Lost Souls (film)
Encyclopedia
Lost Souls is a 2000
American horror film
directed by Janusz Kamiński
, and stars Winona Ryder
, Ben Chaplin
, Elias Koteas
, and John Hurt
. It is about a man who is told he will become the Antichrist
.
intends to become man just as God
did in the person of Jesus
. Writings from a seemingly possessed mental patient lead them to Peter Kelson (Chaplin
). The group suspect that it is his body Satan has chosen to occupy. The youngest of the group Maya Larkin (Ryder
), meets Peter to investigate further and to try to convince him of embodied evil. Other signs come to him as he and Maya take a journey full of strange occurrences, self discovery and an ultimate showdown.
and New York City
in America. The film was initially set for release in October 1999, however, due to a flood of "End of the World" movies such as End of Days scheduled for release around the same time the decision was made to delay the film. The second date for release February 2000 was also cancelled due to conflict with the very popular Scream
franchise. The final release date of October 2000, was finally decided upon, which also happened to be the same exact day as the re-release of The Exorcist
.
$7,954,766 in its opening weekend.
The film was given very mixed reviews from critics.
Elvis Mitchell in The New York Times
wrote; 'There are some particularly fine visual details; it's the central story that's lacking.' 'After what is supposed to be a harrowing moment, Kelson says, I was surprised but I was never frightened. That about sums up Lost Souls.
The critical review from Film4
wrote; 'Concluding with an ending reminiscent of both The Game and Jacob's Ladder
(though delivered with the panache of neither), Lost Souls is not worth seeking out.'
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
American horror film
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...
directed by Janusz Kamiński
Janusz Kaminski
Janusz Zygmunt Kamiński is a Polish cinematographer and film director. He has photographed all of Steven Spielberg's films since 1993's Schindler's List.-Life and career:...
, and stars Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
, Ben Chaplin
Ben Chaplin
Ben Chaplin , is an English actor.-Early life:Chaplin, the youngest of four children, was born in London, the son of Cynthia , a drama teacher, and Peter Greenwood, an engineer. He took his stage name after his mother's maiden name. He was raised in Windsor, Berkshire, England and attended Hurtwood...
, Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas is a Canadian actor of film and television, best known for his roles in The Prophecy, Fallen and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.-Early life:...
, and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
. It is about a man who is told he will become the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
.
Plot
A small group of Roman Catholics believe that SatanSatan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
intends to become man just as God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
did in the person of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. Writings from a seemingly possessed mental patient lead them to Peter Kelson (Chaplin
Ben Chaplin
Ben Chaplin , is an English actor.-Early life:Chaplin, the youngest of four children, was born in London, the son of Cynthia , a drama teacher, and Peter Greenwood, an engineer. He took his stage name after his mother's maiden name. He was raised in Windsor, Berkshire, England and attended Hurtwood...
). The group suspect that it is his body Satan has chosen to occupy. The youngest of the group Maya Larkin (Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
), meets Peter to investigate further and to try to convince him of embodied evil. Other signs come to him as he and Maya take a journey full of strange occurrences, self discovery and an ultimate showdown.
Cast
- Ben ChaplinBen ChaplinBen Chaplin , is an English actor.-Early life:Chaplin, the youngest of four children, was born in London, the son of Cynthia , a drama teacher, and Peter Greenwood, an engineer. He took his stage name after his mother's maiden name. He was raised in Windsor, Berkshire, England and attended Hurtwood...
as Peter Kelson - Winona RyderWinona RyderWinona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
as Maya Larkin - Sarah WynterSarah WynterSarah Wynter is an Australian actress, most widely known for her roles on American television – such as Kate Warner on the television drama 24 and as Beth on Windfall.-Personal life:...
as Claire Van Owen - Philip Baker HallPhilip Baker Hall-Early life:Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, the son of a factory worker father who was from Montgomery, Alabama. He attended the University of Toledo. As a younger man, Hall served in the military, started a family, and became a high school English teacher. In 1961, he decided to become an actor...
as Father James - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
as Father Lareaux - Elias KoteasElias KoteasElias Koteas is a Canadian actor of film and television, best known for his roles in The Prophecy, Fallen and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.-Early life:...
as John Townsend - Brian Reddy as Father Frank Page
- John BeasleyJohn Beasley (actor)John Beasley is an American actor known for his role as Irv Harper on the TV series Everwood and recurring roles on CSI, Millennium and The Pretender. He also portrayed General Lasseter in The Sum of All Fears and Rev. C. Charles Blackwell in The Apostle. In 1992 he played Jesse Hall's dad in the...
as Detective Mike Smythe - John Diehl as Henry Birdson
Production
The film was shot in 1998 on location in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in America. The film was initially set for release in October 1999, however, due to a flood of "End of the World" movies such as End of Days scheduled for release around the same time the decision was made to delay the film. The second date for release February 2000 was also cancelled due to conflict with the very popular Scream
Scream 3
Scream 3 is a 2000 American slasher film created by Kevin Williamson, directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette, released on February 4, 2000 as the third, and originally, concluding installment in the Scream film series...
franchise. The final release date of October 2000, was finally decided upon, which also happened to be the same exact day as the re-release of The Exorcist
The Exorcist (film)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
.
Reception
The film opened at #3 at the North American box office making USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$7,954,766 in its opening weekend.
The film was given very mixed reviews from critics.
Elvis Mitchell in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote; 'There are some particularly fine visual details; it's the central story that's lacking.' 'After what is supposed to be a harrowing moment, Kelson says, I was surprised but I was never frightened. That about sums up Lost Souls.
The critical review from Film4
Film4
Film4 is a free digital television channel available in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, owned and operated by Channel 4, that screens films.-Programming:...
wrote; 'Concluding with an ending reminiscent of both The Game and Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder (film)
Jacob's Ladder is a 1990 American psychological thriller/horror film directed by Adrian Lyne, based on a screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin.-Plot:Jacob Singer is a U.S. soldier deployed in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War...
(though delivered with the panache of neither), Lost Souls is not worth seeking out.'