Wild Things

"They're dying to play with you."

1998 1h 48m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 2,083

MysteryThrillerDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan and troubled bad girl Suzie Toller accuse guidance counselor Sam Lombardo of rape, he's suspended by the school, rejected by the town, and fighting to get his life back. One cop suspects conspiracy, but nothing is what it seems...

“They're dying to play with you.”

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Cast

Kevin Bacon
Sergeant Ray Duquette
Matt Dillon
Sam Lombardo
Neve Campbell
Suzie Toller
Denise Richards
Kelly Van Ryan
Theresa Russell
Sandra Van Ryan
Bill Murray
Kenneth Bowden
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Detective Gloria Perez
Robert Wagner
Tom Baxter

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John McNaughton
Writers: Stephen Peters, Raymond Consing
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.4× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Wild Things Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John McNaughton, shot by Jeffrey L. Kimball. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by George S. Clinton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Elena Maganini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon and Neve Campbell carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "They're dying to play with you.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John McNaughton directs. Jeffrey L. Kimball behind the camera. George S. Clinton scores. Elena Maganini cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 3.4× over at the box office.
228 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Wild Things Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by John McNaughton, shot by Jeffrey L. Kimball. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by George S. Clinton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Elena Maganini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon and Neve Campbell carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "They're dying to play with you.".
9IMDB entry: tt0120890 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 18 themes, including "sailboat", "florida", "rape", "sexual abuse".
11Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jeffrey L. Kimball
Original score: George S. Clinton
Editing: Elena Maganini
Production design: Edward T. McAvoy
Costume design: Kimberly A. Tillman
Makeup / hair: Jeni Lee Dinkel
Sound: Paul Massey
Runtime: 108 min · 1h 48m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $20,000,000
Box office: $67,200,000
Return: 336% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Wild Things (1998)

Awards

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Wild Things Collection

This collection delves into the darkest aspects of human behavior, exploring themes of sexual power, deception, and murder. The main characters are often flawed or opportunistic, manipulating situations to their advantage and navigating morally ambiguous scenarios. With plots full of convoluted and surprising twists, these films keep the audience guessing, differentiating truth from assumptions. Rife with blackmail, deceit, and volatile relationships, these captivating stories delve into the complexities of human relationships and the boundaries people cross when driven by their desires. Embracing moral ambiguity, they invite viewers to piece together the truth amidst the convoluted events on screen.

Also by

John McNaughton

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

JPV8522022-05-14
★ 8/10
Delightfully sleazy and trashy 1990s erotic-thriller that has everything you want from the genre but also a pretty engaging plot underneath it all. Great performances from Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell and Denise Richards. This is a movie I've seen several times over the years, the latest in glorious 4K, and it never gets old. 4.0/5

Production companies