- Natalee Holloway (film)
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This article is about the 2009 film. For the person upon which it is based, see Natalee Holloway.
Natalee Holloway 
DVD coverDirected by Mikael Salomon Produced by Andrew Golov Written by Teena Booth (teleplay)
Beth Holloway (book)Starring Tracy Pollan
Grant Show
Catherine Dent
Amy Gumenick
Jacques StrydomMusic by Christopher Ward Cinematography Paul Gilpin Editing by Sidney Wolinsky Studio Sony Pictures Television Distributed by Lifetime Television Release date(s) April 19, 2009 (USA)
Jan. 7, 2010 (Netherlands)
Jan. 25, 2010 (Germany)
Jan. 27, 2010 (Argentina)Running time 96 minutes Country USA Language English Natalee Holloway is a 2009 film directed by Mikael Salomon. The made-for-television movie is based on Beth Holloway's book about the 2005 disappearance of her daughter Natalee Holloway. The film stars Amy Gumenick as Natalee Holloway, Tracy Pollan as Beth Holloway-Twitty, and Jacques Strydom as Joran van der Sloot.[1] When it aired on the Lifetime Movie Network on April 19, 2009, the film scored the highest television ratings at that time in the network's history.[2]
Contents
Production
In October 2008, the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) announced plans to create a television film based on Beth Holloway's bestselling book Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith. The senior vice president of original movies, Tanya Lopez, stated in the announcement that the network was "pleased to be working closely with Natalee's mother" and that they intended to tell the story of Natalee Holloway's disappearance "sensitively and accurately."[3] Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post questioned whether it was too soon for such a film to be made.[4][5] Holloway said that she was not sure at first that she could take this step, but felt that it was "the right thing to do" after meeting the creative staff in Los Angeles.[5]
The film was shot in Cape Town, South Africa,[6] and produced by Sony Pictures Television with Von Zerneck Sertner Films.[7] Holloway's book was adapted for television by Teena Booth, who had previously written A Little Thing Called Murder and Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal for Lifetime Television.[8] Holloway said that she was fascinated and at first overwhelmed by the logistics of the production, which she views "as an accomplishment."[5]
Plot
The film retells events leading up to the night of Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba, and the ensuing investigation in the aftermath. The film does not solve the case, but stages re-creations of various scenarios, based on the testimony of key players and suspects, including Joran van der Sloot, who is the last person seen drinking with her and escorting her out of the bar. His contradictory accounts, some presented days and others presented years later, are used to present different reenactments of Holloway's final hours before she went missing.[9]
Broadcast
The April 19, 2009 broadcast attracted 3.2 million viewers and more than 1 million women in the 18-49 age bracket, garnering the highest Nielsen ratings in the Lifetime Movie Network's 11-year history at that time.[2]
Reception
Although the movie set ratings records for Lifetime, the movie was not received well by critic Alec Harvey of The Birmingham News. Harvey called the movie "sloppy and uneven, a forgettable look at the tragedy that consumed the nation's attention for months".[10] However, Jake Meaney of PopMatters found the film to be surprisingly "calm and levelheaded", and praised Tracy Pollan's portrayal of Beth Holloway.[9] Holloway said that she was honored by Pollan's portrayal and that there "could not have been a better choice."[5]
Joran van der Sloot himself watched the film one evening in 2010, according to his friend John Ludwick, and said that some parts were true while others were not.[11]
Home media
The film was released on DVD for home video on November 10, 2009 by Sony Pictures.[12] It was released internationally on DVD in January 2010 in the Netherlands, Germany, and Argentina. It has also been released in France, Greece, and Spain.[13]
Cast
Actor Role Tracy Pollan Beth Holloway-Twitty, Natalee's mother Grant Show George "Jug" Twitty, Natalee's stepfather Catherine Dent Carol Standifer, friend of Beth Holloway-Twitty Amy Gumenick Natalee Holloway, graduating high school student who disappeared on Aruba Sean Michael (South African actor) Paul van der Sloot, father of Joran van der Sloot Jacques Strydom Joran van der Sloot, suspect in Natalee's diappearance Cokey Falkow Patrick van der Eem, working in an undercover investigation Kai Coetzee Matt Holloway, Natalee's brother Clayton Evertson Deepak Kalpoe, friend of Joran van der Sloot Wayne Harrison Dave Holloway, Natalee's father References
- ^ "Natalee Holloway (2009) (TV)". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307456/. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
- ^ a b Kissel, Rick (April 20, 2009). "Lifetime Movie scores with 'Holloway". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002635.html.
- ^ "Lifetime planning Natalee Holloway movie". United Press International. October 7, 2008. http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/10/07/Lifetime-planning-Natalee-Holloway-movie/UPI-71421223415829/. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ Wieselman, Jarett (July 13, 2009). "Natalee Holloway Movie: Too Soon?". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/item_iiOLQ5Ety2IndyQHxWkyRP. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Rachel Cohen (April 2009). "The Beth Holloway Interview". Lifetime Movie Network. http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/natalee-holloway/the-beth-holloway-interview. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- ^ Jake Meaney (November 17, 2009). "DVD review: Natalee Holloway". DVDTOWN.com. http://www.dvdtown.com/review/natalee-holloway/dvd/7570/2. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ "Natalee Holloway (2009) (TV) - Company credits". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307456/companycredits. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ "Teena Booth". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2058180/. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ a b Jake Meaney (January 22, 2010). "Review: Natalee Holloway". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/118543-natalee-holloway/. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ Harvey, Alec (April 17, 2009). "'Natalee Holloway' a disappointing TV movie". The Birmingham News. http://blog.al.com/aharvey/2009/04/natalee_holloway_a_disappointi.html. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ Nancy Grace (June 16, 2010). "Friend of two-time suspected killer Joran van der Sloot breaks silence". CNN. http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/16/friend-of-two-time-suspected-killer-joran-van-der-sloot-breaks-silence/. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ^ "Natalee Halloway". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MJV77M. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ "Natalee Holloway (2009) (TV) - Release dates". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307456/releaseinfo. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
External links
- Natalee Holloway (film) at the Internet Movie Database
- Natalee Holloway at the Lifetime Movie Network
Films directed by Mikael Salomon 1990s 2000s Sole Survivor (2000) · A Glimpse of Hell (2001) · Young Arthur (2002) · Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor (2003) · Salem's Lot (2004) · The Company (2007) · The Andromeda Strain (2008) · Flirting with Forty (2008) · Natalee Holloway (2009)2010s Who Is Clark Rockefeller? (2010)Categories:- 2009 films
- American television films
- American biographical films
- English-language films
- Films based on biographies
- Films set in the Caribbean
- Films shot in South Africa
- Lifetime (TV network) films
- True crime films
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