Cruel Intentions 2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cruel Intentions 2 | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Roger Kumble |
| Produced by | Christopher Ball D. Howard Grigsby Linda Hawkins Peter Hume Nancy Kirhoffer Roger Kumble Paul Kurta Bruce Mellon Neal H. Moritz Charles Pratt Jr. William Tyrer Heather Zeegen |
| Written by | Roger Kumble |
| Starring | Robin Dunne Sarah Thompson Keri Lynn Pratt Amy Adams |
| Distributed by | Uca Catalogue |
| Release date(s) | March 13, 2000 |
| Running time | 87 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Cruel Intentions |
| Followed by | Cruel Intentions 3 |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Cruel Intentions 2 is the 2000 American drama/comedy film prequel to Cruel Intentions and was released direct-to-video. It was written and directed by Roger Kumble, who was also responsible for the first film. The film stars Robin Dunne, Sarah Thompson, Amy Adams, and Keri Lynn Pratt.
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[edit] Manchester Prep
Cruel Intentions 2 was originally supposed to be a TV pilot for a Cruel Intentions spin-off series called Manchester Prep. Originally set to air on Fox Television Thursday nights 1999, the series was canceled before it could premiere due to Fox TV executives' objections over obscenities. The three episodes that were shot were edited together to make the movie.
Subsequently, the film's plot, initially a retelling of the original movie, was reworked to become a prequel set a year or two before the events seen in Cruel Intentions. In the process some character names were changed, and new scenes featuring harsher language and nudity were added to the film before release—the most notorious being identical twin sisters Alicia and Annie Sorell kissing during a nude shower sequence.
[edit] Plot summary
Taking place several years before the events depicted in the original 1999 film, the film follows the lives of rich stepsiblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil as they playfully manipulate the people surrounding them at their exclusive New York prep school.
Initially, the film shows Sebastian conversing with his soon-to-be ex-principal, whereby he manages to exact revenge in a similar fashion to the opening scene of the original motion picture; also borrowing heavily on the original dialogue. However, this action was motivated by different circumstances: the principal's insistence on having Sebastian's permanent record relayed to his new school, thereby hampering his chance for a new start at Manchester prep.
Following his arrival in New York, Sebastian is daunted to discover the huge wealth of his new family; meeting Kathryn for the first time, while she plays piano, he proceeds to embarrass her by bettering her with his skill, and later when he corrects her vocabulary; thus leading Kathryn's mother to belittle her daughter for her failure. This leads to a confrontation between Kathryn and Sebastian whereby she states that she has a comfortable lifestyle and that he "better not interfere".
Sebastian later begins school, shunned by his step-sister. While waiting to see his new headmaster, he encounters his future love interest, Danielle, who is, unknown to him, Headmaster Sherman's daughter.
A school assembly follows, showing Kathryn delivering a speech to her fellow classmates, but being persistently interrupted by uncontrollable hiccups coming from a student, who would then begin to choke on the gum that she was chewing in a bid to stop her hiccups. She is saved by the quick action of Danielle who performs the Heimlich maneuvre, allowing the student to expel the gum, which ends up flying into Kathryn's hair.
During normal school time, Kathryn meets the vice principle but addresses him as "Steve". She remarks that she has gym class "and I hate gym class". Steve remarks that there is nothing he can do about that, but Kathryn threatens him by saying she will go to the School Board and tell them what happened last summer, when he tried to seduce her. Actually, it is her who seduced him, and he states this. She admits that he is correct, but "it's my word against yours, Steve. Who do you think the Board is going to believe?" He weakens and gives her an excuse to get off gym class. She kisses him and says "Thanks, Steve. You're the best."
We are then shown into meeting of a secret society of student elite presided by Kathryn, deciding upon the fate of the new students. This leads them to Cherie, the unfortunate student with the hiccups. It is then discovered that Cherie's family is wealthier than that of Kathryn; this, and the events of the assembly, cause Kathryn to seek a vendetta against Cherie. In another parallel with the original film, Kathryn states that she will make Cherie the "premier slut at Manchester prep". This backfires, as Kathryn's mother tells her to become best friends with Cherie, in an attempt to encourage Cherie's mother to donate a large amount of money to Kathryn's mother's charity. The scenario eventually leads to the infamous scene in which Cherie, while riding a horse, masturbates to the point of climax, at the instruction of Kathryn. Cherie remarks that she now understands "why girls like horses so much".
