The Lost (2006/II)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Chris Sivertson

Writers:

Jack Ketchum (novel)
Chris Sivertson (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 March 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

What's the worst thing you've ever done?

Plot:

Hanging out at some campgrounds one nice summer day, 19-year-old Ray Pye decides to murder two young women...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Rifle | Motel | Sociopath | Abusive Relationship

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Marc Senter	...	Ray Pye
Shay Astar	...	Jennifer Fitch
Alex Frost	...	Tim Bess
Megan Henning	...	Sally Richmond
Robin Sydney	...	Katherine Wallace
Michael Bowen	...	Detective Charlie Schilling
Ed Lauter	...	Ed Anderson
Dee Wallace	...	Barbara Hanlon (as Dee Wallace-Stone)
Misty Mundae	...	Lisa Steiner (as Erin Brown)
Ruby Larocca	...	Elise Hanlon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Ayers	...	Eddie
Tony Carreiro	...	Tom Wallace
Katie Cassidy	...	Dee Dee
Cynthia Cervini	...	Etta
Rob Elk	...	Lenny Bess
Trevor Graciano	...	Ray's Friend
Cornelia Guest	...	Katherine's Mom
Alice Hirson	...	Mrs. Griffith
Jesse Hlubik	...	Officer Shack
Jack Ketchum	...	Teddy Panik
Cristiana Ladki	...	Tonianne Primiano
Mike McKee	...	Mr. Griffith
Shelli Merrill	...	Liz Wellman
Tony Moras	...	Roger
Linda Pine	...	Waitress
Richard Riehle	...	Bill Richmond
Helen Siff	...	Jane Pye
Eddie Steeples	...	Stevie-Ray
Justin Stone	...	Ken Wellman
Luke Y. Thompson	...	Handsome country club patron

Runtime:

Argentina:119 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Australia:MA (2008) | UK:18 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (uncut) | Argentina:16 | New Zealand:R18

Company:

Silver Web Productions

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ray Pye: Do you have a cigarette?
Ray Pye: [seeing no place she could have one] Yeah, I guess not...

Movie Connections:

Features Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Soundtrack:

A Light So Dim

The Lost: A Return To Realism

Possible Spoilers!!-I attended a preview screening of "The Lost". Having read the book, as well as an account of the true story on which Jack Ketchum's tale is based, I had an idea of what to expect, however, I was unprepared for the integrity shown by the filmmakers in their unflinching look at narcissistic violence. The main character, Ray Pye (chillingly portrayed by Marc Senter) represents the childish nature of current American Pop Culture in which we have become so accustomed to instant gratification that, when we don't actually get what we want when we want it, the infant inside us can explode. And that indeed is the story of Ray Pye. "The Lost", for me, is a return to 1970's style film-making, ala "Taxi Driver" & "Straw Dogs". To call it simply a horror film is to sell it short. The writer/director Chris Sivertson has created a character driven story in which Pye's need for control is driven up a notch with the introduction of each new (independent) female character, women with their own problems, and so not as naive as the two "robots" Pye has controlled since high school. This loss of control, combined with the scrutiny of a dogged police detective, is what ultimately causes Pye's "makeup" to crack, if you will. What results is violent indeed, but shown with a realism much needed in this day and age of CGI "shock and awe" gore. And unlike some of the unnecessary cruelty depicted in movies like "Saw", scenes of torture shown seemingly for no other reason than to "top" the competition, the culmination of Pye's frustration has a very specific conclusion, and without trying to psychoanalyze too deeply, it is indeed symbolic that Pye's rage is infantile in nature. The ending of the film will cause many to gasp, but is in no way gratuitous. At any rate, it is not my intention to "review" the film, per se, although it is made with much technical skill and good knowledge of effective camera angles, dynamic sound effects and some very inventive "kinetic" editing sequences, giving the viewer an "adrenaline" rush, coming from fear, as if we are in the room with Pye and his victims. If you have read any of Ketchum's work (or are familiar with the true story of Charles Schmid) you will know going in that this film is no fairy tale. And yet, it is hoped by this film fanatic that "The Lost", BECAUSE of it's realism, and BECAUSE it depicts violence as it really is, neither glossed over nor unnecessarily gory, will find distribution to as many screens as possible, because believe it or not folks, there is an audience out there who remember the great independent filmmakers of the 1970s and have been wondering for a while when the next batch of Scorceses and Schraders were gonna come along. Coming from a totally original perspective, two of them are here now: Chris Sivertson and Lucky McKee. They have made an excellent character study here. With "The Lost", they have cast a steady gaze on the nature of violence, holding Ray Pye up in the mirror to show us the real reflection of what takes place when a culture of indulgence goes unchecked for too long. In this day and age of ho-hum mass murder and twenty-four hour turnaround "change the subject" news media, to make a film like "The Lost" takes courage and integrity. Sivertson and McKee have these qualities, as well as talent in spades. Let's give them the recognition they deserve!