A strange and eerie tale set in the South, spanning a time period from just before the Civil War to present day, The List is a combination mystery thriller and morality play. Who is good and what is evil, and how does one know, become questions that must be answered before the big riddle is solved, and more than one life hangs in the balance.
Malcolm McDowell, Hilarie Burton, Chuck Carrington and Will Patton star in this independent film based on a novel by Robert Whitlow.
The List is the type of story that one can imagine really happening. In a part of the country where traditions run deep, and history is a tangle of events that spring from diverse cultural backgrounds, a story of a secret society with a prophecy bound in blood seems fitting.
Delivered by a plot that is as interwoven as the undergrowth in a deep southern forest, the audience is gradually enlightened as Renny Jacobson makes his way through the maze of confusing information. He returns home to bury his father and claim his inheritance, and discovers that his life and future are tied up with something called the Covenant List of South Carolina, Ltd.
At first this appears to be just a historical club for rich old men, to drink and eat and talk about the glory days of the South. When Renny’s new acquaintance Jo Johnson is not allowed to take her father’s place in the group as the heir must be male, Renny begins to question the implications of becoming a member.
Using the skills of the actors to tell the story, The List envelopes the audience in a growing sense of creepiness. Something is not right in the seemingly privileged group, but we are as clueless as Renny and Jo as to the true nature of things. Once the evil is recognized, the last part of the film packs quite a spiritual wallop.
After the understated, tightly crafted early part of the film, it is surprising to be engulfed by scene after scene of film time about prayer. It almost resembled the scene in It’s A Wonderful Life where everyone is praying for George. There is nothing wrong with that, but it just didn’t fit in with the rest of this film.
A little less praying would have still delivered the message and would have given the story better balance. The most out of place element was the final death, which seemed to serve no purpose that couldn’t have been achieved otherwise and simply became overkill.
The List is presented on single disc in widescreen format with a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. The disc includes special features, a commentary on the film with director Gary Wheeler and actress Hilarie Burton, deleted scenes, The Power of Prayer, a Bible Study that can be run on a computer and trailers for other films.
The production quality for an independent film is very good, and the scenes are well constructed, with some gorgeous shots of old Southern architecture and interiors. In spite of these little glitches, it is an entertaining film with some superior acting by Malcolm McDowell and Will Patton, as well as the other cast members.
The List is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
Your Talkback on this Story