'The Skeleton Key'

'The Skeleton Key'

"The best thriller of the year!" - Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV

"One of the best twists since 'The Sixth Sense'" - Melanie Moon, WB-TV

Oscar(R) Nominee Kate Hudson Stars in the Critically-Acclaimed Thriller

Casting Its Spell on DVD With Extensive Bonus Features Including Over 20 Minutes of Deleted Scenes November 15, 2005 From Universal Studios Home Entertainment

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Award(R) nominee Kate Hudson ("Almost Famous," "Raising Helen") stars in the contemporary edge-of-your-seat thriller, "The Skeleton Key," coming to DVD and VHS November 15, 2005 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. In "The Skeleton Key," director Iain Softley ("K-Pax") delivers a spine-chilling tale about the authentic world of magic, conjure and sacrifice -- rituals rooted in ancient tradition, but still practiced today. With an astonishing surprise ending to the film that will leave fans spellbound, the DVD is also loaded with over 20 minutes of never-before-released scenes from the film, as well as mesmerizing bonus features.

Written by master suspense writer Ehren Kruger ("The Ring"), "The Skeleton Key" centers on Caroline Ellis (Hudson), an intense young nurse working in a decrepit plantation house in the ominous Louisiana backwoods. Caroline is hired by the mysterious mistress of the house, Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), to care for her husband Ben (John Hurt) who was left bedridden and unable to speak by a debilitating stroke. Using a skeleton key that opens all the doors in the labyrinthine mansion, Caroline is horrified to discover the house conceals a blood-curdling secret. The key to escaping may lie in the attic but, if she dares to believe in what she discovers, everything she fears will become real! The DVD is priced at $29.98. Pre-order deadline is October 4, 2005

"The Skeleton Key" Conjures Rave Reviews

"The Skeleton Key" enthralled and terrified America's top reviewers with its inventive story and chilling plot twists. With "one of the best twists since 'The Sixth Sense'" according to WB-TV's Melanie Moon, the film shocked moviegoers nationwide. Hailed as a thriller in the classic tradition of "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Others," the film was called "suspenseful and atmospheric" by Carina Chocano of Los Angeles Times and "the best thriller of the year" by Shawn Edwards of Fox-TV. Richard Roeper of Ebert & Roeper raved that it was "Kate Hudson's best work in years" and added "the great Gena Rowlands gives a chilling performance."

Haunting Bonus Features

"The Skeleton Key" DVD opens a Pandora's box of extra features, as it lifts the veil on some of the filmmakers' supernatural secrets:

* Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Iain Softley * Behind the Locked Door - Making "The Skeleton Key": A behind-the-scenes making of "The Skeleton Key" that includes interviews with Director Iain Softley, Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Hurt. * Exploring Voodoo/Hoodoo: Explore the symbols, chants, and history of hoodoo, and the religion of voodoo. * Kate Hudson's Ghost Story: Kate Hudson tells a chilling true ghost story from her past. * Recipe & Ritual: Making the Perfect Gumbo! * Blues in the Bayou: Music Supervisor Sara Lord and Director Iain Softley discuss the roots and history of bluegrass music and how its spirituality adds suspense to the film. * Plantation Life: Learn the true history of Plantation Life through interviews with plantation owners Stan and Irma Waguespack and Norman Marmillion. * Casting "The Skeleton Key": Through interviews with cast and filmmakers, we discover why the actors chose to play these characters. * John Hurt's Story: John Hurt reads a disturbing excerpt from the book Voices from Slavery. * A House Called Felicity: Through interviews with cast and crew, we discover how the film's locations were chosen. * Gena's Love Spell: Gena Rowlands shows the viewer a voodoo spell that will create love and friendship. * Audio Commentary with Director Iain Softley

Synopsis

Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), a twenty-five-year-old hospice nurse, takes a job in a remote antebellum mansion in the Louisiana Delta. She is hired by Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), an elderly, eccentric Southern belle to care for Violet's bed-ridden, mute husband, Ben Devereaux (John Hurt). Caroline is fascinated by her enigmatic and secretive employers and their moldering manor, but a burning sense of foreboding leads her to suspect that Ben's illness is somehow connected to the mysterious goings-on she witnesses. Armed with a skeleton key that unlocks every door in the rambling house, she is determined to uncover their secrets. The unspeakable evil she discovers threatens her life and leads to an unforgettable and shocking ending.

For more information please visit: www.theskeletonkeymovie.com.

CAST & FILMMAKERS Director: Iain Softley Written By: Ehren Kruger Produced By: Daniel Bobker, Iain Softley, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher Director of Photography: Dan Mindel Production Designer: John Beard Edited By: Joe Hutshing, ACE Costume Designer: Louise Frogley Original Music By: Edward Shearmur Cast: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD Street Date: November 15, 2005 Pre-Order Close: October 4, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Price: $29.98 SRP Selection Numbers: 25850 (Anamorphic Widescreen); 25851 (Full-Frame) Running Time: 1 Hour 44 Minutes Layers: Dual Layer (single sided) Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1); Full-Frame (1.33:1) Rating: PG-13 (for violence, disturbing images, some partial nudity and thematic material) Technical Info: English Dolby Digital 5.1/Captions; English; Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1/Subtitles; French Dolby Digital 5.1/Subtitles.

VHS Street Date: November 15, 2005 Pre-Order Close: October 4, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Price: $29.98 Selection Numbers: 62835 Running Time: 1 Hour 44 Minutes Aspect Ratio: Full Frame Rating: PG-13 (for violence, disturbing images, some partial nudity and thematic material) Technical Info: Hi-Fi Stereo Surround

For artwork or screeners, please log on to our Web site at www.ushepublicity.com or fax your request to Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity at (818) 866-0226

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

CONTACTS

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Vivian Mayer Senior Vice President, Publicity (818) 777-3594

Michelle Oakes-Slavich Director of Publicity (818) 777-5344

Craig Radow Senior Manager, Publicity (818) 777-4572

Alexia Necoechea Manager, Broadcast Publicity (818) 777-0549

Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Vivian Mayer, Senior Vice President, Publicity, +1-818-777-3594, or Michelle Oakes-Slavich, Director of Publicity, +1-818-777-5344, or Craig Radow, Senior Manager, Publicity, +1-818-777-4572, or Alexia Necoechea, Manager, Broadcast Publicity, +1-818-777-0549, all of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Web site: http://www.theskeletonkeymovie.com/

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