The Lottery Funny Sence the Lottery Funny Scene
The original short story was better
By all means, read Shirley Jackson's original short story; it gets down to business without the padding this film adds to it.
To all who think that the ending is sick and pointless, that was Ms. Jackson's intention exactly -- the original story is an allegory about the cruelty man inflicts upon his neighbor in the name of upholding "tradition". Ms. Jackson's story is much more affecting than this film.
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Doesn't do the short story by Shirley Jackson justice.
This current day (90ish) version of "The Lottery" doesn't do the original (1948) short story by Shirley Jackson justice. However it is an interesting modernized version of the short story, with a modern day twist. For anyone who hasn't read "The Lottery" it's a great short story. It starts off as a pleasant story which could have taken place in any century. Once she has you hooked, the story takes an unexpected turn. If you like Edgar Allan Poe, you'll really enjoy Shirley Jackson's original story "The Lottery". Originally published in the June 28, 1948 issue of the New Yorker.
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creepy!
Warning: Spoilers
This film reminds me a lot of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Sometimes it even, er, rips off parts from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," but both make for an effectivly creepy movie, particularly this one, about a small town that holds a lottery every now and then with all of its citizens. The person drawing the marked ballot wins the "honor" of being the town's sacrifice for prosperity. And how do they prosper? By stoning the person to death.
That's... quite a premise. It is every bit as scary as it sounds, as is the citizens blind oblivion to the wrong in what they are doing, which very much reminded me of the "Body Snatchers" wanting to become seed pods and live in a totaliterian society. Imagine all of the seed pod people becoming crazed killers and you get the characters in this film. Suprisingly good performances(considering that M. Emmett Walsh is the only one of the cast that I really like)bring these villians to life in quite the engrossing story. A few Hollywoodized "action" scenes from star Dan Cortese don't even spoil it much. Wow.
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Good climax, but slow getting there.
I had never read Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" or seen any filmed versions of it before I saw this one. Although it is a well-made and well-acted TV-movie of a fine, suspenseful story, I was a bit disappointed. To the film's credit, it doesn't overdo the characterization of the small-town residents as unspeakably weird oddballs, but the story holds on to its secret for so long that the film doesn't even begin to get ominous until it's over halfway through. The ending provides a pretty good payoff if you stick with it, though.
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Surprising made for TV movie
Considering I had not even heard of 'The Lottery' prior to seeing it on Pay TV, this was a pleasant surprise (although perhaps the word 'pleasant' shouldn't be used in this context). Part of it's success is the casting of Dan Cortese as the lead, Jason. I first saw Dan Cortese as "Hunky Tony" in "The Stall"-Episode 73 on "Seinfeld" and whilst humourous in that situation, he adapted well for this movie. Keri Russell ("Felicity") was also a bonus. The plot was an inventive one, with the title of the film becoming all to clear as the movie develops. Although not a slash em up type horror movie, the suspense builds with Jason seeming to be caught in some type of time-culture warp. There is one particular scene which is extremely difficult to watch, without blood necessarily being spilt. Overall, I enjoyed this movie, particularly as I had no preconceptions on its content.
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Sick, twisted, scary.
Warning: Spoilers
Well it scored a 7/10 from me for making me jump near the end.
9 times out of 10 horror or scary movies, just don't scare me...
Movies on the other hand that are subtle and less up front about their content scare me more where it's left for you to think what happens. I find them more effective. Anyone agree here?
I think it was on Monday this week because I had taped it but not gotten around to watching it, but it was a movie called "The Lottery" and the premise of the movie is that there is this small town in middle America where they have an annual lottery and the person that gets that one special ticket has the "treat" of the whole town stoning them to death. The problem with this premise being that a newcomer comes to this town and finds the grave of his mother and several other people.
The catch is that the dates on all the headstones were the same date and we even get to see him being almost forced into this town's ritual as they all gather at the lottery drawing. He arrived during the lottery period.
Anyway they show us the effects of the stoning by having a lady cast as the unhappy victim and even show her being stoned, first knocked to the ground by a hit to the head, then a succession of other stones all over her body.
