Production Year: 2004 - Horror - Director: M. Night Shyamalan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson more
M. Night Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE finds the renowned writer-director crafting a suspenseful story of a small community whose inhabitants are plagued by fear of the unknown forest... more
The Village [DVD] [2004]
Even when his trademark twist-ending formula wears worrisomely thin as it does inThe ... more
Village, M. Night Shyamalan is a true showman who knows how to serve up a spookfest. He's derailed this time by a howler of a "surprise" lifted almost directly from "A...
The Village [DVD] [2004]
Even when his trademark twist-ending formula wears worrisomely thin as it does inThe ... more
Village, M. Night Shyamalan is a true showman who knows how to serve up a spookfest. He's derailed this time by a howler of a "surprise" lifted almost directly from "A...
The Village DVD
Run. The truce is ending. M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Village' finds the renowned ... more
writer-director crafting a suspenseful story of a small community whose inhabitants are plagued by fear of the unknown forest that surrounds them. For years they have kep...
complex offering bungalow and caravan style accommodation as well as large range of entertainment facilities.Well-located for visiting the surrounding areas, including Verona, there is also much to do on site. Within the well-tended gardens you will find swimming pools for adults and children, a hydromassage stream, mini golf, tennis courts, football pitches and archery facilities. On the private beach you can have fun playing beach volley and canoes, motor boats, jet skis and pedal-boats can all be rented out from here.Children are very well catered for, having their own playground as well as a games room and a mini club, with activities and excursions organised for them and adults. Gardaland, Italy’s biggest amusement park is also just 20 minutes away.Entertainment is also put on for adults, including live music and dancing and there are various bars inside Garda Village. The restaurant pizzeria on site offers lovely lake views and organises themed evenings, buffets and barbeques.In springtime, the hotel may be available for long stays of 3 nights or more.In summer, the hotel is only bookable for weekly stays, from Saturday until Saturday, or from Wednesday until Wednesday.
The Village, BLACKPOOL
Small friendly hotel licensed bar all rooms en suite Two minutes walk from Funny Girls ... more
and Club Sanuk close to all the best pubs and clubs five minutes walk from Blackpool North train stationfree car park limited spaces The Winter Gardens and The Opera house are just a short walk away Minimum two nights booking for easter and bank holidays
situated just off J31 of the M62 in Normanton near Wakefield The accommodation is a Motel style with parking directly outside each room Freeport Shopping Village XSCAPE and Leeds City Centre are just 10 minutes away For horse racing enthusiasts the motel is an ideal central base for Northern courses The pub restaurant offers traditional food and welcomes families
Production Year: 2002 - Horror - Director: Danny Boyle - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Cillian Murphy, Megan Burns, Noah Huntley, Christopher Eccleston, Marvin Campbell, Brendan Gleeson
A review by Zoe on The Village (DVD) August 21st, 2004
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Indifferent to it
Story
Very ordinary
Characters / Performances
Good
Special Effects
Good
How does it compare to similar films?
Satisfactory
Advantages:
Beautifully shot with a compelling romance at its core
Disadvantages:
THE TWIST
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
‘The Village’ is being marketed incorrectly. I’m sure you’ve seen the trailers, yellow capes, red capes, monsters in the woods, “don’t let them in” – that sort of thing – and probably thought that this was a horror film. It’s not. In fact ‘The Village’ is a strange little film pitched somewhere between a period drama and the twilight zone and if you go see it expecting a horror film you will be disappointed. Let’s hope this review may spare you such disappointment because ‘The Village’ is not a bad film, it’s just a bit of a silly one.
Somewhere outside Philadelphia is an isolated village deep in the middle of Covington Woods. The villagers have an uneasy truce with ‘those we do not speak of’ a group of monsters who live in the woods and look something like a cross between an armadillo and a porcupine – oh and they wear red capes (no self respecting monster walks around naked in the late 1800s). The Village elders (including William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver) assure the younger villagers that as long as they don’t go into the woods ‘those we do not speak of’ will not enter the village. That is until livestock starts getting skinned and overnight red marks appear on the town’s doors.
