Cherry Falls
Encyclopedia
Cherry Falls is a 2000 horror
/thriller film written by Ken Selden and directed by Geoffrey Wright
. The film stars Brittany Murphy
, Jay Mohr
, Michael Biehn
and Jesse Bradford
.
, a teen-aged couple are getting romantic in a car when a black-haired female appears and murders them both. Meanwhile, in town, teenager Jody Marken (Brittany Murphy
) - the daughter of the local sheriff - is with her boyfriend, Kenny (Gabriel Mann), who thinks it is time to go "all the way." Jody gently says no, then goes back home only to find her father, Brent (Michael Biehn
), upset that she is out past her curfew. Brent and his deputies begin to investigate the murders the next day. They see that the killer carved the word "virgin" into both victims. At school, Brent sees English teacher Mr. Marliston (Jay Mohr
), who urges him to divulge more details of the murder to students and the town so as to eliminate the possibility of secrets.
Soon, the apparent black-haired female kills another teen - again targeting a virgin. Concerned for the town's safety, Brent holds a meeting at the high school to tell parents the nature of the crimes. (No students are invited, but Jody sneaks in as does one of her friends, Timmy.) The killer appears, kills Timmy, and strikes at Jody, but her father rescues her. Word gets out in Cherry Falls about how virgins are being targeted. The school's worst fears are confirmed when a large-scale orgy is planned outside of city limits. At the police station, Jody describes the killer to an officer, who draws a composite. Brent confides with an old friend, Tom Sisler, (the current high school principal) that the suspect looks like "Lora Lee Sherman." The two are both visibly nervous, and Jody listens in on their conversation.
Later, Jody learns from her mother about the tale of Lora Lee. 25 years ago, Lora Lee was a high school loner. She claimed that four popular boys at school - including Brent, and the high school principal - raped her one night. Her cries fell on deaf ears and she left the city for the rural outskirts, where she was rarely seen or heard from again.
The night the student orgy begins, Brent goes to the school for a meeting with Sisler but he finds him dead in his office with the words "virgin not" carved into his forehead before Brent is knocked out and abducted by the killer and dragged away. Jody is riding her bike that night, as she has refused to have sex with Kenny at the party. She bikes by Marliston's house as he is dragging a heavy trunk inside. When Jody opens the trunk and sees her bloody father inside, she is knocked unconscious. At the orgy, Kenny is there with a girl who he plans to have sex with, but after thinking, changes his mind and goes to find Jody. He drives to find her but strangely sees her bicycle outside of a house.
Downstairs in that house, Marliston puts on a wig and makeup to "become" Lora Lee Sherman. Marliston reveals that he is Lora Lee Sherman's illegitimate son, then asks Brent to retell the story of what happened that night 25 years ago. Brent reveals that the four boys - including himself when he was very intoxicated - did indeed rape Lora Lee. Marliston says his mother became an abusive "psycho" after the rape and gave birth to a son (himself) fathered by one of the rapists. With a close-up of both Brent and Marliston's (identical) eyes, it is strongly implied that Brent is in fact Marliston's biological father. By frightening virgins, Marliston anticipated a large high school orgy (which is happening at that very moment), which would thereby rob all the wealthy parents of their precious children's virginity
(just like his mother lost her virginity under less than ideal circumstances).
Kenny enters the house and frees Jody. Brent battles with Marliston, losing his life in the battle. Jody and Kenny flee to the orgy. Marliston follows and kills a deputy. He heads inside with an axe and mass panic erupts. After stabbing panicking students and then trying to escape, Marliston battles Jody and Kenny and he succeeds in severely wounding Kenny. Eventually, Marliston is pushed off a balcony by Jody and impaled on fence posts. At first, he seems dead but then he awakens briefly and is promptly killed by Deputy Mina who unloads two pistols into him. The next day, Jody and her mother head away from the police station after submitting a distorted version of the truth but not before Jody sees a vision of someone resembling Lora Lee Sherman.
was originally offered the role of Sheriff Marken, but scheduling conflicts prevented him from being in the film. Ted Levine
was also considered for the role of the Sheriff as well. The role eventually went to Michael Biehn
. Coincidentally, Biehn was an early favorite for a military role in James Cameron
's Avatar, but Lang ended up getting the part.
The script was originally set in Ohio
. It was later changed to Virginia
, where it was filmed.
The film was not released in theaters and was met with mixed reviews. One of the more noteworthy positive reviews is from Entertainment Weekly
. Many reviews have described Cherry Falls as a cross between Scream
and American Pie
.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
/thriller film written by Ken Selden and directed by Geoffrey Wright
Geoffrey Wright
Geoffrey Wright is an Australian film director, born in Melbourne in 1959.He gained cult success with the 1992 film Romper Stomper, which starred Russell Crowe. In 1994, he directed the gritty suburban thriller film Metal Skin, starring Ben Mendelsohn, and later directed the teen horror film...
