I Know What You Did Last Summer Ending Explained
by Ushapriyanga | Updated Apr 25, 2023
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer is a slasher movie released in 1997, directed by Jim Gillespie and featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. The film is loosely based on Lois Duncan's 1973 novel of the same name and is the first in a series of films with the same title.
It tells the story of four friends who are pursued by a killer with a hook one year after they accidentally cause a fatal car accident and cover it up. The film takes inspiration from the urban legend "The Hook" and the slasher movies Prom Night (1980) and The House on Sorority Row (1982).
Producer Erik Feig initially approached Kevin Williamson to adapt Duncan's novel before Scream. Williamson's screenplay for Scream included elements of satire and self-referentiality, but his adaptation of I Know What You Did Last Summer was reworked to resemble a typical slasher film from the 1980s. Following Scream's success, the film was quickly put into production.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Ending Explained
I Know What You Did Last Summer, a 1997 horror film, may have some cheesy moments, but it still delivers a bloody slasher flick with memorable kills, a distinctive villain, and a twisty plot. Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prince Jr.) share a heartfelt romance and a dark secret with their friends Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Geller) and Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe).
After accidentally killing a man and covering it up, they are haunted and stalked by Ben Willis (Muse Watson) one year later. The movie's conclusion leaves the fate of Julie and Ray ambiguous. In the final scene, Julie is taking a shower at college and appears to have moved on from the terror she experienced.
However, she sees the ominous message "I still know" written on the mirror and is grabbed by an unknown figure. It's strongly implied that Ben Willis has found and killed her, but the existence of a sequel confirms that Julie is still alive.
Ray's fate is left uncertain, with no explanation given. If there were no sequel, it could be assumed that Ben would go after Ray after killing Helen and Barry. But since a sequel exists, the movie doesn't provide any resolution for Ray's character.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Filming Locations
Director Jim Gillespie was recommended to direct the film by writer Williamson, and actress Jennifer Love Hewitt later stated that Gillespie was her favorite director. Principal photography began on March 31, 1997, and lasted for ten weeks during late spring and early summer.
Around seven of those weeks were shot at night, which was challenging for the cast and crew and caused some disturbance in small-town locations. Gillespie and cinematographer Denis Crossan created a color scheme characterized by heavy blues and a lack of bright colors.
The opening scenes of the film were shot in Sonoma County, California, which stood in for North Carolina, where the film takes place. The car crash scene was also shot in the same area, at Kolmer Gulch. The remaining scenes were filmed primarily in and around Southport, North Carolina, with specific locations including the Amuzu Theater, the Old Yacht Basin, and Southport Fish Company.
The Shiver's Department Store location was discovered on-site by Gillespie, who incorporated it into the film and made it the primary setting for Helen's chase sequence with the killer. Julie's Boston College campus exterior scenes were shot at Duke University, while the hospital sequence was filmed at Southport's Dosher Memorial Hospital in an unused wing of the hospital.
The final boat sequence was shot on an actual water-bound vessel on the Cape Fear River, which was difficult for the actors and crew. Gillespie recounted that the filmmakers nearly lost the boat while docking due to the volatile waters, and were forced to shoot other footage until the following day.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Plot
In the movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer," a group of friends accidentally hit a pedestrian while driving to the beach. They dump the body in the water and swear to keep it a secret. A year later, they receive a threatening letter, and one by one, they are hunted down by an unknown assailant.
As they try to uncover the truth behind the letters and the killer's identity, they discover that they hit the vengeful father of a girl they accidentally killed in a previous car accident. In the end, they are able to stop the killer and reconcile with each other. A year later, the movie ends with a cliffhanger, as one of the friends is attacked once again, and the words "I still know" are written on the shower door.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Review
The popular YA murder-mystery novel, I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan, has been reimagined as a 10-part series for Amazon Prime. The plot still centers on a group of teens who committed a hit-and-run accident and are now being stalked by a serial killer. However, this version adds a new twist to the accident and diversifies the characters in terms of ethnicity, sexuality, and class.
The plot is fast-paced, with plenty of potential killer-candidates, and the deaths are inventive and gory. The show manages to balance the gore with emotional and psychological realism, keeping the audience invested. It can be seen as a Gossip Girl with gore and credible characters, offering implicit questions about self-awareness and what one is capable of doing. Overall, the show is addictive and well-made, providing a rare sense of pleasure in knowing that it is better than it needs to be.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Ending Explained-FAQs
The movie was released in 1997.
The movie was directed by Jim Gillespie.
The movie starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr.
The movie is loosely based on Lois Duncan's 1973 novel of the same name.
Following Scream's success, the movie was quickly put into production.