The Faculty is a American science fiction horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Josh Hartnett, Shawn Hatosy, Famke Janssen, Piper Laurie, Bebe Neuwirth, Robert Patrick, Usher Raymond, Jon Stewart, and Elijah Wood.
The film was theatrically released on December 25, 1998, by Miramax Films through Dimension Films. It grossed $63.2 million and has developed a cult following since its release, with some critics noting it as underrated in Rodriguez‘s catalog.
In 1990, David Wechter and Bruce Kimmel wrote their first draft of the script and sent it out, but there were no buyers. It wasn’t until after the success of Scream (1996) that Miramax bought the script and rushed it into production. Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein brought in Kevin Williamson to do rewrites, keeping the basic story, but rewriting the dialogue and adding new characters to make it more “hip”. Originally, Williamson was set to direct the film, but he chose not to so he could direct his self penned script Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999). The Weinsteins brought in Robert Rodriguez to direct the film instead.
The Faculty takes place in the fictional town of Herrington, Ohio, but was shot in Austin, San Marcos, Dallas, and Lockhart, Texas. In a retrospective interview, Clea Duvall said the making of the film “was so much fun. It was mostly night shoots, so it was like we were in this alternate universe. Working all night long and making this fun sci-fi horror movie. I loved it.”
The score is composed by Marco Beltrami, who had previously scored the teen slasher horror film, Scream, as well as Mimic (1997). Both Beltrami‘s score and songs by various artists used in the film were released as albums. The “music from the motion picture” album features songs by various indie and alternative rock bands.
Tracklist:
- Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) (Class of ’99)
- The Kids Aren’t Alright (The Offspring)
- I’m Eighteen (Creed)
- Helpless (D Generation)
- School’s Out (Soul Asylum)
- Medication (Garbage)
- Haunting Me (Stabbing Westward)
- Maybe Someday (Flick)
- Resuscitation (Sheryl Crow)
- It’s Over Now (Neve)
- Changes (Shawn Mullins)
- Stay Young (Oasis)
- Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1) (Class of ’99)