Alright so that plot synopsis may sound like a horror film (though not a particularly good one) but I assure you it isn’t. In fact the most interesting elements of the story have nothing to do with monsters. The most engaging is the love story between Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) and Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard). M. Night Shyamalan was inspired to write ‘The Village’ after being asked to direct a new version of ‘Wuthering Heights’ he declined the offer but after reading the book felt compelled to write his own period piece. The inspiration works hugely well in Ivy and Lucius’ romance which is sweet, funny, passionate, moving and above all believable. It is by far the best thing in the film and indeed if the film was sold as a romance there would no doubt be far less disappointment as the crowds file out of the multiplex. In fact as a period piece in general the film is very successful; creating a realistic tone and keeping a strong sense of humour (people did laugh in the 19th century) it is an interesting study of an isolated way of life. Unfortunately this is not the focus of the film.
Being the writer/director of ‘The Sixth Sense’ has proved to be a mixed blessing for M. Night Shyamalan. It has brought him critical and popular acclaim which with it brings bigger budgets and cinematic free reign. With this free reign Shyamalan has chosen to give us ‘Unbreakable’, ‘Signs’ and now ‘The Village’ and though the twists are less prevalent in the middle two films, with ‘The Village’ we are right back in “must see twice” territory. If Shyamalan is not careful he is going to be remembered as a poor man’s Hitchcock (yes he does cameo in the film) who had one good idea and milked a career out of it. The difference between the ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘The Village’ is in the former the twist is satisfying, appropriate and stands up to scrutiny in the latter it is ridiculous, obvious and leaves you with more questions than answers. If we try to ignore the twist however much of Shyamalan’s script is very good the dialogue is witty and emotive, characters are rounded and the earlier semi-twist is deftly executed and highly successful; but the end still sucks.
As a mood piece the film does work very well and this is where Shyamalan‘s direction deserves credit. Roger Deakins cinematography is stunning working with a rich palette of autumnal hues to create a feeling of warmth, purity and security (one which is shattered by a later switch in styles). Colour plays a very important role in the plot (though one which is never satisfactorily resolved) and red (the bad colour) and yellow are used to great visual effect much like Shyamalan used red in the sixth sense. The village itself is a very real place which feels solid (though not convincingly self sufficient) Production Designer Tom Foden succeeding in making the village a concrete and authentic place full of attention to detail. The costumes are beautiful and subtle and the same can be said for hair and make-up. Even though they sound ridiculous ‘those we do not speak of’ are a masterful piece of design unlike any monster previously seen on screen and the red capes give them a particularly spooky fairytale quality. Generally this is a very well designed and shot film.
Performances too deserve praise. When Shyamalan saw Bryce Dallas Howard in a Broadway show and cast her without audition he discovered a star. Though considering her father is Richie Cunningham (sorry I mean acclaimed director Ron Howard) it was probably only a matter of time. She is beautiful (though not in a Hollywood way) and has impressively natural quality to her performance which sees her at turns being funny, dramatic and convincingly (and movingly) emotional – and her godfather is the Fonz. Joaquin Phoenix is as usual fantastic, slowly rising from the shadow of his brother, Phoenix has put in great performance after great performance. The role of Lucius Hunt was written for him and hence is full of the brooding and hidden depths which Phoenix first mastered back in Parenthood (when he was directed by his co-star’s Dad), he is magnificent and I’ve said it before but he’s the next De Niro. William Hurt is saddled with a less than appealing character but does brilliantly with what he’s given. Sigourney Weaver is woefully underused and though Adrien Brody is over the top he gets away with it (just).
There is so much good in ‘The Village’ but it will always be outweighed by the contrived and questionable twist whish leaves an audience with nothing to talk about but plot holes. If you are very easily scared there are a few chills on offer and though the twist is very heavily signposted Shyamalan manages a few jumps and jolts before the final reveal, unfortunately they are entirely dissipated by the Scooby Doo ending. The film should leave you with questions about the nature of isolation, society and what you would be willing to sacrifice to ensure your family’s safety. Unfortunately what you’ll actually be left saying is “What?” and though there are few plot chasms I can point out without ruining the plot I can ask you whether you think sending blind people into densely wooded unfamiliar areas is a good idea or whether you would stand idly by as your only child laid dying despite being able to save him because of a promise you made. No? Me neither.
I hope Shyamalan has the courage to move away from his love of pulling the rug from under audiences in his next film. Like many writer/directors (yes Tarantino I’m talking to you) you can help feel that Shyamalan has surrounded himself with yes men and needs someone who’ll tell him honestly when his ideas are ridiculous and hire a decent editor because even at a relatively brief 108 minutes the film really lags in places. That said if you like period films or are easily impressed by jokes with ludicrous punch lines then you’ll enjoy this film.