That was right near the end of the movie too. He escapes the town only to bring back a disbelieving state trooper and other official but can't prove anything. The movie ends with him back in this office outside of the town and a doctor interviewing him. Then you hear a strange voice in the background say "never tell him the truth".....
The movie then ends....
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Disturbing.
This is a good movie. throughout the whole movie you know something really weird is going to happen. There's just this feeling. Unbelievable ending. If you get a chance, watch it.
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"Twilight Zone" Revisited
This spooky, intelligent television horror movie moves at a good steady pace, building towards its nightmarish climax, with a perfectly achieved sinister small town atmosphere. A clearer explanation of why the townsfolk do what they do would help, but the acting and writing keep you interested throughout. It's a classy excursion into horror from the writer that gave us "The Haunting".
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It's supposed to be disturbing
This film is based on the disturbing short story by Shirley Jackson; I was horrified by the short story and as I was watching it the story seemed familiar. It does a great job depicting the atmosphere of the creepy small town, and accomplishes its main goals, which I think are to tell Jackson's story with a modern twist and scare the audience, make them think. It's definitely a different kind of horror film, one that makes you wonder and search your mind for answers to why they did what they did.
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I don't get it!
I found this movie very boring. Slow on the suspense with maybe a couple of good actors waisted in their roles. Notablly, William Daniels and Salome Jens whom I have always respected in their work. But not even their presence helped this loser. It seems impossible that any town anywhere could get away with what this town does. And why would anyone wish to remain if it did. Chalk it up to stupidity and/or ignorance on their part.
The two leads seemed to be walking through the movie. Both Cortese and Russell, looking very attractive, gave a two level performance. Their faces never seemed to change expression throughout the film. They just stare at each other. I guess you blame the director for that. Miss Russell is eye fetching, but not an actress. Mr. Cortese, also eye fetching, is rather one level. He runs good.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS was better. Don't waste your time. 2 stars for Daniels and Jens' courage to make this chestnut.
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Keri Russell is the only good reason to watch this movie.
Keri Russell was 20 when she made this movie, 2 years before her success in the TV series "Felicity." Here she plays a teacher and part-time librarian in this strange, secluded town, where everyone dies on June 27th!! Even though she generally looks younger than her years, in this film she had to play several years older and did it credibly.
The community is one where a person is stoned to death each June 27th, chosen by lottery. "Don't look at it as murder, Josh, just a different kind of tradition," after her own mother was the most current victim. Turns out his own mother had met that fate years earlier, his investigation showed Josh, after his dad requested on his deathbed that ashes be placed at mother's grave. Josh escapes, but upon returning all towns people stick together, convince the authorities he was crazy, just like his dad, who had made the same accusations.
As other reviewers say, a strange movie, where the ending leads us to assume that another person will be stoned to death next year.
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an illustration that shows that some traditions shouldn't be kept
This film is truly an illustration that some traditions shouldn't be kept. If a tradition that has long been upheld causes extreme cruelty or death of those who follow it, then it should be abandoned. There are still traditions out there that are just as gruesome in real life and yet, just as the one in the film, are allowed to continue. Just as in the film, people become so blinded by their traditions that they sometimes forget the difference between right and wrong. Unspeakable acts are committed, yet those blinded by tradition just stand by and allow them to take place.
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Terrible nonsense, read the story!!!
The short story by Shirley Jackson is far more better and thrilling than this awful tv-movie, which I only saw because it has veteran Jeff Corey in it. The script is not capable of transmitting the real terrifying atmosphere that the story does. However the contribution of the nice looking Sean Murray makes up for it.
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I've read the story...
dhyan 27 November 1999
When I was in junior high school I had to read the story on which it was based and write about it--I said it was awful and sick and a waste of paper. My teacher responded, "But it made you think, didn't it?" And she was right. As far as tv movies go, this one's not bad. It's greatly expanded, of course, from the short story, which I think adds to it slightly. It certainly added to what I remembered from age fourteen, although I might get more out of the story now than then anyway. The story has many parallels to superstition and mindless persecution in the world. Worth watching.
