Surveillance (2008 film): Difference between revisions

 

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==Plot==

==Plot==

A series of violent deaths and the disappearance of a young woman bring [[FBI]] agents Hallaway ([[Bill Pullman]]) and Anderson ([[Julia Ormond]]) to a town in rural [[Nebraska]]. They meet the three survivors of a mysterious bloodbath; the young Stephanie ([[Ryan Simpkins]]), the cocaine-addicted Bobbi ([[Pell James]]), and the foul-mouthed police officer Bennett (Kent Harper). Hallaway watches the trio’s respective interviews with Captain Billings ([[Michael Ironside]]) and officers Wright (Charlie Newmark) and Degrasso (Gill Gayle), where they tell the story of what brought them there:

A series of violent deaths and the disappearance of a young woman bring [[FBI]] agents Hallaway ([[Bill Pullman]]) and Anderson ([[Julia Ormond]]) to a town in rural [[Nebraska]]. They meet the three survivors of a mysterious bloodbath; the young Stephanie ([[Ryan Simpkins]]), the cocaine-addicted Bobbi ([[Pell James]]), and the foul-mouthed police officer Bennett (Kent Harper). Hallaway watches the trio’s respective interviews with Captain Billings ([[Michael Ironside]]) and officers Wright (Charlie Newmark) and Degrasso (Gill Gayle), where they tell the story of what brought them there

In a warped way to pass the day, Officer Bennett and his partner Officer Conrad ([[French Stewart]]) watch (both hidden from view) and shoot the tires of cars driving along an isolated county road, then convince the drivers their tires blew out as a result of their speeding, and threaten them afterwards. They do so to one young couple then let them go.

In a warped way to pass the day, Officer Bennett and his partner Officer Conrad ([[French Stewart]]) watch (both hidden from view) and shoot the tires of cars driving along an isolated county road, then convince the drivers their tires blew out as a result of their speeding, and threaten them afterwards. They do so to one young couple then let them go.

A bit later, Stephanie, traveling on vacation with her family, sees a car (the couple’s) with blood on it and tells it to her oblivious mother ([[Cheri Oteri]]). Bobbi, using drugs with her boyfriend Johnny (Mac Miller), is in a car right behind them. At a rest stop, both girls learn a pair of killers are responsible for a string of murders and likely the woman’s disappearance. Stephanie’s stepfather Steven ([[Hugh Dillon]]) supposedly speeds and their car’s tire is shot by Bennett. Bobbi and Johnny are about to offer help, but the officers arrive and harass all of them, making Steven put Conrad’s gun in his mouth and making Bobbi swear at Johnny. After all of this, Stephanie tells the officers about the bloody car she saw earlier. The officers leave to investigate.

later, Stephanie, traveling on vacation with her family, sees a car (the couple’s) with blood on it and her oblivious mother ([[Cheri Oteri]]). Bobbi, using drugs with her boyfriend Johnny (Mac Miller), is in a car right behind them. At a rest stop, both girls learn a pair of killers are responsible for a string of murders and likely the woman’s disappearance. Stephanie’s stepfather Steven ([[Hugh Dillon]]) supposedly speeds and their car’s tire is shot by Bennett. Bobbi and Johnny are about to offer help, but the officers arrive and harass all of them, Steven put Conrad’s gun his mouth and making Bobbi swear at Johnny. After all of this, Stephanie tells the officers about the bloody car she saw earlier. The officers leave to investigate.

Steven gets to work changing the tire, and Bobbi gets out to talk with Stephanie’s family, who all feel violated by the officers. Simultaneously, after passing a white van, Bennett and Conrad find the car Stephanie described farther down the road, with evidence of an altercation, and race back towards the van. The van plows into the back of Johnny’s car, killing him and Steven. A dead man is at the wheel, and a live person, covered in a black bag, is sitting in the passenger seat of the van, whom Bobbi tries to save. Bennett and Conrad arrive back at the scene. In the chaos, Conrad is killed and persons emerge from the van wearing rubber masks, kill Stephanie’s mother and brother, and knock Bennett unconscious. Stephanie and Bobbi take refuge in the police car.

Steven changing the tire, and Bobbi gets out to talk with Stephanie’s family, who all feel violated by the officers. passing a white van, Bennett and Conrad the car Stephanie described down the road, with evidence of an altercation, and race back towards the van. The van plows into the back of Johnny’s car, killing him and Steven. A dead man is at the wheel, and a live person, covered in a black bag, is sitting in the passenger seat of the van, whom Bobbi tries to save. Bennett and Conrad arrive back at the scene. In the chaos, Conrad is killed and emerge from the van wearing rubber masks, kill Stephanie’s mother and brother, and knock Bennett unconscious. Stephanie and Bobbi take refuge in the police car.