We then return to Sebastian, who, coming from a more humble upbringing, wishes to befriend his house staff. Doing so angers Kathryn, whose day is interrupted by not being able to contact her driver, who happened to be engaged in a card game with Sebastian and the other household staff. This, and Kathryn's jealousy of Sebastian, cause her to admit that she is unhappy with her life: one of her few expressions of true emotion.
The next day, she is in the classroom with Steve again. He begins to break down, saying he's got a wife, a kid, a job to uphold. Kathryn tells him to relax, that the gym and various other excuses were just a test. He visibly relaxes and she sees this. She tells him to worship her, remarking that all worship begins at the knees. He kneels in front of her (she is sitting on a desk) in order to give her oral sex and utters her name, "Kathryn, Kathryn, Kathryn..." at which she asks him to "Please be quiet. I'm trying to imagine you as someone attractive."
Sebastian attempts to woo Danielle: first, by asking her for coffee at her work; then, later, conversing with her over the telephone. Eventually, this evolves into a relationship, but Kathryn, seeing this, uses it as a way to get back at Sebastian. First, by tempting him away from Danielle by luring him with identical twins (the infamous incest shower scene), in which the sisters explain that Danielle is the only virgin at Manchester; aside from her, "Manchester prep is a virtual whorehouse;" and as the school motto goes, "if you don't snort it, suck it". This leaves Sebastian with a dilemma: does he remain with Danielle, in a relationship devoid of sex, or does he simply give in to the sexual possibilities of "Manchester Prep".
In the end, Sebastian stays with Danielle; professing his love for her, only to find that she does not reciprocate, but is in fact working alongside Kathryn in a secret plan to dupe Sebastian. Defeated by Kathryn's manipulation, Sebastian states: "if you can't beat them, join them", thus leading to a threesome with Danielle and Kathryn followed by an alliance of the three to dominate and manipulate others.
[edit] Cast and characters
[edit] Main characters
- Sebastian Valmont
- A 16-year-old who is at once charming and deceitful, intelligent and witty, as he establishes himself in his new surroundings: his father's posh Manhattan townhouse and the upscale private school, Manchester Prep.
- Danielle Sherman
- The daughter of Manchester Prep's dean, who has caught the eye of new student, Sebastian Valmont. This character was originally named Annette Hargrove before the production switch to a prequel.
- Cherie Claymon
- Manchester Prep's naive new sturdent, a constant thorn in the side of Kathryn Merteuil, who makes it her goal to make Cherie a laughingstock. This character was originally named Cecile Caldwell before the production switch to a prequel.
- Kathryn Merteuil
- Sebastian's dissembling step-sister and president of Manchester Prep's banned, nefarious secret society, the Manchester Tribunal.
[edit] Cast
The roles with two names are the ones altered when production switched from a remake TV series to a DVD prequel.
| Role | Manchester Prep | Cruel Intentions |
|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Valmont | Robin Dunne | Ryan Phillippe |
| Danielle Sherman / Annette Hargrove | Sarah Thompson | Reese Witherspoon |
| Cherie Claymon / Cecile Caldwell | Keri Lynn Pratt | Selma Blair |
| Kathryn Merteuil | Amy Adams | Sarah Michelle Gellar |
| Headmaster Sherman / Hargrove | Barry Flatman | Drew Snyder |
| Tiffany Merteuil | Mimi Rogers | N/A |
| Lilly | Teresa Hill | N/A |
| Mr. Felder | Barclay Hope | N/A |
| Bunny Claymon / Bunny Caldwell | Tane McClure | Christine Baranski |
| Edward Valmont | David McIlwraith | N/A |
| Assistant Headmaster Steve Muller | Jonathan Potts | N/A |
| Blaine Tuttle | Caley Wilson | Joshua Jackson |
| Penny Cartwright | Deanna Wright | N/A |
| Henry | Clement von Franckenstein | N/A |
| Min Lin / Mai-Lee | Shûko Akune | Hiep Thi Le |
| Gunther | Hans Schoeber | N/A |
| Fred | Nicholas Guilak | N/A |
| Gordon Anderson | Christophe Davidson | N/A |
| Court Reynolds | Andrew Kraulis | Charlie O'Connell |
| Principal Freeman | Ian D. Clark | N/A |
| Delores Freeman | Jillian Hart | N/A |
| Gretchen | Anne Sorell | N/A |
| Sarah | Alicia Sorell | N/A |
