The Boy (2015 film)
| The Boy | |
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| Directed by | Craig William Macneill |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Noah Greenberg |
| Edited by | Craig Macneill |
| Music by | Hauschka |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 105 minites |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Boy is a 2015 American horror film directed by Craig William Macneill, written by Macneill and Clay McLeod Chapman, and starring David Morse, Rainn Wilson, and Jared Breeze. It was based on a short film by Macneill and Chapman, Henley, which was in turn loosely inspired by a novel written by Chapman, Miss Corpus. Breeze plays the titular boy, a budding serial killer.
Plot
In 1989, John Henley owns a rural hotel in Colorado. After his wife abandons him, John retreats from his responsibilities into alcoholism. William Colby, a drifter, has a car accident near the hotel and befriends John's nine-year-old son, Ted. Unknown to John, Ted has become morbidly fascinated with death and has been acting out violently. With William's appearance, Ted begins to experiment with his urges to kill.
Cast
- David Morse as John Henley
- Rainn Wilson as William Colby
- Jared Breeze as Ted Henley
- Bill Sage as the Sheriff
- Mike Vogel
- Zuleikha Robinson
- Aiden Lovekamp as Ben
- David Valencia as Marcus
Production
The story has its genesis in a book written by Clay McLeod Chapman, Miss Corpus.[1] Chapman said that few people read it except for Craig William Macneill, the film's co-writer and director. Fond of one chapter in particular, Macneill suggested they expand it to a short film, which eventually screened at the Sundance Film Festival. SpectreVision took an interest in the short, and it was expanded to feature length. A full trilogy is planned in which the lead character's progress will be examined at the ages of 9, 13, and 18. The trilogy is not based on the book and is original material.[2] Filming began on February 17, 2014, in Medellin, Colombia.[3] Colombia was chosen due to its tax incentives and the fact that they could afford to build their own set – something not possible in the United States for their budget. It took six weeks to construct.[2] Composer Hauschka was announced to have joined in April 2014.[4] Macneill said that the themes of the film include "the dangerous blend of isolation, neglect and youth". [5]
Release
The Boy premiered at South by Southwest on March 14, 2015.[6]
Reception
Eric Kohn for Indiewire, rated it B+ and said that the film "maintains a gripping sense of atmospheric dread".[7] Carson Lund of Slant Magazine wrote, " Macneill has a command for composition and rhythm that belies his skinny résumé, and one can't help but be unnerved by Breeze's relentlessly deer-in-the-headlights performance as the sociopathic Ted."[8] Scott Wampler of [[BadAss Digest]] wrote, "It's great, it's creepy, it's got a jet-black third act that'll have you squirming in your seat, and just about everything-- from the cast and the script to the set design and the cinematography-- works."[9] Samuel Zimmerman of [[Shock Till You Drop]] wrote, "Macneill's disinterest in making a traditional slasher, let alone an iconic one, ultimately ends up with one of the most memorable contemporary iterations."[10] Papa Vinyard of Ain’t It Cool News wrote "A unique little beast. Let the dark, broody tone suck you in."[11]
References
- ^ Barton, Steve (2014-02-26). "The Boy Doles Out More Casting News". Dread Central. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ a b "SXSW '15: Vinyard questions director Craig William Macneill and writer Clay McLeod Chapman about THE BOY!". Ain't It Cool News. 2015-03-22. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Kit, Borys (2014-02-26). "Rainn Wilson, Mike Vogel Joining Horror Pic 'The Boy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Barkan, Jonathan (2014-04-25). "Serial Killer Trilogy 'The Boy' Lands Composer Hauschka". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Cipriani, Casey (2015-03-16). "Meet the 2015 SXSW Filmmakers #14: Craig William Macneill's 'The Boy' Wants You to Care About Your Neighbor's Child". Indiewire. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Zimmerman, Samuel (2015-03-03). "SXSW Poster: The Boy's Got Horns". Shock Till You Drop. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Kohn, Eric (2015-03-16). "SXSW Review: 'The Boy' is the Chilling Start to the Story of a Psychopath". Indiewire. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ Lund, Carson (2015-03-17). "SXSW 2015: The Boy, 6 Years, & A Poem Is a Naked Person". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.badassdigest.com/2015/03/18/sxsw-review-the-boy/}
- ^ Zimmerman, Samuel (2015-03-19). "SXSW Review: The Boy, He's a Growing Slasher". Shock Till You Drop. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/70867}