Presently, Hallaway and Anderson are trying to figure things out when bodies are discovered in a motel nearby. Anderson takes Wright and Degrasso to the scene, leaving Hallaway with Bobbi, Billings, Bennett, and Stephanie, who whispers something in Hallaway’s ear after Anderson leaves. Hallaway talks with the three others, while Degrasso discovers nude pictures of Anderson and Hallaway. Leafing through them in Anderson’s backseat, Degrasso is shocked to see the agents with the body of a dead woman. While hes looking through the photos, Anderson has been closely watching his facial expressions through the rearview mirror. She quickly makes the connection that he‘s spotted her and Halloway and knows he‘s onto the fact that the two aren’t FBI agents and that they’re in fact the serial killers. Before he can react, Anderson shoots both Degrasso and Wright dead, then dumps both bodies by the roadside. Hallaway’s behavior, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly bizarre and violent. He gradually reveals that he was at the bloodbath earlier, and he also reveals he and Anderson are in fact the killers. Hallaway kills Billings, and when Anderson returns Bennett too is murdered. They agents turn their attention to Bobbi. She is murdered by Halloway via strangulation in a matter revealing that not only are the killers serial murderers, they‘re also sexual sadists.

, Hallaway and Anderson are trying to figure out when bodies are discovered in a motel nearby. Anderson takes Wright and Degrasso to the scene, leaving Hallaway with Bobbi, Billings, Bennett, and Stephanie, who whispers something in Hallaway’s ear after Anderson leaves. Hallaway talks with the three others, while Degrasso discovers nude pictures of Anderson and Hallaway. through them in Anderson’s backseat, Degrasso is shocked to see the agents with the body of a dead woman. While looking through the photos, Anderson has been closely watching his facial expressions the rearview mirror. She quickly makes the connection that he spotted her and Halloway and knows he the two FBI agents the serial killers. Before he can react, Anderson shoots both Degrasso and Wright dead, then dumps both bodies by the roadside. Hallaway’s behavior, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly bizarre and violent. He gradually reveals he was at the bloodbath earlier, and he also he and Anderson are the killers. Hallaway kills Billings, and when Anderson returns Bennett is murdered. agents turn their attention to Bobbi. She is murdered by Halloway via strangulation in a revealing that not only are the killers serial murderers, they also sexual sadists.

A phone message left at the police station reveals the bodies at the motel are those of the missing woman and two real FBI Agents. As Anderson and Hallaway drive away they see Stephanie standing out in a field by the side of the road. Hallaway relates to Anderson that the little girl was on to them all along so he let her go free. Anderson tells Hallaway, “I think that’s the most romantic thing in the whole world.” Stephanie watches their vehicle disappear into the distance.

A phone message left at the police station reveals the bodies at the motel are those of the missing woman and two real FBI Agents. As Anderson and Hallaway drive away they see Stephanie standing out in a field by the side of the road. Hallaway relates to Anderson that the little girl was them all along so he let her go free. Anderson tells Hallaway, “I think that’s the most romantic thing in the whole world.” Stephanie watches their vehicle disappear into the distance.

==Cast==

==Cast==

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==Production==

==Production==

Different [[film stock]]s were processed in different ways to provide the varying states of minds and perspectives that belong to the various characters in the film: the two local police officers’ [[Point of view shot|POV]] is [[sepia tone]]d, to reflect their power, while over-[[Saturation (color theory)|saturation]] was employed for the illicit drug-using couple, and a “super sharp and super clear” depiction for the young girl.<ref name=”levy”>{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Emanuel |author-link=Emanuel Levy |title=Interview: Surveillance with Jennifer Lynch |url=http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=10141 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207222109/http://www.emanuellevy.com/search/details.cfm?id=10141 |archive-date=December 7, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-24 |publisher=[[emanuellevy.com]]}}</ref>

Different [[film stock]]s were processed in ways to provide the varying states of minds and perspectives that belong to the characters in the film: the two local police officers’ [[Point of view shot|POV]] is [[sepia tone]]d, to reflect their power, while over-[[Saturation (color theory)|saturation]] was employed for the illicit drug-using couple, and a “super sharp and super clear” depiction for the young girl.<ref name=”levy”>{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Emanuel |author-link=Emanuel Levy |title=Interview: Surveillance with Jennifer Lynch |url=http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=10141 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207222109/http://www.emanuellevy.com/search/details.cfm?id=10141 |archive-date=December 7, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-24 |publisher=[[emanuellevy.com]]}}</ref>

==Reception==

==Reception==

2008 film by Jennifer Lynch

Surveillance is a 2008 American crime horror thriller^[3] film co-written and directed by Jennifer Lynch and starring Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James, Michael Ironside, and French Stewart. The story is set in the Nebraska plains of United States. The film premiered “out of competition” and appeared in a midnight slot at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Surveillance is Lynch’s second feature film, following a fifteen-year break after Boxing Helena.^[4][5]

A series of violent deaths and the disappearance of a young woman bring FBI agents Hallaway (Bill Pullman) and Anderson (Julia Ormond) to a town in rural Nebraska. They meet the three survivors of a mysterious bloodbath; the young Stephanie (Ryan Simpkins), the cocaine-addicted Bobbi (Pell James), and the foul-mouthed police officer Bennett (Kent Harper). Hallaway watches the trio’s respective interviews with Captain Billings (Michael Ironside) and officers Wright (Charlie Newmark) and Degrasso (Gill Gayle), where they tell the story of what brought them there.

