I Know What You Did Last Summer

This article is about the film. For the original novel by Lois Duncan, see I Know What You Did Last Summer (novel). For the Supernatural episode, see I Know What You Did Last Summer (Supernatural).

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jim Gillespie
Produced by	William S. Beasley Neal H. Mortiz Stokely Chaffin
Screenplay by	Kevin Williamson
Based on	The novel by Lois Duncan
Starring	Jennifer Love Hewitt Sarah Michelle Gellar Ryan Phillippe Freddie Prinze, Jr. Bridgette Wilson Johnny Galecki
Music by	John Debney
Cinematography	Denis Crossan
Editing by	Steve Mirkovich
Studio	Mandalay Entertainment
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	October 17, 1997
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$17 million (est)
Box office	$125,586,134

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American horror film. The film stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. The screenplay was written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream, and very loosely based on Lois Duncan's popular novel of the same title. The film was followed by two sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and the straight-to-DVD release I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. The latter film did not star any of the cast from the previous two.

The film received negative reviews from critics. However, the film was highly successful, grossing $125,500,000 at the box office. It was also nominated for and won multiple awards. As a result the film has been parodied and referenced in popular culture.

Plot

After Helen wins a beauty pageant, Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Barry (Ryan Phillippe) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) go out of town to celebrate. Returning in Barry's new car, they hit and apparently kill a man. They dump the corpse in the ocean and agree to never discuss again what had happened.

One year later, Julie is returning home from college. She has not spoken with Helen, Barry or Ray since the accident. Upon return home, Julie receives a letter that reads "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER!" Panicking, Julie goes to see Helen's sister Elsa, who tells Julie that Helen has been working there. Julie shows Helen the letter and they decide to visit Barry. After going over the incident, Barry accuses Max. The trio go to see Max (Johnny Galecki), but Barry insists on going in the factory alone. Barry persuades Max to go into the back room and attacks him, telling Max he should keep his mouth shut. Julie finds Ray working on the docks. Ray tries to make up with Julie but she runs off. Inside the factory, Max is murdered by someone wielding a hook. The killer attacks Barry next, running him over with Barry's car. The killer is shown wearing a raincoat and wielding a hook on one hand.

Julie arrives at the hospital to see Barry and finds Helen and Ray there. Julie reveals the man they hit was named David Egan. Helen and Julie go to visit Missy (Anne Heche), David's sister. The duo is convinced that she is innocent. Missy tells them she had a visit from a man claiming to be David's friend named Billy Blue.

At Helen's home that night, the killer breaks in, hiding in her closet. The next morning, Helen wakes up with most of her hair cut to bits and "SOON" written in lipstick on her mirror. Julie gets a call from Barry, who tells her to come to Helen's. On the way, Julie hears rattling in her trunk. She opens the trunk to find Max's body. She shuts the trunk, runs to Helen's and brings her and Barry to her car, but the body has disappeared. Julie is convinced the killer took the body and they are not safe. Later they run into Ray, who tells them he got a letter. Julie decides to see Missy again while Helen and Barry watch each other's backs at the parade. Julie tries to convince Missy that David did not kill himself after Missy presents her with a suicide note written in the same style as her letter from the killer. Missy tells Julie to leave.

At the Croaker pageant, Helen sees Barry murdered by the killer. However, neither the killer nor the body are found afterwards. A police officer (Stuart Greer) drives Helen home, but the killer lures the cop into an alley and kills him. Helen runs to her store where Elsa is working, but the killer finds and kills Elsa. Helen manages to elude the killer by jumping out of the window into a dumpster and flees through the back alleys to the roaring parade. Helen is then stopped by the killer who shoves her into a stack of tires and slashes her to death, her screams are to no avail as the noise of the parade drowns it out. Julie learns that the killer is Ben Willis (Muse Watson), a fisherman. He murdered David Egan after David and Ben's daughter Susie were involved in a car crash near where the four teenagers hit Ben. Susie was killed in the accident and David was unharmed. Ben blamed David and killed him a year later, making it look like a suicide. On the way home, Ben was hit by the group.

Julie goes to see Ray on his boat and tells him the story, but he does not believe her. Julie notices the name on his boat is "Billy Blue" and accuses him of the murders. He chases her but is knocked unconscious by a man who tells Julie to get on his boat. After she does, she learns he is Ben Willis, the real killer. She is chased all over the boat while Ray regains consciousness and steals a boat to save Julie. In a room full of ice, Julie finds Helen and Barry's bodies. Ray climbs aboard and is almost killed by Ben, but is caught in the boat's net. He climbs back aboard and saves Julie. Ben gets his hand caught in a rope and Ray hoists him into the air where his hand is cut off and he falls into the ocean. On land, Ray tells Julie that the reason he went to see Missy was because he was guilty and had to know who they hit. He tells her he loves her and they embrace. Ben's body is not recovered.

