Disturbing Behavior is a 1998 thriller science fiction film starring: James Marsden, Katie Holmes, Nick Stahl, Bruce Greenwood, and Steve Railsback. The film was released on July 24, 1998. The plot follows a group of teen iconoclasts who are horrified by their "blue ribbon" classmates. This story has similarities with The Stepford Wives, and Footloose thrown in (a town changes because of a tragic accident involving teens behaving unsafely, et cetera).
Director David Nutter was a director and producer of The X-Files as well as a director and co-executive producer of Millennium.
Plot
Steve (Marsden) is a high school senior whose family moves to Cradle Bay, a picturesque coastal town. Steve soon befriends three outcast teens named Gavin (Stahl), UV, and Rachel (Holmes).
Gavin tries to tell Steve that he believes there is something evil about the "blue ribbons" (kids taking part in a program led by the school psychologist, Dr. Caldicott). Steve is understandably skeptical. The following day at lunch, Gavin walks in all cleaned up and looking like a blue ribbon. When Steve tries to confront Gavin, he gets slugged in the stomach for his trouble. Now, Steve and Rachel must try and save the rest of the school before it is too late. They find a disc that Gavin hid for them in the boiler room, before his "transformation," which tells them about the club. They try and find out what has been happening to these kids, which leads them to a mental hospital called Bishop Flats. They learn that this mind control used to make depressed and awkward teens become perfect so they can function properly in life, but the programming has some glitches that lead to momentary relapses. Also at Bishop Flats, they find Caldicott's daughter, who spends all her time repeating the same phrase: "Meet the musical little creatures that hide among the flowers".
When Rachel and Steve return, they plan to get out of town along with Steve's little sister Lindsay, but when they get back, Steve's parents reveal they had him signed up for the program. Steve and Lindsay try to get out but they get ambushed by a group of blue ribbons waiting for them. They drag Steve and Rachel to the programming center, but Steve escapes and rescues Rachel. They try to get out of town again with Lindsay and UV (Gavin's old friend), but the blue ribbons and Caldicott are waiting for them near the ferry out of town. When hope seems lost, the janitor of the school drives up, his car hooked up with sonic devices that scramble the mind control tech inside the blue ribbons' heads. They chase after him and try to destroy the devices, but, having been fatally wounded by Caldicott, he drives off a cliff with the blue ribbons on it. This leads to a final battle between Steve and Caldicott, which Steve wins by kicking Caldicott off the cliff. Steve and Rachel then leave town. The final scene shows a classroom in an urban high school with kids playing loud music, cursing, and acting up. They are informed that they have a new teacher. The well-kept sub turns around, and it's Gavin, with the blue ribbon "twinkle" still active in his eye.
Alternate versions
DVD version features 11 deleted scenes featuring more story and character development, including a deleted love scene between James Marsden and Katie Holmes (which was present in the theatrical release), an alternate ending where Gavin meets a different fate than the theatrical ending and the revelation the program is assisted by a shadowy government organization. In the film commentary, the director complained that he objected to the particular scenes being removed from the film, but that the editors overrode his objections and removed the scenes anyway. U.S. cable network Sci-Fi Channel has been known to air a somewhat unofficial director's cut of the film with the deleted scenes reinstated (though the film is still shown with the theatrical ending).
Love scene
As they are leaving Bishop Flats, Steve makes the decision to return to Cradle Bay to rescue his sister, which upsets Rachel. Rachel then tells Steve that all her ambitions of escaping Cradle Bay and going to college have now evaporated with their new revelations about the blue ribbon program, and implores him to simply escape with her. When he insists on returning for his sister, Rachel relents and goes with him. This scene was removed from all subsequent versions of the film, after the 2000 DVD release; however, it was included on VHS copies and the theatrical version of the film.
On the ferry back to Cradle Bay, Steve (Marsden) and Rachel (Holmes) use the time to make love in Rachel's truck.
Alternate ending
Gavin Strick is not affected by the E-rat-acator, because he is wearing his headphones. He confronts Steve and his group on the ferry. Still a friend, Steve pleads with Gavin that they need to get him some help. Gavin refuses on the false belief that everything helped him without the realization of the program's effects which cause him to react. He tries to shoot Steve with a shotgun and UV shoots him three times with his own gun that Steve took away from him. As he lay dying on the ground, Gavin escapes out of his hypnosis to chastise a heartbroken UV (for not being able to kill him in fewer than three shots) while the others tend to him. His dying words are a sarcastic remark that his death will prevent him from meeting his pre-transformation idol, Trent Reznor. Despite having survived the events that preceded them, the group is reminded that they still lost a friend in the process as everyone starts to tear up.