And I got through the whole thing without telling you that Bruce Willis is dead – oh hang on, wrong movie…
Advantages: Well made, intriguing, romantic Disadvantages: A sheep in wolf's clothing
It is the late nineteenth century and in a quiet, secluded valley there exists a village. The villagers are simple folk, living entirely off the land and enjoying the simplicity of their subsistent lifestyle. Watching over the welfare of the villagers is a small group of mature residents known as The Elders, whose wisdom is unquestioned and whose instructions are followed without question. But The Village is not quite the haven that it at first purports ... ...race of creatures that inhabit the thick woods on the outskirts of the village. Fear of the creatures is great and as such, the villagers maintain a constant vigil against the terrifying beasts. The young men take turns at night duty, atop huge wooden lookout posts and a clear perimeter is maintained around the village. The villagers are forbidden from ever entering the woods and dress themselves in yellow cloaks to appease the creatures when leaving ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Alternately dramatic, scary, suspenseful, romantic, intriguing... Disadvantages: High expectations of "twist" fans but nothing inherent
...hasn't been used, yet!
The Village is the eagerly anticipated new film by modern master of horror and suspense, M Night Shyamalan. You may well be familiar with his previous fare since he became mega-huge with his sensational super-hit The Sixth Sense, followed by Unbreakable, and most recently, the Mel Gibson-starring alien invasion thriller Signs. Familiarity with these movies may well determine your chances of liking his new movie.
Sixth Sense ... ...reeling and revisiting the cinema to see how it was all done. His other films have suffered somewhat in relation to that twist, with eager fans wanting more of the same. Of course, Night is more than a one-trick pony and his films stand repeat watching due to great narrative depth and wonderful technique, but time and time again they seem to be unfairly judged based on their ending rather than on the whole experience. Well, a quick guide to help ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great central performances, some good scares Disadvantages: An ending that spoils the story
...speak of’, creatures that inhabit the woods surrounding them. The agreement is that neither side will venture into the others territory. But when Lucius (Phoenix) requests permission to leave the village, things suddenly start going bump in the night…
An M. Night Shyamalan film has become something of an institution, an annual event ripe for discussion. The Village certainly continues his tradition of splitting audiences right down the middle. Fear ... ...His latest has all of the familiar elements, with a slow burn feel, superbly orchestrated scares and James Newton Howard’s fear inducing score. He even goes back to his love of the colour red (In the Sixth Sense it represented Death, here it’s very bad indeed). And who can blame him when he’s so damn good at it? Our fear of the unknown is once again taken to terrifying new levels, with mysterious noises, fog and illumination strictly by candlelight ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Well Shot, Decent acting Disadvantages: Quite dull, lame ending
...know, one thing that switches the movie on its head. This trick first came to the fore with The Sixth Sense, a ghost story with a solid performances and a genuinely good twist. Next came the very under-rated Unbreakable, which in my opinion was better. Signs was also another solid effort, able to build suspense and fear without actually seeing the aliens. Then came The Village, a creepy little tale set in an old rural community in America. The villager's ... ...bunch of creatures that occupy the surrounding woods. But these creatures don't enter the village, as long the villagers don't venture into the woods. But naturally something occurs that means someone must go to into the woods to fetch much needed medicine. As you'd expect, spooky things happen, there are scares and then as we reach the climax there's a big twist.
To be totally honest I found The Village a crushing bore from start to finish. The ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Good acting and story Disadvantages: Looking for the plot twists will give you whiplash
Pennsylvania, 1897; the inhabitants of the utopian Covington have held an uneasy truce with the creatures that live in the woods around their village for years. But when Lucius Hunt asks permission to leave, things change for the worse.
Writer-director M Night Shyamalan’s films all seem to exist in the eternal twilight of an autumnal world. “The Village” is no exception, portraying a world of muted tones and frosty nights, the whole thing awash ... ...a tale where the greatest horrors are imagined and not seen. Here he delivers a taut, slow-burning psychological horror that plays on our primeval fear of the dark and the things that may be lurking in it. He ramps up the suspense through the judicious use of obscured views, half-seen creatures and a shrieking score that will send shivers down your spine. The sound design plays a big part in setting our nerves on edge; unearthly breezes and monstrous ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Reminds me my kids aint so bad Disadvantages: original was much better
...As i realy enjoyed the original 1960 version i thought i'd give this one the once over.