. The film stars Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
, Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
, Michael Biehn
Michael Biehn
Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
and Jesse Bradford
Jesse Bradford
- Early life :Bradford was born Jesse Bradford Watrouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, the only child of actors Terry Porter and Curtis Watrouse, who appeared in commercials, soap operas, and industrial films. His mother also played his character's mother in Hackers...
.
Plot
In the woods outside the small affluent town of Cherry Falls, VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, a teen-aged couple are getting romantic in a car when a black-haired female appears and murders them both. Meanwhile, in town, teenager Jody Marken (Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
) - the daughter of the local sheriff - is with her boyfriend, Kenny (Gabriel Mann), who thinks it is time to go "all the way." Jody gently says no, then goes back home only to find her father, Brent (Michael Biehn
Michael Biehn
Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
), upset that she is out past her curfew. Brent and his deputies begin to investigate the murders the next day. They see that the killer carved the word "virgin" into both victims. At school, Brent sees English teacher Mr. Marliston (Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
), who urges him to divulge more details of the murder to students and the town so as to eliminate the possibility of secrets.
Soon, the apparent black-haired female kills another teen - again targeting a virgin. Concerned for the town's safety, Brent holds a meeting at the high school to tell parents the nature of the crimes. (No students are invited, but Jody sneaks in as does one of her friends, Timmy.) The killer appears, kills Timmy, and strikes at Jody, but her father rescues her. Word gets out in Cherry Falls about how virgins are being targeted. The school's worst fears are confirmed when a large-scale orgy is planned outside of city limits. At the police station, Jody describes the killer to an officer, who draws a composite. Brent confides with an old friend, Tom Sisler, (the current high school principal) that the suspect looks like "Lora Lee Sherman." The two are both visibly nervous, and Jody listens in on their conversation.
Later, Jody learns from her mother about the tale of Lora Lee. 25 years ago, Lora Lee was a high school loner. She claimed that four popular boys at school - including Brent, and the high school principal - raped her one night. Her cries fell on deaf ears and she left the city for the rural outskirts, where she was rarely seen or heard from again.
The night the student orgy begins, Brent goes to the school for a meeting with Sisler but he finds him dead in his office with the words "virgin not" carved into his forehead before Brent is knocked out and abducted by the killer and dragged away. Jody is riding her bike that night, as she has refused to have sex with Kenny at the party. She bikes by Marliston's house as he is dragging a heavy trunk inside. When Jody opens the trunk and sees her bloody father inside, she is knocked unconscious. At the orgy, Kenny is there with a girl who he plans to have sex with, but after thinking, changes his mind and goes to find Jody. He drives to find her but strangely sees her bicycle outside of a house.
Downstairs in that house, Marliston puts on a wig and makeup to "become" Lora Lee Sherman. Marliston reveals that he is Lora Lee Sherman's illegitimate son, then asks Brent to retell the story of what happened that night 25 years ago. Brent reveals that the four boys - including himself when he was very intoxicated - did indeed rape Lora Lee. Marliston says his mother became an abusive "psycho" after the rape and gave birth to a son (himself) fathered by one of the rapists. With a close-up of both Brent and Marliston's (identical) eyes, it is strongly implied that Brent is in fact Marliston's biological father. By frightening virgins, Marliston anticipated a large high school orgy (which is happening at that very moment), which would thereby rob all the wealthy parents of their precious children's virginity
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
(just like his mother lost her virginity under less than ideal circumstances).
Kenny enters the house and frees Jody. Brent battles with Marliston, losing his life in the battle. Jody and Kenny flee to the orgy. Marliston follows and kills a deputy. He heads inside with an axe and mass panic erupts. After stabbing panicking students and then trying to escape, Marliston battles Jody and Kenny and he succeeds in severely wounding Kenny. Eventually, Marliston is pushed off a balcony by Jody and impaled on fence posts. At first, he seems dead but then he awakens briefly and is promptly killed by Deputy Mina who unloads two pistols into him. The next day, Jody and her mother head away from the police station after submitting a distorted version of the truth but not before Jody sees a vision of someone resembling Lora Lee Sherman.
Cast
- Brittany MurphyBrittany MurphyBrittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
- Jody Marken - Jay MohrJay MohrJay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
- Leonard Marliston - Michael BiehnMichael BiehnMichael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
- Sheriff Brent Marken - Jesse BradfordJesse Bradford- Early life :Bradford was born Jesse Bradford Watrouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, the only child of actors Terry Porter and Curtis Watrouse, who appeared in commercials, soap operas, and industrial films. His mother also played his character's mother in Hackers...