Cast (in Credits Order)
- James Marsden .... Steve Clark
- Katie Holmes .... Rachel Wagner
- Nick Stahl .... Gavin Strick
- Steve Railsback .... Officer Cox
- Bruce Greenwood .... Dr. Edgar Caldicott
- William Sadler .... Dorian Newberry
- Chad Donella .... U.V.
- Ethan Embry .... Allen Clark
- Katharine Isabelle .... Lindsay Clark
- A. J. Buckley .... Charles 'Chug' Roman
- Crystal Cass .... Lorna Longley
- Tygh Runyan .... Dickie Atkinson
- Tobias Mehler .... Andy Effkin
- Derek Hamilton .... Trent Whalen
- P. J. Prinsloo .... Robby Stewart
- Terry David Mulligan .... Nathan Clark
- Susan Hogan .... Cynthia Clark
- Sarah-Jane Redmond .... Miss Perkins
- Natassia Malthe .... Mary Jo Copeland
- Chris Owens .... Officer Kramer
- Robert Moloney .... Ferry Guy
- Dan Zukovic .... Mr. Rooney
- Michelle Skalnik .... Randi Sklar - Blue Ribbon
- Lalainia Lindbjerg .... Kathy - Blue Ribbon
- Brendan Fehr .... Brendan - Motor Jock
- Fiona Scott .... Fiona - Blue Ribbon
- David Paetkau .... Tom Cox - Blue Ribbon
- Erin Tougas .... Shannon
- Ryan Taylor .... Ryan - Blue Ribbon
- Jay Brazeau .... Principal Weathers
- Carly Pope .... Abbey
- John B. Destry .... Middle-aged Man
- Glynis Davies .... Coupon Lady
- Andre Danyliu .... Roscoe
- Gillian Barber .... Judy Effkin
- Stephen J. Lang .... John
- Peter LaCroix .... Ernest Strick
- Lynda Boyd .... Lucille Strick
- Daniella Evangelista .... Daniella - Blue Ribbon
- Suzy Joachim .... Female Doctor
- Doug Abrahams .... Security Guard
- Christopher R. Sumpton .... Screaming Man
- Jarred Blancard .... Flossing Man
- Kate Braidwood .... Make-up Girl
- Stephen Holmes .... Toothbrush Boy
- Mark Aviss .... Bald Man
- Julie Patzwald .... Betty Caldicott
- Stephen E. Miller .... Frankie, Gas Station Attendant
- Dee Jay Jackson .... Assistant Principal
- Kendall Saunders .... Disrespectful Student
- Sean Amsing .... Damon (uncredited)
- Melanie Angel .... Nurse (uncredited)
- Christine Cattani .... Laughing Blonde Girl (uncredited)
- Fulvio Cecere .... Anesthesiologist (uncredited)
- Gary Chalk .... Coach (uncredited)
- Cynde Harmon .... Mrs. Atkinson (uncredited)
- Tamsin Kelsey .... Detrice (uncredited)
- Corey Large .... Student (uncredited)
- Robert Lewis .... Moderator (uncredited)
- Zuzana Marlow .... Shannon's mom (uncredited)
- Judith Maxie .... Shadow Woman (uncredited)
- Larry Musser .... Coroner (uncredited)
- Marciarose Shestack .... Reporter (uncredited)
- Sean Smith .... Schoolbus Boy (uncredited)
- Bob Wilde .... Shadow Man (uncredited)
Trivia
- This film was distributed by MGM in the US and Sony elsewhere. When Sony and its partners bought MGM in 2005, Sony obtained US rights to the film as well. Currently though, they only hold theatrical distribution rights, after MGM began self-distributing on TV again and switched most video releases to Fox.
- After the use of Harvey Danger's song "Flagpole Sitta" in the film's trailer proved to be popular, the song was added to the film at the last minute, replacing the last portion of an original track by music composer Mark Snow entitled "Unplugged at Bishop Flats."
- Some scenes were filmed on Bowen Island, BC Canada, including the motorcycle stunt at the end in which Steve launches off the dock and lands on "The Queen of Capilano" - a ship owned and operated by BC Ferries.
- Katie Holmes received a fake nose ring in anticipation for her role.
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