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Disturbing As Much As An Violent Horror Film
I first read the story for an English Lit. assignment as a college sophomore. I thought, as it starts out, it was going to be one of those nice, homey (maybe a bit corny) small-town melodramas. I was in no way expecting the ending it had. Talk about something totally out of the blue!! It made me wonder if things like that ever took place at any time. The story just takes place in a day; the movie, as all films do, expanded the tale.
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Good Movie but disturbing
I saw this movie in English class last May and I found it to be an overall good movie but terribly disturbing. My God what town on a certain day of the year would stone people to death. It was creepy and the flashbacks Jason had were creepy as well. On my personal scale of 1-10 I give this a 6.
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Very Disturbing Movie
pchic 12 February 2004
I saw the original movie (circa 1973). At the time, it was a mandatory English class assignment to watch and write a report on it. That version, to me was even worse than the one with Dan Cortese. But again, I was only 12 years old. What a movie for a child!!!! As an adult now, I only have an occassional disturbing dream about it. When I saw the Dan Cortese version, my curiosity got the best of me and I only wanted to compare my emotions/feelings to the original and the remake. Even though I will never watch this movie again, the writing and acting was as good as only the script would allow. For people who like disturbing, twisted and at times very spooky movies....this one is for you!!! But don't say that you weren't warned!!!!!!!
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This movie frightened me!
I don't agree with the comment of the person from Australia. This movie is horror at it's best. There is no way out for the main character and that is always frightening. Plus, the townsfolk are very disturbed. Again, that's what a horror movie is all about!
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A study in why not to make movies out of short stories
There are some things in this world that are tied very exclusively to one time period, and though their essence is eternal, there is a need, sometimes, to bring subtle changes to the details in order to allow other generations to share in their merit. Unfortunately for the film version, 'The Lottery' is not one of these. The original short story by Shirley Jackson is the perfect encapsulation of every interesting facet the story had to offer. it beautifully and subtly creates tension and then shocking horror, and makes us question ourselves and the things we hold to be normal. It does all this in a few scant pages.
The movie drags on and on for about an hour and a half, and the payoff is exactly the same. Along the way you have to sit through mercilessly lame acting and flat, dull characters. The idea that the town has a mysterious secret is introduced almost immediately, but the film's final climax is where everything is revealed. Simple enough, but it unfortunately means that through the vast bulk of the movie, the same theme is repeated over and over. Jason comes to a situation that seems mysterious. But the townies won't tell him what's going on! Even if it were well acted, even if the subplots were remotely engaging, there just isn't any way to get around the tedious repetition. And folks, the acting is not good. And the subplots are just corny as all hell. Keri Russel in particular seems unfathomably cast. She stands out as totally inappropriate for the role of a small-town girl with her modern vernacular and of course her suspiciously flawless tan. Most of the other character actors just play the predictable role of "belligerent small town sheriff" and the like. Nothing to see here. The film particularly produces groans with it's implausible romance -replete with an exploding car, natch - and absurdly vague expository dialog.
As for the end, its executed with appropriate style. But the wait it takes to get there just isn't justified. All and all, the film can't get past the troublesome point that there just isn't enough there to fill an hour and a half. Read the short story instead, its impact is at least as potent. And considerably more eloquent as well.
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Would make a better short.
I first read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" in my high school freshman English class and was really shocked that they would let us read THIS kind of story in a learning institute. Needless to say, that tale has always stuck with me. When I heard that NBC was going to be showing a made-for-TV movie based off of the story, my hopes were not high. When I saw the finished product, my fears were confirmed. Let's face it, folks, there are some short stories that just aren't meant to be feature-length films and this is one of them. I think it would have made a much better short subject or been done as an episode of a horror anthology series in the mold of "The Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".
