Chilling tale

The Village, which boasts a star-studded cast including Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt, sees Shyamalan taking audiences on a journey to explore how fear can affect a community.

At first glance, the late 19th century village seems picture perfect. Villagers live harmoniously in an idyllic setting. However, this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that a race of creatures resides in the woods around them.

The innocence of The Village is threatened by the creatures referred to by the townspeople as Those we don't speak of.' The villagers share the fear of the evil and foreboding force that lurks outside. So frightening that they dare not venture beyond The Village and into the woods.

Despite the advice of his elders, a curious and determined Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) has a burning desire to step beyond the boundaries of the town into the unknown. Town leader Edward Walker (William Hurt) warns Lucius of the danger among the town's outskirts, and Lucius's mother, Alice Hunt (Sigourney Weaver) advises him to stay at home and spare himself of the greed and desires that exist in the outside world.

Lucius's strength is matched only by Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard), a beautiful and mesmerising young blind woman with an unusual wisdom beyond her years. Her fearless nature and gift-like perception are beyond anything Lucius has ever known.

Both Lucius and the mischievous Noah Percy (Adrien Brody) admire Ivy passionately, though her heart only has room for one of them.

The ominous presence of the unknown boils over into chaos for the town, with one's bravery being the only thing that can save them. The truce between The Village and the creatures is ending.

"The Village is different from my previous films. I think it is me growing up and evolving as a filmmaker," says M. Night Shyamalan.

"I wanted to write about innocence. The Village is set in the late 19th century, after the civil war and before industrialisation when it was a simpler life. When it wasn't about money or greed. People spoke without sarcasm and you could hear the truth and sincerity in their voices," says Shyamalan.

During pre-production, the principal cast of The Village underwent a late 19th century boot camp', an historical immersion into life in the past, and the skills needed to survive. Wearing their period wardrobe, the cast began to get in touch with their senses, a necessity needed to survive in typically harder historic times.

Joaquin Phoenix recalls: "Life and survival was difficult during the late 19th century but people seemed content and happy in The Village.

"Boot camp was an opportunity for us to leave our creature comforts behind and go into the woods and be together. The bonding that happened was real. We became a community. Hopefully that will be seen in the finished film."

Adds William Hurt: "I found it so refreshing that Night required this unusual upfront commitment from all the cast during prep. It's like you are always panting for this. We, actors, are the best we can be when we are working with each other. What are we together if we are not sharing together?

"Our collaboration is what makes The Village a true community."

Reteaming with Shyamalan after working together on Signs is Joaquin Phoenix, starring as Lucius Hunt. Shyamalan wrote the part of Lucius with Joaquin in mind.

"I really enjoy reading Night's scripts and talking to him in depth about the story. He knows his characters so well and even if something is not on the page, he knows the history of every single character and shares it with you," says Phoenix.

He continues: "Lucius is rebellious but in a quiet kind of way, because of the way he has been raised. When the story of The Village begins, it is the starting point of Lucius's journey on his own, and with Ivy.

"This is such a different experience than Signs. Signs essentially had four characters in a house. The Village has 15 main roles and then the entire community of a couple of hundred.

"It is a different process but it is nice to know that Night and I have really developed a short-hand in some respect that really works. Night is aware of entertaining an audience, but he doesn't compromise his vision or the truth of the character. And to me, it's a rare director that can bring those two separate forces together."