Scott LeBrun Jack Ketchum's novel, itself inspired by a true story, provides the basis for this chilling look at the actions of a young sociopath, not giving a damn about anybody or anything, and capable of chilling acts of violence. One day, he murders two young women, and his two friends, despite their misgivings about his character, cover up for him. Cut to four years later, and he's still walking around free. Detectives know he's guilty, but can't prove it. It's only a matter of time until the unhinged young man will explode again, and when he believes the people in his life, including his new girlfriend, are all betraying him or letting him down, the stage is set for a bloody revenge.This works more like a series of episodes for a while, rather than an ongoing story, and is deliberately paced and character driven. Writer / co-producer / director Chris Sivertson sometimes goes for stylistic flourishes, but more often than not handles the material in a straightforward manner. It manages to be subtly spooky and only towards the end does it really get intense; this final act is shocking in its brutality. There's a bit of titillation (breast shots and full fledged nudity) and a respectable amount of gore at the end. As the movie goes on, one feels more and more uncomfortable in the presence of such a smarmy psycho. Actor Marc Senter is compelling in the lead role of Ray Pye, playing him with an effective mixture of uneasy charm and genuine creepiness. His co-stars Shay Astar, Alex Frost, Megan Henning, and Robin Sydney are also good in their own way, and some excellent veterans - Michael Bowen, Ed Lauter, and Dee Wallace - provide some wonderful support. Lauter has one of his best roles in a while, but it's disappointing to see Wallace's participation basically limited to one big scene. Ruby Larocca and always delectable Misty Mundae play the murder victims in the opening sequence.One may wish that the ending weren't as abrupt as it is (there's no epilogue of any kind), but all in all "The Lost" is fairly potent stuff that doesn't leave the viewer unaffected. Ketchum really is a master at telling these grim and gut wrenching horror stories.Seven out of 10.

djderka EXTERIOR DAY: WOODSA young guy dressed in black and pointy cowboy boots hikes in the woods and discovers a young, nubile, curvy, nude wood nymph leaving an outhouse. He follows her to a campsite where her female friend awaits.What follows is the story of a manic/depressive/sexually confused/emotionally challenged dude. Ray seems unable to rewire his shorted out brain to emotional stability. I almost used 2x or 4x fast forward through the sloooow middle, but decided against it to see character development and the movie is kind of a slow mental orgasm.Ray, could be charming and loving, but any hint of rejection deeply disturbs him. This leads to problems with people in his lives.CHARACTERS:Ray (Marc Seuter) is great as a guy coming apart and could be/is the next Ray Liotta.Katherine (Robin Sydney) is smoking hot as the sumptuous, seductive siren.She could be the next Katherine Turner (Body Heat).Ed ( Ed Lauter) is a pleasant surprise. I have seen him forever! Rockford Files, Magnum PI, Death Wish, and on and on and on...always good to see him. I thought he should have played the detective, tho, but maybe he wanted a change of character.Nice movie, but be ready. Great lighting, sound, audio,writing and direction. and kinetic (state of mind) editing. Very well done. What was the budget?

techtaketwo First, whilst i'm sure the filmmakers did not have a substantial budget, I did not notice any telltale signs of a low budget production. Second, the story is fascinating. Characters at the polar extreme of an intriguing personality type make great film subjects. Despite the lead character's cavalier attitude to the murder of other HUMAN BEINGS(!) the story is nonetheless believable. This is a great credit to the filmmakers. The beer cans in Ray's boots to elevate his stature and the make-up to smooth over any cracks in a fragile (almost porcelain) veneer plainly expose the vanity of a seriously self-obsessed individual. Finally, the lead actor playing the part of Ray Pye ABSOLUTELY nails it.I don't like indie films generally but this was a winner. If you like films like 'seven' and '8mm' then i'd happily recommend this movie.

fertilecelluloid Stephen King's work is easy to synopsize and market because his premises are novel. There's a hotel that holds onto memories in "The Shining", a little girl who starts fires in "Firestarter", and a fan who goes nuts in "Misery". It's no surprise that King's work has been cannibalized to death by Hollywood because it's easily reduced to a marketing hook. Marketing King is like marketing a McDonald's hamburger. You know what you're getting. There aren't too many surprises. Jack Ketchum, though much admired by King, is a different kettle of fish. With the exception of "Off Season" and "Ladies Night", his work is not the stuff of Hollywood marketing hooks. The beauty of Ketchum is how he gets into his characters' dark heads. His work is much darker than KIng's and he makes few concessions to mainstream expectations. His horror lives in the house next door or in the mind of the person you're married to. Aside from "She Wakes", Ketchum steers pretty clear of the supernatural and focuses on the sort of people who get arrested every night on the news. Which brings me to "The Lost". It's about a sociopath, Ray Pye, who manipulates and bullies everyone around him. When not destroying other humans with a gun, he destroys them slowly by mere association. You don't want to meet the guy. You want to steer well clear of him. Especially if you're female. Now, this story has been done to death (in novels and films), but because Ketchum is Ketchum, his take on it is fascinating and chilling. The movie version of "The Lost" is less successful and less creepy than the novel because its horror is externalized. We get strange sound effects, bizarre editing shifts, and some interesting color treatments that attempt to internalize the mental dynamics, but what made "The Lost" book so disturbing is only half present here. Still, the movie is a good one. Marc Senter is strong and convincing as Ray Pye and Chris Sivertson's direction is solid. But because Ketchum's beauty is his point of view and not his plotting, the movie's plotting becomes predictable. It will come as no surprise to anyone that Pye goes on a rampage at the end after he is pushed into several corners from which he can't escape. Though the scenes of him blowing people away are potent, their power is diffused by their predictability. Part of me feels that Ketchum works better within the universe of the printed word. Poe is the same. The nature of King's work lends itself to cinematic translation, as does the work of James Patterson and Alistair McLean. With "The Lost", you get a smart, well made tale of horror, but you don't get the essence of Ketchum. You will only get that from a Ketchum novel. So if you can't translate Ketchum adequately to the silver screen, why see these movies? Well, that's the challenge for the filmmaker.