THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)

MORGAN'S RATING

Bruce Willis stars in this acclaimed thriller from newcomer M. Night Shaymalan, the inventive director of this #1 thriller of all time. Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who receives an award on the same night that he is visted by a very unhappy ex-patient. After this encounter, Crowe takes on the task of curing a young boy with the same ills as the ex-patient. This boy "sees dead people". Crowe spends a lot of time with the boy (Cole) much to the dismay of his wife. Cole's mother is at her wit's end with what to do about her son's increasing problems. Crowe is the boy's only hope, and the boy is Crowe's only hope.

Bruce Willis (Dr. Malcolm Crowe), Haley Joel Osment (Cole Sear), Toni Collette (Lynn Sear), Olivia Williams (Anna Crowe), Trevor Morgan (Tommy Tammisimo), Donnie Wahlberg (Vincent Grey), Peter Anthony Tambakis (Darren), Jeffry Zubernis (Bobby), Bruce Norris (Stanley Cunningham), Glenn Fitzgerald (Sean), Greg Wood (Mr. Collins), Mischa Barton (Kyra Collins), Angelica Torn (Mrs. Collins), M. Night Shyamalan (Dr. Hill).

NOT EVERY GIFT IS A BLESSING.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: M. Night Shyamalan (Unbreakable).  WRITER: M. Night Shyamalan. PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Barry Mendel. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sam Mercer.  ORIGINAL MUSIC: James Newton Howard. DISTRIBUTOR: Hollywood Pictures.

QUOTES

Anna: I never told you, but you sound a little like Dr. Seuss when you're drunk.

FACTS

Cole: We were supposed to draw a picture, anything we wanted. I drew a man who got hurt in the neck by another man with a screwdriver. Malcolm: You saw that on TV, Cole? Cole: Everyone got upset. They had a meeting. Mom started crying. I don't draw like that anymore. Malcolm: How do you draw now? Cole: Draw...people smiling, dogs running, rainbows. They don't have meetings about rainbows.

RELEASE DATE: August 6th, 1999 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $26.6 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $293.5 million (USA) BUDGET: $55 million (USA) - This is the second movie with Willis in a leading role where one of the main characters is named Cole, whom nobody believes and is considered to be insane or unusual. The other was 12 Monkeys-- in which Cole says, "All I see are dead people. Also, both movies have number in the title, and both take place in Philadelphia.  - Director M. Night Shyamalan has a cameo as Dr. Hill, who examines Cole Sear after the "accident" at the birthday party. - The second movie with Willis playing a psychologist who has a tramatic experience and wants to give up. The other one was Color of Night. - The color red is used throughout the foreshadow to signify ghostly happenings. - Nominated for six Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Picture and Best Screenplay.

Cole: Tell me a story about why you're sad. Malcolm: Do you think I'm said? [Cole nods.] What makes you think that? Cole: Your eyes told me.

Malcolm: Once upon a time there was this person named Malcolm. He worked with children. Loved it more than anything. Then one night, he finds out he made a mistake with one of them. Didn't help that one at all. He thinks about that one a lot. Can't forget. Ever since then, things have been different. He's become messed up. Confused. Angry. Not the same person he used to be. And his wife doesn't like the person he's become. They hardly speak at all anymore. They're like strangers. And then one day this personal Malcolm meets a wonderful boy who reminds him of that one. Reminds him a lot of that one. Malcolm decides to try to help this new boy. He thinks maybe if he can help this boy, it would be like helping that one too. Cole: How does the story end? Malcolm: I don't know.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Exceptional thriller...young Osment is extraordinarily good; the film is sinous and creepy without being manipulative." -- Leonard Maltin

"The Sixth Sense has a kind of calm, sneaky self-confidence that allows it to take us down a strange path." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

Cole: I see dead people. Malcolm: In your dreams? [Cole shakes his head no] While you're awake? [Cole nods] Dead people like, in graves? In coffins? Cole: Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead. Malcolm: How often do you see them? Cole: All the time.

"An unusually intelligent thriller!" -- Tom Keogh, Film.Com

"The Sixth Sense is a movie that really deserves to be called The Haunting." -- Mike Clark, USA Today

"A psychological thriller that actually thrills!" -- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Lynn: Look at my face; I was not thinking anything bad about you.

"A remarkable performance from Haley Joel Osment!" -- Desson Howe, Washington Post

Malcolm: Hey...you are not a freak. Don't you believe anybody that tells you that. It's bullshit and you don't have to grow up believing that. You hear me? Cole: You said the "s" word. Malcolm: Yeah...sorry.

"Masterfully plotted, a superb film!" -- Rod Dreher, New York Post

"So disarmingly eerie it's virtually guarenteed to rattle the most jaded of cages." -- John Anderson, Los Angeles Times