- Rod Harper - DJ Qualls - Wally
- Candy ClarkCandy ClarkCandace June "Candy" Clark is an American film and television actress, well known for her role as Debbie Dunham in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which garnered her an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress, a character she reprised in 1979 for the sequel More American Graffiti...
- Marge Marken - Amanda Anka - Deputy Sheriff Mina
- Joe Inscoe - Tom Sisler, the Principal
- Gabriel MannGabriel Mann (actor)Gabriel Mann is an American actor and former fashion model, currently starring as Nolan Ross on the ABC drama series Revenge.-Life and career:...
- Kenny Ascott - Natalie RamseyNatalie RamseyNatalie Ramsey is a television actress. She currently stars in the television series Beyond the Break as Lacey Farmer. She has also starred in Cruel Intentions 3 and Cherry Falls.-External links:...
- Sandy - Douglas SpainDouglas SpainDouglas Spain is an American film and television actor, director and producer. In 1998 Spain was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in the category of Best Debut Performance for his role in the film Star Maps...
- Mark - Bre BlairBre BlairBre Blair , is a Canadian actress, who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Her birth name is Sarah Brianne.Her first major role was portraying Stacey McGill in the 1995 movie The Baby-Sitters Club....
- Stacy Twelfmann - Kristen MillerKristen MillerKristen Miller is an American actress who has appeared in guest and in leading roles in many television shows, including Dexter, USA High, That's My Bush!, Two and a Half Men, Charmed, She Spies and Undressed...
- Cindy - Michael WestonMichael WestonMichael Weston is an American television and film actor. His best-known roles are the private detective Lucas Douglas on House, the homicidal meth addict Jake in the critically acclaimed HBO drama Six Feet Under and Pvt...
- Ben - Keram Malicki-SanchezKeram Malicki-SanchezKeram Malicki-Sánchez is a Canadian actor, singer, writer, new media guru, and music and film producer.-Early life & acting career:...
- Timmy - Vicki DavisVicki DavisVictoria Diane Davis is an American actress who has made appearances in several TV shows and movies. One of her better-known roles is that of Mia in the comedy show, Maybe It's Me. Davis is also a voice actress best known for her role as the Pink Psycho Ranger in Power Rangers in Space and Power...
- Heather - Rick ForresterRick ForresterEric "Rick" Forrester Jr. is a fictional character from the daytime soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful. The role was originated by child actor Jeremy Snider from 1991–1995. Then the character was aged to a teen with Steve Hartman from 1995-1997 and Jacob Young from 1997-1999. Rick was recast by...
- Deputy Beau - Clementine FordClementine FordClementine Ford is an American actress who is perhaps best known for her appearance as Molly Kroll on the fourth, fifth & sixth seasons of Showtime's The L Word...
- Annette Duwald - Colin FickesColin FickesColin Fickes is an American actor.He is best known as high school teenager Jimmy Edwards on the hit series One Tree Hill. In one of the series' most notable episodes, the character committed suicide after bringing a gun to his school Tree Hill High, resulting in a hostage situation. Jimmy Edwards...
- Dino - Zachary KnightonZachary KnightonZachary Andrew Knighton is an American actor who currently stars as Dave Rose on the ABC comedy series Happy Endings. Prior to that, he co-starred as Dr. Bryce Varley on ABC's science fiction series FlashForward from 2009–2010....
- Mr. Rolly - Rand Courtney - Dennis
- Bret McKee - Dylan Roley
- Joannah Portman - Sharon
- Ben AndersonBen AndersonBenjamin or Ben Anderson may refer to:*Benedict Anderson , professor emeritus of International Studies at Cornell University*Ben Anderson , Australian actor*Ben Anderson , television personality and reporter for the BBC...
- Young Partier
Casting and development
Stephen LangStephen Lang (actor)
Stephen Lang is an American actor and playwright. He started in theatre on Broadway but is well known for his film portrayals of Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals and George Pickett in Gettysburg , as well as for his 2009 roles as Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar and as Texan lawman Charles...
was originally offered the role of Sheriff Marken, but scheduling conflicts prevented him from being in the film. Ted Levine
Ted Levine
Frank Theodore "Ted" Levine is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in the television series Monk.-Early life and career:...
was also considered for the role of the Sheriff as well. The role eventually went to Michael Biehn
Michael Biehn
Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
. Coincidentally, Biehn was an early favorite for a military role in James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
's Avatar, but Lang ended up getting the part.
The script was originally set in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It was later changed to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where it was filmed.
Release and reception
The film was troubled by censor disapproval. It had to be submitted to the MPAA a total of five times before censors finally approved a cut.The film was not released in theaters and was met with mixed reviews. One of the more noteworthy positive reviews is from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
. Many reviews have described Cherry Falls as a cross between Scream
Scream (film)
Scream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
and American Pie
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
.