La Légende de Lucy Keyes

Yes, it had the feel of a low budget made-for-tv movie, and it wasn't scary. It had a very different feel than most "horror" movies I've seen. This one is really more of a folklore ghost story than a scary horror movie, but that's not a bad thing. Don't expect anything exceptional, but it's a fun watch.

If you want to be shocked and terrified, don't bother watching it. But if you'd be interested in a ghost story from New England folklore, you'll probably like this.

This film is an intriguing story about an old New England legend. Anyone who likes a spine chilling ghost story will love this film. John Stimpson does a great job juxtaposing the family life of a 21st century family with a 250 year old folklore story. Having lived my whole life in New England I could relate to the telling and retelling of old stories and how they become part of the fabric of a small town. The symmetry between Lucy Keyes, who goes missing in 1755, and the modern day Lucy who has moved to the countryside with her family is brilliant. I won't give away the ending, but the symmetry gathers onto itself as the film continues. And the eccentric character of Caswell fits the small town setting superbly. You will enjoy this film!

Just went to the screening at the Santa Barbara Film festival. Mr.Stimpson has provided a wonderful thriller that had the entire theater hiding behind their hands in terror!!! Loved the true story addition to a supernatural legend! Bravo!!! It will be worth every penny when it finally comes to the general public. There was also a great Q and A with director Stimpson the audience took part in... Lots of UCSB film school students it seemed. Very appropriate for a Halloween release. I did wish, however, that more was answered about the historical treatment of the movie, much was left to the imagination for something that was "claimed" to have a truthful subtext. Did remind me a little of some recent east coast locale flicks that were psycho-thriller....so saw many things a-comin before they happened. Many cliché's that could have been omitted. Other than that...super cool!!!!!

What a blast! I was born and raised in this small town and as a child, Lucy Keyes was the subject of many a Camp Fire horror story that left us certain we heard Martha lurking in the woods surrounding our camp sites.... shivering in our sleeping bags, we frightened campers would be begging for Martha to stop the never-ending calling for "luuuuuucy" ....

I saw the film through a different view. One of nostalgia. I knew the story, am intimate with the setting, and knew many of the "extra's" in the film. So for me it was a hoot! My 17 and 12 year old girlfriends thought it was "awesome" ... with just the right amount of scary spooky thrill to keep them on the edge of their seat. They didn't get the political references to "key parties", "the pig farm" and "windmills" which has become part of the towns lore...but some information is only retrieved by the "insiders".

My friend Jen, thought it was pokey. And I agree...there were some shots that lingered too long, some acting that was difficult to sit through and lost credibility. There are scenes that could use "tightening" up and may have bettered served the film on the editors floor.

As for the ending...interesting theory. Being a writer and performer myself I applaud the writers risk and imagination with the ending.

I am in awe of the time, creativity and courage the Writer/Director has taken with a time warn tale, in a small New England town where judgment and critics run rampant but few get off their duff and put themselves out there for review.

Hey, if we are lucky, this is not the last we will see of John Stimpson, nice guy or not, John Stimpson has a future in Film.

Guy Cooley (Justin Theroux) moves to an old farm in Princeton with his wife Jeanne Cooley (Julie Delpy) and their two daughters, Molly and Lucy, to build eight windmills to generate clean power to the city. He was hired by the local Samantha Porter (Brooke Adams), who owns with her relative Jonas Dodd (Mark Boone Junior) the lands in the woods where the facility will be built. The Cooley family has a cold reception in town, and while voting for the approval of the project, the old woman Gretchen Caswell (Jamie Donnelly) votes against the construction with many followers and mentions the historic importance of the spot and the name of Martha. Jeanne researches and discloses that two hundred and fifty years ago, a girl called Lucy Keyes got lost in the woods and in spite of the efforts of her mother Martha Keyes and the locals, she was never found. When the ghost of Martha comes to the fields around their property calling for Lucy, Jeanne realizes that the legend is true and that there are many hidden secrets in that location.

Something is missing to make "The Legend of Lucy Keyes" a good movie. The direction is too cold, and the acting is also cold and without any vibration or heart; Justin Theroux and Julie Delpy do not show any chemistry, forming a weird couple. The screenplay is confused, with Jeanne refusing to go to the mass because she misses Anna, but who is Anna and what happened with her? The deranged behavior of Samantha Porter in the end of the story has no explanation. The use of the smell of clam-bellies to keep ghosts away is unique and ridiculous. In the end, I found this B-movie an intriguing and forgettable entertainment. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Fantasma de Lucy Keyes" ("The Ghost of Lucy Keyes")