that she was sent to by her disinterested parents.

Director:

Lucky McKee

Writer:

David Ross

Stars:

Lauren Birkell, Agnes Bruckner, Jane Gilchrist

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Agnes Bruckner	...	Heather Fasulo
Emma Campbell	...	Alice Fasulo
Bruce Campbell	...	Joe Fasulo
Patricia Clarkson	...	Ms. Traverse
Lauren Birkell	...	Marcy Turner
Jane Gilchrist	...	Ms. Cross
Catherine Colvey	...	Ms. Leland
Marcia Bennett	...	Ms. Mackinaw
Rachel Nichols	...	Samantha Wise
Kathleen Mackey	...	Ann Whales
Cary Lawrence	...	Ms. Charevoix
Colleen Williams	...	Ms. Arbor
Gordon Currie	...	The Sheriff
Jude Beny	...	School Nurse
Melissa Altro	...	Barb (as Missy Altro)

Storyline

In 1965, after provoking a fire in a forest, the rebel teenager Heather Fasulo is sent to the boarding school Falburn Academy in the middle of the woods by her estranged mother Alice Fasulo and her neglected father Joe Fasulo. The dean Ms. Traverse accepts Heather in spite of the bad financial condition of her father. The displaced Heather becomes close friend of he weird Marcy Turner, while they are maltreated by the abusive mate Samantha Wise. During the nights, Heather has nightmares and listens to voices from the woods, and along the days she believes that the school is a coven of witches. When some students, including Marcy, simply vanish, Heather believes she will be the next one.

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Plot Keywords:

woods | student | forest | girls' school | boarding school | 

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Taglines:

Every high school has its secrets...

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horror violence and language, including sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

MGM/UA

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

El bosque maldito

Filming Locations:

Cité du Cinéma, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Furst Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patricia Clarkson and Angela Bettis's second film together. They played mother and daughter in the television adaption of Stephen King's Carrie.

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Goofs

Towards the end, when Dr. Fasulo is in the hospital, he talks to Ms. Traverse who is on his right side. In the next scene, Ms. Traverse walks over to his left side, but in close-up shots, he continues to look to his right side while talking to her.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alice Fasulo: [to Heather in the back seat] Feet off the seat.

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Connections

References Suspiria (1977)

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Soundtracks

In the Quiet of the Night (aka the choir piece)
Composed by Jammes Luckett (as Jay Barnes Luckett)/Poperratic

User Reviews

Charming, but not as a horror movie

If you try to estimate The Woods as a horror flick it's 2 out of 10. Scary? Impressive story? Good finale? Effects? ... are you kidding?

But despite of all the above the Woods is surprisingly watchable and somehow enjoyable. How's that?

Yes, it's style and imagery (excluding those ridiculous chopping scenes). Hypnotising manner of photography and acting. Slow dialogs, slow movements, close-ups on leading actresses, nice soundtrack selections, charming vocals in chorus scenes. Tea tanned picture, old-fashion haircuts and clothes.

Second, it's a human touch. I mean that scene with radio listening, scene when Heather mimics Mrs.Mackinaw, and so on. It's too common thing for nowadays horror flicks to forget that people are people in the first place, not just screaming dummies for chopping.

In fact, The Woods resembled me Body Snatchers - same slow, beautiful, stylish, and hypnotizing.