In a warped way to pass the day, Officer Bennett and his partner Officer Conrad (French Stewart) watch (both hidden from view) and shoot the tires of cars driving along an isolated county road, then convince the drivers their tires blew out as a result of their speeding, and threaten them afterwards. They do so to one young couple then let them go.

Sometime later, Stephanie, traveling on vacation with her family, sees a car (the couple’s) with blood on it and informs her oblivious mother (Cheri Oteri). Bobbi, using drugs with her boyfriend Johnny (Mac Miller), is in a car right behind them. At a rest stop, both girls learn a pair of killers are responsible for a string of murders and likely the woman’s disappearance. Stephanie’s stepfather Steven (Hugh Dillon) supposedly speeds and their car’s tire is shot by Bennett. Bobbi and Johnny are about to offer help, but the officers arrive and harass all of them, forcing Steven to put Conrad’s gun into his mouth and making Bobbi swear at Johnny. After all of this, Stephanie tells the officers about the bloody car she saw earlier. The officers leave to investigate.

Steven begins changing the tire, and Bobbi gets out to talk with Stephanie’s family, who all feel violated by the officers. After passing a white van, Bennett and Conrad simultaneously discover the car Stephanie described further down the road, with evidence of an altercation, and race back towards the van. The van plows into the back of Johnny’s car, killing him and Steven. A dead man is at the wheel, and a live person, covered in a black bag, is sitting in the passenger seat of the van, whom Bobbi tries to save. Bennett and Conrad arrive back at the scene. In the chaos, Conrad is killed and people emerge from the van wearing rubber masks, kill Stephanie’s mother and brother, and knock Bennett unconscious. Stephanie and Bobbi take refuge in the police car.

Meanwhile, Hallaway and Anderson are trying to figure everything out when bodies are discovered in a motel nearby. Anderson takes Wright and Degrasso to the scene, leaving Hallaway with Bobbi, Billings, Bennett, and Stephanie, who whispers something in Hallaway’s ear after Anderson leaves. Hallaway talks with the three others, while Degrasso discovers nude pictures of Anderson and Hallaway. Looking through them in Anderson’s backseat, Degrasso is shocked to see the agents with the body of a dead woman. While he is looking through the photos, Anderson has been closely watching his facial expressions in the rearview mirror. She quickly makes the connection that he has spotted her and Halloway and knows he is beginning to suspect the two are not FBI agents, but are actually the serial killers. Before he can react, Anderson shoots both Degrasso and Wright dead, then dumps both bodies by the roadside. Hallaway’s behavior, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly bizarre and violent. He gradually reveals he was at the bloodbath earlier, and he also states that he and Anderson are indeed the killers. Hallaway kills Billings, and when Anderson returns, Bennett is also murdered. The agents turn their attention to Bobbi. She is murdered by Halloway via strangulation in a manner revealing that not only are the killers serial murderers, they are also sexual sadists.

A phone message left at the police station reveals the bodies at the motel are those of the missing woman and two real FBI Agents. As Anderson and Hallaway drive away, they see Stephanie standing out in a field by the side of the road. Hallaway relates to Anderson that the little girl was onto them all along so he let her go free. Anderson tells Hallaway, “I think that’s the most romantic thing in the whole world.” Stephanie watches their vehicle disappear into the distance.

Different film stocks were processed in alternate ways to provide the varying states of minds and perspectives that belong to the characters in the film: the two local police officers’ POV is sepia toned, to reflect their power, while over-saturation was employed for the illicit drug-using couple, and a “super sharp and super clear” depiction for the young girl.^[6]

Overall, reviews of the film were mixed. The aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 55% approval rating with an average score of 5.19/10, based on 76 reviews. The website’s consensus reads, “This dark psycho-thriller from Jennifer Lynch, is violent, sharp and baffling, but not to everyone’s taste.”^[7] On Metacritic the film achieved a score of 31 out of 100 based on 12 reviews, which indicates “generally unfavorable reviews”.^[8]

In October 2008, the film took the top prize at the Festival de Cine de Sitges.^[9]

The film made history at the New York City Horror Film Festival when Jennifer Lynch became the first female to win the Best Director award and Ryan Simpkins became the first child to win the Best Actress award at the fest.^[10]