Strangers and Strangers

The Strangers hits DVD today: Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman stalked in remoteish home in the wee hours by trio of masked creeps. The 'INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS' tag trumpeted on the DVD refers essentially to the Manson family murders, compounded with an obviously nonlethal childhood experience of writer-director Bryan Bertino.

The flick is well-done, an effective chiller and a breath of fresh air midsummer (I caught it immediately after Indiana Jones; it helped). Positive reviews and a $20 million opening-weekend haul on a $9 million budget meant that Bertino and the flick itself were instantly in demand: Bertino's got three new thrillers already in the works as writer/director, and The Strangers was lined up for a second installment, illogical though it may be. Difficult to discuss without spoiling the movie, so well enough will here be left alone. With Strangers a newly established name, it won't have to rely on counter-programming against dissimilar demographics, as when Rogue made it the sole darker option against Indiana Jones and Sex and the City. If it avoids the endless delays of the first flick (which it will), it'll step up to a more respected scheduling spot with a loosely projected Halloween 2009 date.

Bertino is expected to write the sequel, but not necessarily direct.