The story's theme of blindly following archaic traditions still rings within the film, just having it being padded out into a conventional thriller didn't work for me though. To see how to handle a short story REALLY well, try to find the adaptation of William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily" that starred a young Angelica Huston. In a similar vein as "The Lottery", "Rose" runs approximately fifteen minutes and is very effective and evocative.
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The Lottery is a great teaching tool for high school students.
weulo 21 November 2001
This modern day adaptation of the short story by Shirley Daniels is a gripping horror tale that successfully grabs the attention of our modern day teenagers while also making the point Ms. Daniels intended. This story warns us that sometimes traditions can be negative, and we must always stand up for what is truly right. I would love to get a copy of this movie for my own collection.
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A good adaptation
Being an English teacher, my students read the Shirley Jackson short story. I thought this was a good updated, adaptation of the story. Since it was a made for tv movie, I knew that it would not be too gruesome. I don't know that I would classify this as true horror, maybe more like mystery.
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this is a weird movie
i saw this on TV one night years ago and the first thing to pop into my mind was "how are they getting away with showing this on tv?". it was just very bizarre in a deeply disturbing way.
i can't not recommend it because of the mere fact that the movie was very powerful to me...powerful enough to have me still disturbed by some images years later. but it's also hard to recommend it because it's just so messed up.
not a blood and gore movie. but some of the visual imagery was deeply troubling to me just because of the psychological impact.
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Modernized version of the Shirley Jackson Tale as a thriller
As a fan of the original story written by Ms. Jackson, I am going to try to keep them separate.
The film is about a man whose father dies, and the father's last request is to have his ashes strewn over his wife's grave. Upon arrival in the town where his mother is buried, the son is met with hostility and rancor from most of the local residents. He realizes quickly that the townspeople are hiding something and when he finds out that many of the people there died on the same day, he knows for sure that something is amiss. I'm not going to spoil the movie here. Those familiar with Ms. Jackson's story will know what happens towards the end of the film.
Although I thought the movie was pretty well done, it just doesn't work as a modern story. There is no way in this day and age anything like this could ever happen without the whole world knowing about it. The movie might have been plausible if this film took place shortly after the story was published (late 1940's), or outside of mainstream America, but no chance in the later parts of the 20th century in conventional small town U.S.A.
That's not to say that the movie is bad - it isn't. It's actually fairly well done. The acting is passable, and many of the minor characters are quite convincing. It is suspenseful and builds up to the expected climax. However, it does go on a little too long in that the backstory of what happened to mom is unnecessarily explained. There is also the addition of a variety of subplots- one concerning the main character and a love interest who lives in the secretive little town plus the investigation of New Hope by outsiders where the results are exactly as expected.
Although some of the final scenes will likely disturb those unfamiliar with the short story, THE LOTTERY on film is not really a horror movie per se. It is more of a drama/thriller with a pretty nasty ending, similar in feel to DON'T LOOK NOW. I think, though, that anyone who has grown up in the era of instant communication will find the movie a bit ridiculous.
If you can suspend your disbelief long enough, the movie is worth a watch. Bear in mind, as mentioned, it is a film with horrific elements but is not a true blue horror movie. If that's your thing, you might want to pass. Fans of suspense might like it if they can get past the final scenes.
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Shirley Jackson deserves better
rmssw 13 September 2003
Shirley Jackson was one of the most talented writers of the 20th century and her story "The Lottery" continues to be one of the most discussed short stories in modern literature. You would think that a film (or in this case, a television) adaptation would pay a little more attention to detail and try to remain at least a little loyal to the original story. Instead, we get this. The only similarity between this and the story is the fact that someone is stoned to death. Beyond that, it seems as though the screenwriters never even glanced at the short story while writing this. Even when looked at on its own, paying no attention to the story, this movie is bad. It is over-the-top and insulting to the viewer. The context and setting are all wrong, making the plot completely unbelievable. As for the acting, I don't think it's fair to call what is portrayed in the movie "acting".
Do yourself a favor and read the story. With this and the recent second film adaptation of her novel "The Haunting Of Hill House", the memory of Shirley Jackson does not deserve to be degraded any further.
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116924/reviews
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