The Telling (film)
Encyclopedia
The Telling is a 2009 horror film starring Bridget Marquardt
and Holly Madison
from the E!
television series The Girls Next Door
. The film is also the producing debut of Bridget Marquardt who teamed up with veteran Producer Chuck Williams. It is directed by Jeff Burr
and first time director Nicholas Carpenter
, grandson of filmmaker Hal Roach
.
The making of the film was featured on the popular reality show The Girls Next Door. The majority of the filming took place at the Playboy Mansion
and the Hollywood Castle. In addition to Marquardt and Madison, Playboy
Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood
makes an appearance in the film.
One year later, the most exclusive and cruel sorority on campus, headed by Stephanie (Holly Madison
), is in the final days of rush. For their final task, the three remaining pledges are required to tell the scariest story they know.
The first pledge, Tonya (Jessica Noboa), tells a true story she heard from a friend. Lily (Rebekah Kochan
), is a beautiful blonde that lives with her boyfriend Tommy (Ryan Freeman) and his ex-girlfriend, Sarah, from England
. Tommy works at a coffee shop and finds a doll in a dumpster and brings it home to his Lily. At first, Lily thinks that Sarah has done something to the doll to mess with her. The doll kills Sarah first, stabbing her to death, then electrocutes Lily. The story ends with Tonya saying Tommy was convicted for the murders and was put away for life. The girls think that the story is good and takes a shot.
The second story, told by Phoebe (Stephanie Sanborn), is about a former A-list actress, Eva DeMarco (Bridget Marquardt
), who wants to be back on top. So she accepts a role from an elusive filmmaker (John D'Aquino
) in a desolate region in Romania. But this isn't just any ordinary film, the film crew has a deadly secret. Eva is drugged and has a dream where she's in a jail cell and killed by an angel with black wings (Christine Nguyen). When she wakes up, she goes to a dinner party for the shoot of the movie, where she discovers that all of the crew is dead and that they make snuff films. Eva is killed and becomes the newest member of the group. Similarly, the sorority girls like Phoebe's story and take another shot.
Finally, it is Haley's (Jean-Louise O'Sullivan). She tells a story about a group of three girls, based on Stephanie, Amber, and Roxy. The story begins at the girl's home who are about to go see a movie while their cable is being fixed. The girls come back home after one of them forgot to buy tickets in advance. Another girl suggests making prank calls. They call a man and tell him that he has won seven free pizzas. During the call, the man goes to answer the door and is killed. The girls overhear the man being killed and hesitantly call the police. The girls don't trust the cop who shows up, since he is by himself. Anna is the last one left, and kills the cop out of terror, thinking he is the killer. After shooting him five times, she walks into the hallway, where the real killer is. She is promptly killed.
After all of the girls tell their stories, it is time for the sorority sisters to make their decision. But not everyone is happy with the decision, and not all of them make it out to tell the tale. First, Stephanie reveals the two newest members selected for their sorority are two other girls, Stacie and Rachel, who were inducted in a private rush separate from the official rush that Tonya, Phoebe, and Haley just underwent. Stephanie derides the three pledges for thinking that they could become members of the sorority. But then the sorority sisters start feeling the ill effects of the poisoned cookies provided by Haley. Haley, who turns out to be Brianna's half-sister, became a pledge solely to get close enough to the sorority (that she blames for Brianna's suicide) to kill them. She walks away from the sorority house, accompanied by her mother.
Bridget Marquardt
Bridget Marquardt is an American television personality, model, and actress. She is best known for her role on the reality television series The Girls Next Door, which depicts her life as one of Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner's girlfriends...
and Holly Madison
Holly Madison
Hollin Sue Cullen, professionally known as Holly Madison, is an American model, showgirl and television personality. She is widely known for being one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on the reality television series The Girls Next Door...
from the E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
television series The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door, also known as The Girls of the Playboy Mansion, is an American reality television series broadcast on the E! cable television network...
. The film is also the producing debut of Bridget Marquardt who teamed up with veteran Producer Chuck Williams. It is directed by Jeff Burr
Jeff Burr
Jeff Burr is an American film director, Writer and producer best known for his work in horror sequels, such as Stepfather II, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Puppet Master 4 and 5, and Pumpkinhead II....
and first time director Nicholas Carpenter
Nicholas Carpenter
Nicholas Andre Carpenter is an American film director. He worked as a set production assistant on TV and on films such as Thank You for Smoking before going on to direct the 2009 horror anthology The Telling.-Early life:...
, grandson of filmmaker Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
.
The making of the film was featured on the popular reality show The Girls Next Door. The majority of the filming took place at the Playboy Mansion
Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion is the home of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner. Located in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, California, the mansion became famous during the 1970s through media reports of Hefner's lavish parties.-History:The house is described as being in the "Gothic-Tudor" style...
and the Hollywood Castle. In addition to Marquardt and Madison, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood
Sara Jean Underwood
Sara Jean Underwood is an American model and actress who was chosen as the Playmate of the Month for the July 2006 issue of Playboy magazine and later became Playmate of the Year in 2007. She is a presenter on Attack of the Show!....
makes an appearance in the film.
Plot
The Telling is a horror anthology film. In the prologue, Brianna (Najarra Townsend), after being harshly rejected from a sorority, is found dead at a party from overdosing on prescription drugs and alcohol. Scrawled in lipstick on a nearby mirror are the words "You made me do this."One year later, the most exclusive and cruel sorority on campus, headed by Stephanie (Holly Madison
Holly Madison
Hollin Sue Cullen, professionally known as Holly Madison, is an American model, showgirl and television personality. She is widely known for being one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on the reality television series The Girls Next Door...
