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Hard Candy (2006) DVD Review
Hard Candy (2006) DVD Credits:
Hard Candy (2006) Directed by:
David Slade
Hard Candy (2006) Written by:
Brian Neilson
Hard Candy (2006) Cast:
Jennifer Holmes, Sandra Oh, Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson
Hard Candy (2006) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
Hard Candy (2006) DVD Release Date:
18th September 2006
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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Hard Candy (2006) Synopsis:

A smart, charming teenage girl, Hayley probably shouldn’t be going to a local coffee shop to meet Jeff, a 30-something fashion photographer she met on the Internet. But Hayley’s ready to have fun, and soon she’s mixing screwdrivers at Jeff’s place and stripping for an impromptu photo shoot. It’s Jeff’s lucky night – until his vision blurs and he passes out. Turns out Hayley isn’t as innocent as she looks after all. In fact, she has a lot on her mind. Like getting Jeff to confess to his penchant for teenage girls – and to what he did to Donna Mauer, the girl who disappeared from Jeff’s favorite coffee shop. When Jeff awakens, he’s tied to a chair. If he doesn’t cooperate, Hayley has something to help him along--a little surgical procedure she picked up on the Internet. All she needs is an ice pack. And a knife... An edge-of-your-seat psychotic thriller, HARD CANDY exposes the visceral terror and violence that lie at the heart of the battle of the sexes. Starring Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page, HARD CANDY is directed by David Slade, written by Brian Nelson, produced by David Higgins, Richard Hutton and Michael Caldwell, and executive produced by Jody Patton, Rosanne Korenberg and Paul G. Allen. It is the latest film from Vulcan Productions (FAR FROM HEAVEN, TITUS) in association with Launchpad Productions. The director of photography is Jo Willems, the editor is Art Jones, the production designer is Jeremy Reed. The original music is by Harry Esscott and Molly Nyman, and the casting is by Valerie McCaffrey.

Hard Candy (2006) DVD Review:

Horror movies have gotten in the lazy habit of using children as a source for fear. Many of these films come from Japan, or were adapted from Japanese horror films, and they often use small children in the films because they are out of place and this intensifies the creepy elements. Hard Candy also uses a child as a source for terror, but instead of having her be a ghost or supernatural being as is most common, Hayley (Ellen Page) is real flesh and blood. She is alive and seemingly normal, which is what makes the film so incredibly terrifying, because her actions are anything but normal, justified as they may seem at certain points in the film. This unexpected element is what originally made children in horror films so ideal, but we have come to expect it in many other films. Hard Candy manages to set up the audience perfectly so that each moment builds tension in just the right amount. The fact that she is a living breathing person is

When we first meet our characters it is exactly as we later find out they had met each other; on the internet. We watch the computer screen as it bounces back and forth with the familiar noise that instant messaging makes. They type suggestive messages to each other until they finally agree to meet for the first time. After that we are introduced to the actual people who were typing back and forth and find that one is a fourteen-year-old girl and the other is far older. Jeff is a photographer (Patrick Wilson) that seems unnaturally interested in younger girls, and Hayley just seems too naive to understand what is happening, but then everything switches and suddenly Hayley seems to be the one in control. This bounces back and forth throughout the rest of the film, just as it had on the computer screen.

Hard Candy begins with strong hints toward the outcome of their relationship. Jeff has a sophisticated look which isn’t quite able to hide his gruff voice, while Hayley wears a red sweatshirt. All signs point toward Little Red Riding Hood, and Jeff certainly seems to be playing the role of the wolf in disguise, especially donning delicate spectacles, but as they return to his apartment she begins to take control. First she leads the conversation where she wants, and before long he is being led into a trap and we find that she isn’t nearly as innocent as she pretended to be. It’s a psychological thriller which relies heavily upon the word play, very similar to Laura Mana’s Killing Words with the additional element of pedophilia.

The DVD has a creepy simple menu that is just the image of scenery from a window that is partially distorted by swinging blinds. This combined with the sound of typing sets the mood for the film, even though the only typing in the film is at the very beginning. The special features include a great “Creating Hard Candy” documentary. Especially interesting is the long process in finding the actor to play Hayley. There is also a short featurette about the more controversial elements in the film, even preceded by a warning that it should be viewed after seeing the film all the way through. There are also two commentary tracks, one with director David Slade and writer Brian Nelson and the other with actors Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page.

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Hard Candy (2006) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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