The Gathering (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Gathering


director = Brian Gilbert
writer = Anthony Horowitz
starring = Christina Ricci – Cassie Grant
Ioan Gruffudd – Dan Blakeley
Kerry Fox – Marion Kirkman
Stephen Dillane– Simon Kirkman

Simon Russell Beale– Luke Fraser
Robert Hardy – Bishop
Steven Mustoe– The Body Guard
Jessica Mann – Emma Kirkman
Peter McNamara– Frederick Michael Argyle
producer = Marc Samuelson
Peter Samuelson
distributor = Dimension Films (Miramax)
released = 2004 in France and Germany, 2006 in U.S.
runtime = 1 hr. 32 min.
language = English
budget = $ 18.000.000
amg_id = 1:295553
imdb_id = 0294594

"The Gathering" is a 2002 thriller/horror film directed by Brian Gilbert and starring Christina Ricci.

Plot synopsis

Cassie Grant (Christina Ricci) is a young girl from the United States who is wandering through England on foot. On her way to Ashby Wake Cassie is hit by a car. The driver of the car, Mrs Marion Kirkman (Kerry Fox), immediately calls an ambulance. During an examination at the local hospital the doctor comes to the conclusion that Cassie only has some scratches and not even a concussion, but Cassie has lost her memory due to the accident. She only knows her name and mother country, but she does not know which town she comes from, who her family is and why she is in England. The doctor explains to her that the loss of memory is caused by a shock and that she will regain it after some recreation. As a result of the examination Cassie is checked out. The driver of the car, Marion Kirkman, invites Cassie to her house, until she has overcome her loss of memory, because Mrs Kirkman feels guilty and responsible for the lonely girl who nobody knows.

While recovering, Cassie is drawn into a deeper mystery which seems to involve her hosts and other people she sees about the town. Her lack of memory compounds the air of suspense as she encounters a man she believes she knows but not from where. Cassie becomes very attached to Marion Kirkman's son, Michael Kirkman (Harry Forrester) and becomes acquainted with her husband Simon (Steven Dillane), an art historian, who is in the process of examining a church from Early Christianity (built in Glastonbury during the first century AD) after the arrival of Joseph of Arimathea. This church was recently discovered by two visitors to the Glastonbury Festival who died after falling down a hole through the open roof of the buried church. In the Church there is an unusual relief made of stone, which illustrates the crucifixion of Christ. Also depicted are many curious onlookers who appear to be observing the gruesome scene.

During the next few days Cassie has visions of the future of the people around her. She also recognizes certain people who seem to watch her and often appear in a certain place in Glastonbury which she visits. She observes the strange auto mechanic Frederick Michael Argyle (Peter McNamara) and examines his belongings. She discovers that Argyle is planning to take revenge on the people of the town for their cruelty to him. Cassie suspects that a catastrophe is imminent, but she is unable to persuade anyone else of the impending danger she senses. Cassie Grant eventually finds out that the relief in the church illustrates a group of people known as "The Gathering". They are immortal and damned to watch catastrophes and murders for eternity as they stopped to watch the crucifixion of Christ out of morbid curiosity. The priest and Bishop of the Catholic Church also discover this, and the priest rushes to inform Mr. Kirkman. But on the way to see Mr Kirkman, he sees "The Gathering" on a bridge over the highway, and dies in a car accident as a result. The Gathering merely watch.

However, the priest is able to inform Mr. Kirkman about this strange news, who realizes that his family is in great danger. He hastens to drive home to try to prevent whatever is fated to occur. Meanwhile, Cassie Grant manages to prevent Argyle from killing festival goers with a bomb, but is unable to stop him taking revenge upon a few individuals. After a harrowing chase, Cassie sacrifices her life to save the lives of the children of the Kirkman family. Mr. Kirkman arrives just in time to stop Argyle from killing his family. At the end it is revealed that Cassie Grant also belongs to "The Gathering", because just after she "dies", she appears standing among them as they stare at Argyle being electrocuted. Cassie is shown to be weeping while the others just stand there and watch impassively. Because Cassie has shown compassion and tried to prevent evil deeds, her life of wandering will end and she will find peace, which she tells the son of Mr. Kirkman at night on the same day.

Critical reaction

Versions

There are two different versions of the film. In the USA, the United Kingdom and in Germany only an abridged version was published on DVD which is 13 minutes shorter than the original. An unspectacular sex scene and many dialogues were left out. The abridged version lasts exactly 83:31 (PAL-DVD). But the unabridged version was shown on TV: on ZDF in Germany and on BBC in the UK. The DVD release in France, Poland and Japan comprises the unabridged version; it lasts approx. 97 Minutes (PAL) resp. approx. 101 Minutes (NTSC).

Awards

* Nomination for the Fantasporto Award 2003
* Nomination for the Golden Fleece of the Golden Trailer Awards 2003

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0294594|title=The Gathering
* [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808404123 "The Gathering" at Yahoo Movies]
* [http://www.visimag.com/shivers/h95_feature.htm Information about the production of the film]
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10003075-gathering/ "The Gathering" at Rotten Tomatoes.com]