You should never invite these people to your home.
- In case you didn't already realize it, Joanna Newsom's "Sprout and the Bean" is terrifying (especially on vinyl, especially when it skips). As an added bonus, at first it seems like a cute children's song with bizarrely unnerving music, and is creepy enough... until you pay attention to the lyrics and you realize that it's probably just as disturbing as the movie. See here
for the lyrics.- The use of "My First Lover" by Gillian Welch is even more so, with the loop adding to the air of insanity and chaos. The atmosphere is so effective, the same looping section of the song was later used in the YouTube horror short No Through Road.
- The use of "My First Lover"
- The parts with the lingering shots, with lit parts of the scenery and the shadowy parts both providing a good contrast. And then a lone figure just emerges from the shadows, but lingers just out of complete view, and just stands there...staring. Without a single note of fanfare, without the heroine's knowledge, and with no motive other than to prove how anyone can enter your house or simply watch you without you knowing.
- At one point, Kristen pulls back the curtains to look outside a window, only to see the Masked Man right in front of it staring at her.
- Arguably the most unsettling part of the film is the reason the Strangers tormented the couple. Why did they psychologically torment them and then finally plan to kill them? Because they were home.
- The horror of the film is accentuated by it being completely devoid of comedic features. The only scene in the film that could even be considered slightly funny is halfway through, when Kristen is hiding in a closet near the kitchen. The Masked Man enters the room, and sits down at the table, apparently taking a break. Though it's a very tense scene, it might elicit a small nervous chuckle at the idea of this psychopath taking a break. A moment later, he gets up and leaves the room...but not before turning and staring directly at the closet — he knew Kristen was there the entire time.
- Even before the movie starts, nightmare fuel is already in your DVD player. After some movie previews, you are treated to a screen asking you which version (theatrical or unrated) of the movie you want to see. This screen has no music whatsoever and contains an ominous shot of Dollface sitting on a swing set. Once you choose your option, the screen fades to black and cuts to a first-person view of someone walking into the front door of the house from the movie, at which point the main menu starts. There is no accompanying music or clips of the movie showing — just a first-person view of someone walking and looking around throughout the house while occasional screams and creepy quotes from the movie are heard in the background. It feels like you are either taking the perspective of one of the Strangers breaking into the house, or an innocent bystander who heard noises and decided to investigate, only to stumble into the wrong place at the wrong time.
- The ending. The Strangers not only get away scot free with torturing and murdering James and Kristen (maybe), but while driving by a pair of Christian missionary boys on bikes, one of them gets out and asks for a flier. The boy asks if she's a sinner and she says "Sometimes." When she gets back in the truck, another one tells her, "It'll be easier next time." Brr.