), is in the final days of rush. For their final task, the three remaining pledges are required to tell the scariest story they know.
The first pledge, Tonya (Jessica Noboa), tells a true story she heard from a friend. Lily (Rebekah Kochan
Rebekah Kochan
-Theatre career:Kochan has been acting since she was nine-years old. Her first role was in a Las Vegas production of Annie.-Film career:She moved to Los Angeles when she was 17, and immediately landed the role of Tiffani von der Sloot in Eating Out. She studied at The Second City...
), is a beautiful blonde that lives with her boyfriend Tommy (Ryan Freeman) and his ex-girlfriend, Sarah, from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Tommy works at a coffee shop and finds a doll in a dumpster and brings it home to his Lily. At first, Lily thinks that Sarah has done something to the doll to mess with her. The doll kills Sarah first, stabbing her to death, then electrocutes Lily. The story ends with Tonya saying Tommy was convicted for the murders and was put away for life. The girls think that the story is good and takes a shot.
The second story, told by Phoebe (Stephanie Sanborn), is about a former A-list actress, Eva DeMarco (Bridget Marquardt
Bridget Marquardt
Bridget Marquardt is an American television personality, model, and actress. She is best known for her role on the reality television series The Girls Next Door, which depicts her life as one of Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner's girlfriends...
), who wants to be back on top. So she accepts a role from an elusive filmmaker (John D'Aquino
John D'Aquino
John D'Aquino is a Canadian-American actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Lt. Benjamin Krieg in the NBC TV series seaQuest DSV during the show's first season, a role he later reprised in the third season and President Richard Martinez in the Disney Channel Original Series Cory in the...
) in a desolate region in Romania. But this isn't just any ordinary film, the film crew has a deadly secret. Eva is drugged and has a dream where she's in a jail cell and killed by an angel with black wings (Christine Nguyen). When she wakes up, she goes to a dinner party for the shoot of the movie, where she discovers that all of the crew is dead and that they make snuff films. Eva is killed and becomes the newest member of the group. Similarly, the sorority girls like Phoebe's story and take another shot.
Finally, it is Haley's (Jean-Louise O'Sullivan). She tells a story about a group of three girls, based on Stephanie, Amber, and Roxy. The story begins at the girl's home who are about to go see a movie while their cable is being fixed. The girls come back home after one of them forgot to buy tickets in advance. Another girl suggests making prank calls. They call a man and tell him that he has won seven free pizzas. During the call, the man goes to answer the door and is killed. The girls overhear the man being killed and hesitantly call the police. The girls don't trust the cop who shows up, since he is by himself. Anna is the last one left, and kills the cop out of terror, thinking he is the killer. After shooting him five times, she walks into the hallway, where the real killer is. She is promptly killed.
After all of the girls tell their stories, it is time for the sorority sisters to make their decision. But not everyone is happy with the decision, and not all of them make it out to tell the tale. First, Stephanie reveals the two newest members selected for their sorority are two other girls, Stacie and Rachel, who were inducted in a private rush separate from the official rush that Tonya, Phoebe, and Haley just underwent. Stephanie derides the three pledges for thinking that they could become members of the sorority. But then the sorority sisters start feeling the ill effects of the poisoned cookies provided by Haley. Haley, who turns out to be Brianna's half-sister, became a pledge solely to get close enough to the sorority (that she blames for Brianna's suicide) to kill them. She walks away from the sorority house, accompanied by her mother.
Cast
- Holly MadisonHolly MadisonHollin Sue Cullen, professionally known as Holly Madison, is an American model, showgirl and television personality. She is widely known for being one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on the reality television series The Girls Next Door...
as Stephanie - Bridget MarquardtBridget MarquardtBridget Marquardt is an American television personality, model, and actress. She is best known for her role on the reality television series The Girls Next Door, which depicts her life as one of Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner's girlfriends...
as Eva DeMarco - Nicole Zeoli as Roxy
- Lola LaBelle as Amber
- Jean-Louise O'Sullivan as Haley
- Tamara WitmerTamara WitmerTamara Witmer is an American model, actress and reality television star. She is best known for her appearance as Playboy's Playmate of the Month, Miss August 2005, and was also the cover girl for the October 2006 issue....
as Casey - Stephanie Sanborn as Phoebe
- Jessica Noboa as Tonya
- Najarra Townsend as Brianna
- Rebekah KochanRebekah Kochan-Theatre career:Kochan has been acting since she was nine-years old. Her first role was in a Las Vegas production of Annie.-Film career:She moved to Los Angeles when she was 17, and immediately landed the role of Tiffani von der Sloot in Eating Out. She studied at The Second City...
as Lily - Ryan Freeman as Tommy
- Kimshelley Garner as Sarah
- John D'AquinoJohn D'AquinoJohn D'Aquino is a Canadian-American actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Lt. Benjamin Krieg in the NBC TV series seaQuest DSV during the show's first season, a role he later reprised in the third season and President Richard Martinez in the Disney Channel Original Series Cory in the...
as Victor - Diane SalingerDiane SalingerDiane Louise Salinger is an American actress, voice actress, and comedienne.-Filmography:* Creature as Melanie Bryce * Pee-wee's Big Adventure as Simone * The Morning After as Isabel Harding...
as Alina - Ed Gale as Footcandle
- Veronique Vicari as Meridith
- Jessica Lowe as Jenna
- Amanda Ward as Anna
External links
- The Telling Official website