JACK KETCHUM’S THE GIRL NEXT DOOR on DVD

One of the most talked-about and controversial indie films of the last few years has found a home on DVD from Anchor Bay Home Entertainment. Jack Ketchum’s THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is based on the book of the same name by Ketchum, who fictionalized one of the most heinous crimes in American history – one you’ve probably never even heard of…

Ketchum’s critically acclaimed novel is a fictionalized take on the true-crime tragedy of Sylvia Likens, who was brutally murdered by her unofficial ‘foster mother’, that woman’s children and their neighborhood friends who assaulted, tortured and, ultimately, murdered 16 year-old Sylvia in 1965. It was one of the most sensational murder trials of the decade and has been revisited in writing and on-screen numerous times, including the recent film AN AMERICAN CRIME.Ketchum’s version of the tale takes place in 1958 and the setting has been changed from Indiana to New Jersey. The tragic, brutal and outrageous events that transpire, however, are left to full effect.THE GIRL NEXT DOOR follows 14 year-old Megan Loughlin and her crippled younger sister Susan are orphaned when their parents are killed in a car crash.. They are sent to live with their aunt Ruth Chandler and her three sons, who range in age from 10 to 12. Young David Moran befriends the girls and soon begins to see harsh treatment meted out on Megan by her aunt, who shows more and more signs of being more than a little bit unbalanced. The abuse escalates and soon the three Chandler boys are also terrorizing Megan. When she dares to plead for help from the police, she is locked in the families bomb shelter where things can only get worse.The film has been praised by genre websites and mainstream film critics alike and has been described as a powerful, intelligent and utterly disturbing film.Directed by Gregory M. Wilson, who also brought us HOME INVADERS back in 2001, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR stars Daniel Manche, Blythe Auffarth and Blanche Baker, as well as Grant Show, Catherine Mary Stewart and William Atherton as the adult David Moran.The DVD, which hit shelves December 4, features a 1.78:1 AW transfer, 5.1 DDS audio and a theatrical trailer, as well as commentary from Wilson, producer Andrew Van Den Houten and DP William Miller. Also included is an exclusive commentary with Ketchum and the screenwriters, interviews with cast & crew, a making-of featurette and a DVD-Rom screenplay. Check out the trailer HERE and look for the DVD on shelves now from Anchor Bay Entertainment.