Lotterie des Schreckens

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.