According to an on-screen lyric and a dramatic Law & Order-esque voiceover at the beginning of The Strangers, what follows is said to be inspired by real events. Even the names of the alleged victims, the crime scene and a specific date are mentioned – all lies. Director Bryan Bertino (“The Monster”) came up with the story himself and added this claim just to make it scarier for his audience. “The Strangers” need no such hocus-pocus at all. The home invasion shocker is scary enough with no fake facts like you can watch on free TV at night.
“The Strangers” is today, June 18, 2023 at 10:35 PM on RTL 2. The station offers a repeat at 2:15 a few hours later. While at least the first broadcast is aborted, the theatrical version of FSK 18 should run overnight. Those who want to be on the safe side and really want to see every second of “The Strangers” can also buy the film as Blu-ray, DVD or video-on-demand.
Featuring ‘Lord of the Rings’ star Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman from the ‘Underworld’ blockbusters.
“The Strangers” on RTL 2: That’s the story
James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler) were at a couple’s wedding reception. Inspired by the romantic atmosphere, the young man himself proposed to his beloved, but she spontaneously rejected it. Now the two have arrived at James’ parents’ remote vacation home and the mood couldn’t be more tense. How do you proceed?
It’s the middle of the night and they both can’t sleep when there’s a sudden knock on the door. A confused-looking woman (Gemma Ward) asks about someone they don’t know, then walks away. Shortly afterwards, James goes to get cigarettes when there is another knock on the door – much louder this time. The frightened Kristen doesn’t answer the door, but she soon realizes that someone must have gained access to the house in a different way. When James comes home, he doesn’t believe his girlfriend at first. A mistake, it turns out…
Fatalistic psychological horror
It was rather naive for Bertino, mastermind of The Strangers, to simply claim that his film was based on a true story. In the 1970s, whose atmosphere and staging were clearly based on the cinema hits, the cheeky trick might have worked. In the age of the internet, such fabricated ‘facts’ can of course be quickly disproved.
When asked by reporters about his blatant lie, the Texan resorted to an unprovable incident from his childhood. At that time, strangers would have rang the doorbell and asked for a neighbor he did not know. It later turned out that these people were burglars.
A much more concrete source of influence is the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and some of her friends by members of the notorious Manson family. Bertino says he was fascinated by the fact that none of the victims of that fateful night could have known who the killers were and why they were being attacked.
Our official MOVIE STARTS review rates “The Strangers” a whopping three and a half stars. Finally, the movie is called assigned. In addition, comparisons are made with Michaels Haneke’s “Funny Games US” and Nimrod Antal’s “Motel”. If you think you can handle a brutal mix of psychological and slasher horror, “The Strangers” is the place to be – despite the director’s blunders.
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