The Signal (2007/I)

Directors:

David Bruckner
Dan Bush

Writers:

David Bruckner (screenplay) &
Jacob Gentry (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

4 July 2008 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Do you have the crazy?

Plot:

A horror film told in three parts, from three perspectives, in which a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers invades every cell phone, radio, and television. |

Plot Keywords:

Cell Phone | Loss Of Loved One | Blood Splatter | Sadism | Stabbed In The Back

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Anessa Ramsey	...	Mya Denton
Sahr Ngaujah	...	Rod (as Sahr)
AJ Bowen	...	Lewis Denton
Matthew Stanton	...	Jerry (as Matt Stanton)
Suehyla El-Attar	...	Janice
Justin Welborn	...	Ben Capstone
Cheri Christian	...	Anna
Scott Poythress	...	Clark
Christopher Thomas	...	Ken
Lindsey Garrett	...	Laura
Chad McKnight	...	Jim Parsons (as Chadrian McKnight)
Claire Bronson	...	Sightless Woman
David Bruckner	...	Screaming Man (as Dave Bruckner)
Dan Bush	...	Screaming Man
John Clifton	...	Maintenance Man

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-18 | Mexico:C | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

POP Films

Trivia:

The opening sequence is an excerpt from "The Hap Hapgood Story," a winning entry in the 48-hour film festival directed by Jacob Gentry.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of blood on Lewis and Ben's faces continually changes from scene to scene.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ben: What was that? That was strange.
Mya Denton: [in bed] Come back.
Ben: The TV turned itself on.
Mya Denton: [reaching out] Come back.
Ben: Okay.

Movie Connections:

References Resident Evil (2002)

Weird horror homage that may develop a cult following

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

This bizarre little horror film that appears to have come out of nowhere seems, judging by it's style and appearance, to be a homage to the grainy 1970s horror flicks from the likes of Dario Argento or other such luminaries. Playing out in various acts (i.e. Act I: Transmission and such...) maybe the feeling isn't so much homage as one of trying to be clever and post ironic, but either way the film has the feeling of a particular type of grainy horror flick.

The driving force seems to be AJ Bowen's possessive husband, tracking his unfaithful spouse (Anessa Ramsey) after being driven mad by a twisted transmission in the tellys, leading to a whole succession of mad plot twists, until saviour (hopefully) arrives in the form of Justin Welborn's more rational bit on the side. There's plenty of blood splattered violence on display, some of it seriously pushing the boundaries, but all done with a noticeable and decent tongue in the cheek that balances it all out. The plot alone is complicated and, yes clever enough that at least two viewings would be a good idea. While this doesn't manage to be a classic of any kind, it more than makes for a rewarding enough horror flick. ***