I've Been Waiting for You is a 1998 made-for-tv horror/slasher film directed by Christopher Leitch. The film is based on the 1997 novel Gallows Hill written by Lois Duncan.
Plot
Sarah Zoltanne (Sarah Chalke) is a teenager who recently moved from Los Angeles to Pine Crest with her mother, Rosemary (Markie Post). Always having been an outsider, she is not very welcomed by her classmates at school. Especially the popular group, including Kyra Thompson (Soleil Moon Frye), Eric Garrett (Christian Campbell), Debbie Murdock (Maggie Lawson), Kevin Lane (Chad Cox), and Misty (Julie Patzwald) are rude to her, explaining that they don't like her clothes and attitude. Upon moving in an old, abandoned house, Sarah is soon bothered with phone calls from a mysterious person, saying "I've been waiting for you." Being a supporter of wicca, she isn't very worried.
Later on, Kyra and Eric, who are a couple, break into her house and tell her the house was inhabited by Sarah Lancaster (Laura Mennell) in 1698, a young woman who was in love with a man who was already engaged to another woman. According to Kyra, Sarah later lost her mind and was put into a mental hospital. Not much later, the man she was in love with, died, along with his fiancée. The townspeople thought that Sarah's ghost was responsible, and burned her at the stake following the accusation of witchcraft. Kyra and Eric next persuade her to participate on a prank, pretending to be a psychic at a party.
Sarah is given a microphone, so Kyra can secretly provide her all the secrets of her customers. When she tells Misty about the abusive relationship of her parents, she freaks out and leaves. Upon driving home, she is attacked and scared to death by a masked killer. The next day, upon hearing the news, the popular group immediately suspect Sarah for the murder, thinking that she might be a witch. They reveal that they are the five descendants of the people who burned Sarah Lancaster and explain that most likely her ghost has taken over Sarah Zoltanne's body for revenge.
Soon, other people of the group are attacked by the masked killer. Kevin does not survive and is murdered while showering, but Eric and Debbie are able to get away. Another person who seems to be an escaped victim is Charlie Gorman (Ben Foster), the school geek who was always bullied at. Having befriended Sarah, he reveals to her that he is the sixth descendant. Together, they try to unravel the truth, attempting to find out who is the killer. Meanwhile, the popular group are certain that Sarah is responsible, and to save their own lives, they decide that they must burn her. Sarah has always felt attracted to Eric and accepts his offer to take her out. This turns out to be a trap, though, as she is immediately tied to a wooden pole by Eric, Debbie and Kyra.
Trying to stop them from burning her, she claims that one of them is lying about being a descendant. Soon, when it is revealed that Debbie has slept with Eric, the girls start to fight. Before anything can be done, they are attacked by the masked killer. After a struggle, they are able to overpower him, and it turns out that Charlie is the killer. Before he is arrested, he reveals that he might be the son of Ted Rankin (Tom Dugan), their history teacher who has been dating Rosemary, and a descendant of Sarah Lancaster. His motive is thereby avenging her murder. One month after this event, it is implied that Sarah Lancaster actually did take over Sarah Zoltanne's body and that she is still determined to kill all descendants.
The movie ends with Sarah telling her next victim "I've been waiting for you."
Cast
Reception
The film was released in a time where teen horror films were very successful. The film was received very negatively, with reviewers especially criticizing its similarity to other teen slashers, including Scream (1996), The Craft (1996), and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997).[1]
References
External links