A year later, Julie is in her second year and is going on a trip to New York with Ray. She receives a letter resembling the one she had got from Ben, but it only contains a pool party invitation. Julie returns to the bathroom, which has filled with steam. On the shower door, "I STILL KNOW" is written. Ben jumps through the shower door, attacking her.

Cast

See also: List of I Know What You Did Last Summer characters

• Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie Nicole James
• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers
• Ryan Phillippe as Barry William Cox
• Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson
• Bridgette Wilson as Elsa Shivers
• Anne Heche as Missy Egan
• Johnny Galecki as Max Neurick
• Muse Watson as Ben Willis
• Stuart Greer as Officer David Caporizon

Music

Score

I Know What You Did Last Summer (Original Motion Picture Score)
Film score (Digital download)/Audio CD by John Debney
Released	October 7, 1997
Length	50:44
Label	Super Tracks Music Group

1. A New Beginning (Julie's Theme) [1:52]
2. Barry's Underwater Adventure [2:33]
3. Homecoming [0:53]
4. Crabhouse Gaffing [1:10]
5. Someone's Watchin'/Chased [3:26]
6. Missy's Story [2:10]
7. The Houseguest [1:57]
8. A Little 'Trim'/Trunk Surprise [3:12]
9. His Name Was.../Car Trouble [3:29]
10. Hiding the Body [3:15]
11. In Pursuit of Helen [2:50]
12. The Note [1:39]
13. Gaffing Barry/Missy's Home [3:19]
14. No Escape For Helen [2:32]
15. Julie Discovers the Truth [3:21]
16. The Night Softly Whispers [1:49]
17. Fond Memories [0:43]
18. Julie Takes a Cruise [2:56]
19. Taking a Stand [1:09]
20. Final Confrontation [4:03]
21. Julie Takes a Shower [1:20]

Soundtrack

I Know What You Did Last Summer (The Album)
Soundtrack album (Digital download)/Audio CD by Various
Released	October 7, 1997
Length	51:14
Label	Sony Music

1. "Hush" by Kula Shaker (2:55)
2. "Summer Breeze" by Type O Negative (4:57)
3. "D.U.I." by The Offspring (2:26)
4. "Kid" by Green Apple Quick Step (3:17)
5. "This Ain't the Summer of Love" by L7 (3:09)
6. "Losin' It" by Soul Asylum (3:01)
7. "Hey Bulldog" by Toad the Wet Sprocket (2:31)
8. "My Baby's Got the Strangest Ways" by Southern Culture on the Skids (3:59)
9. "Waterfall" by The Din Pedals (3:47)
10. "Clumsy" by Our Lady Peace (4:27)
11. "One Hundred Days" by Flick (3:40)
12. "Great Life" by Goatboy (3:50)
13. "2 Wicky" by Hooverphonic (4:44)
14. "Don't Mean Anything" by Adam Cohen (3:43)
15. "Proud" by Korn (3:17)

Reception

The film received mostly negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, 37% of comments were positive. In another review, Metacritic reported an aggregate score of 52 out of 100. Critic Roger Ebert wrote in his review, "The best shot in this film is the first one. Not a good sign."

Jennifer Love Hewitt was praised for her performance as Julie James by an Entertainment Weekly columnist stating that Hewitt knows how to scream with soul.'

Awards and nominations

Year	Ceremony	Category	Result
1997	ASCAP Award	Top Box Office Films, John Debney	Won
1998	Saturn Award	Best Horror Film	Nominated
1998	Blockbuster Entertainment Award	Favorite Female Newcomer, Favorite Actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt	Won
1998		Favorite Supporting Actress – Horror, Sarah Michelle Gellar	Won
1998		Favorite Actor – Horror, Freddie Prinze Jr.	Nominated
1998		Favorite Actress – Horror, Jennifer Love Hewitt	Nominated
1998		Favorite Supporting Actor, Ryan Phillippe	Nominated
1998	IHG Award	Best Movie	Nominated
1998	MTV Movie Awards	Best Breakthrough Performance, Sarah Michelle Gellar	Nominated
1998	Young Artist Award	Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt	Nominated

External links

• I Know What You Did Last Summer at the Internet Movie Database
• I Know What You Did Last Summer at AllRovi
• I Know What You Did Last Summer at Box Office Mojo
• I Know What You Did Last Summer at Rotten Tomatoes