My son has been talking about Hangman’s Curse for awhile now. He really wanted the DVD so he could watch it anytime he wanted. I was leery about buying it for him because it is rated PG-13 and I tend to be strict with what he can watch. I decided to buy it for him though because my neighbors let their son watch it. My neighbors send their children to a Christian school and are very strict on what their children can watch. They are usually much more strict than I am. So I felt that if it were acceptable for them it would be all right for my son.

The Movie:

Abel Frye commits suicide by hanging himself in Roger’s High School. Many people think his ghost haunts the school. Ten years later things start happening to some of the football players. Each victim has a small picture of a hangman drawn in their locker. That is a sign that they are about to be the next victim. Once they are taken over they begin screaming and seeing images of horror. Nobody knows why this is happening. Some think they are on drugs. Others think it is the ghost of Abel attacking them.

An undercover group of FBI agents are called in to investigate why this is happening. The agents are the Springfield family. This is made up of the mother and father, Nate and Sara, along with their son and daughter, Elijia and Elisha.

What steps does the Springfield family take in finding the answers to their questions? Is it revealed who is behind the terrible things happening at Roger’s High School? Do they find out who is the cause of this insanity? How did a slew of big spiders play a part in the story? Does anyone lose their life due to the curse?

The Cast:

David Keith – Nate Springfield
Mel Harris – Sarah Springfield
Leighton Meester – Elisha Springfield
Douglas Smith – Elijia Springfield
Jake Richardson – Ian Snyder
Edwin Hodge – Blake Hornsby
Daniel Farber – Norman Bloom
Andrea Morris – Crystal Sparks
Tom Wright – Dan Carillo
Billy Moses – Coach Marquadt
Frank Peretti – Algernon Wheeling

Misc. Information:

Rated: PG-13
DVD Release Date: March 30, 2004
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Director: Rafal Zielinski
Sound: 5.1 Dolby Surround or Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English or Spanish

Special Features:

The Spider Wrangler: The Spiders of Hangman’s Curse

Brian Gibbs, Spider Wrangler, from Birds & Animals Unlimited shares about how he got into working with tarantulas. There are lots and lots of clips of various spiders. There were over 400 spiders needed for the movie so that they could change them out when needed. There is footage of the cast getting used to the spiders about a week before the shooting of the film started. Billy Moses, one of the actors, looks absolutely terrified of the spiders. You could see the horror on his face, as he tries to get used to working with them.

Frank Peretti: The Veritas Series Novels

It is announced that Nightmare Academy will be the next book in the Veritas Series.

Frank Peretti – From Page to Screen:

It begins with Frank at his computer. He shares some about his writing. Some of the producers of the movie and the director share what is was like taking the book and making it into a movie. They worked closely with Frank to make sure that what they did was what he had actually envisioned when he wrote the book. Frank says “The visuals matched or exceeded what I saw in my head”. There is also an interview of Frank’s wife, Barbara. One night Frank and David Keith got together and played bluegrass music. There is footage from the evening they spent playing and singing together.

Theatrical Trailer:

Scenes from the movie are shown and it says “It will scare you to death”.

Final Thoughts:

Frank Peretti has written many novels, but this was the first one to be made into a movie. I thought the movie was interesting and it kept me in suspense. There were parts that were spooky. Some of the occult scenes and seeing the people dressed in all black were scary. There was one particular time that I was watching and something made me about jump out of my skin. There was a lot of eerie sounding music that sounds like something you might hear in a haunted house. At one point the television scarred my dog with the music and he got up and ran off.

Frank Peretti had a small role in the movie as an eccentric scientist named Algernon Wheeling. He played the part just perfect. You can tell he has so much energy and really fit the role well. He has a funny side to him. I thought the other actors did an excellent job as well. Everyone did a nice job, but I was especially impressed with the performance given by Leighton Meester. She was outstanding. I had not seen her acting before, but I will certainly look for future roles played by her.

My husband thought the movie was pretty good as well. He figured out things about the movie long before I did. I don’t catch on as fast as he does when watching movies. My almost ten year old, Aaron, loves this movie. This was one of his Easter gifts and he was just thrilled that he got it. He had first read the book and has wanted to get the movie. Although my husband and I both enjoyed it, I think it is best suited for children in the 10-15 range.

If you have a fear of big spiders you will want to stay far away from this movie. There are lots of spiders used and they are huge. I felt really itchy all over while watching, like they were crawling on me. I wouldn’t let children any younger than age 9 watch this. There are parts that are scary and could be upsetting for them. It would be hard for younger children to understand some of the things from the movie. My son is mature for his age and with the recommendation from my neighbors I didn’t have a problem with him seeing it.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older