Based on the story The Midwich Cuckoo's by John Wyndham,
this is a chilling tail of how the women in a small American town"Midwich" fall pregnant after the entire town is knocked out by an unforseen force.
Goverment investigations can find no reason for this phenoninum and can offer the residents no explination, fear and panic set in with the villagers as they wonder wether they are part of a goverament experiment or have they been impregnated by an extra terrestial force?
Peoples greed for money soon has them relaxed, as the goverment offer to pay the families large sums of money to go ahead with the pregnancies, on condition they can monitor the children.
The children are born with Platinum hair and physic abilities, not only can they...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Best of series one with great additions! Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea.
...Little Britain has become somewhat of a cult in Britain. And if you haven't watched it yet, you really should give it a go.
Matt Lucas and David Walliams plays a whole mix of characters across Britain including Lou and Andy, Kenny Craig, Sebastian, Vicky Pollard, Marjorie Dawes and many more!
The story follows all these characters with their varying problems in life. Vicky Pollard always getting into trouble, Sebastian fancying the Prime Minister, Daffyd wanting to be the only gay in the village, and much more.
There are some great extras on this DVD including all the Comic Relief sketches, which includes Elton John being interviewed by Daffyd, the only gay in the village, George Michaels meeting Lou and Andy, and Robbie Williams dreessing up as a lady! Also, don't miss Vicky Pollard on Trisha!
Other extras include Comic...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: great story line, special features Disadvantages: n/a
...trying to get across the border to freedom.
The film is definatly interesting. And detailed. The story is told very well, and with the odd comical moment interjected in a powerful and dramatic narrative, the audiences attention is constantly held.
The DVD also contains many special features;
--audio commentaries
--behind-the-scenes documentaries
--tour of the Iraqi village set
--director's video journal
--interview with Tom Sigel
--TV spot
--special photography
--'an intimate look inside the acting process with Ice Cube'
--deleted scenes
Running at 111 minutes and with a certificate of 15, I personally would say those 12+ could watch. Down to parental discression though.
A must watch DVD....
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Plot: In a quiet isolated village in Pennsylvania a pact exists between the people and the creatures who live in the surrounding woods. The townsfolk do not enter the woods and the animals do not enter the town. Headstrong Lucius Hunt prepares to step outside the town and this act threatens to change the life of the village forever.
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINM; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Release date: 31/01/2005
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: BED 881411
Barcode: 5017188814119
Languages
Main Language: English
Subtitle Language: English
Hearing Impaired Language: English
DVD Description
M. Night Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE finds the renowned writer-director crafting a suspenseful story of a small community whose inhabitants are plagued by fear of the unknown forest that surrounds them. For years, they have kept a truce with mysterious creatures in the woods by vowing never to breach a clearly defined border. However, when a young man (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes determined to explore the nearby towns, his actions are met with menacing consequences. Shyamalan continues his remarkable streak of entrancing and entertaining thrillers (THE SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE, SIGNS) with THE VILLAGE. A meticulous filmmaker, Shyamalan displays his penchant for setting up a fascinating atmosphere in every aspect of the movie, from its distinctive color scheme to its intentionally genteel dialogue to its outstanding cinematography, courtesy of Roger Deakins. Renowned cast members Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Adrien Brody are excellent, but the true standout is Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of director Ron Howard), who embodies the heart of the film with her vulnerable but fiercely vital performance. Like Shyamalan's other movies, THE VILLAGE has a distinct twist that offers shocking revelations, but this film's overwhelming sense of menace is what is sure to resonate with viewers long after it's over.
Technical information
Special Features: Deleted Scenes Introduced By Writer And Director M Night Shyamalan, Home Movie Foundation The Cast Of The Village Featurette, Cornerstones Writing The Village Featurette, Brick By Brick The Making Of The Village Featurette, Landscaping Mixing Sound Design Music And Editing The Village Featurette, Secret Passage The Ending Of The Village Featurette, Real Estate The Release Of The Village Featurette, Production Photo Gallery, Interactive Menu, Scene Access
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Professional reviews
Review: The scariest film of the year (Evening Standard, )
Brilliant! Intelligent And Provocative. (News Of The World, )
![The Village [DVD] [2004]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78514791.jpg)
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
01.02.2007
16.11.2005
09.10.2007
