I Know What You Did Last Summer

***I Know What You Did Last Summer*** is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie, written by Kevin Williamson, and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. It is loosely based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan and is the first installment in the *I Know What You Did Last Summer* franchise. The film centers on four young friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they supposedly killed a man. The film also draws inspiration from the urban legend known as "The Hook" and the 1980s slasher films *Prom Night* (1980) and *The House on Sorority Row* (1982).

Prior to *Scream* Williamson was approached to adapt Duncan's source novel by producer Erik Feig. Where Williamson's screenplay for *Scream* contained prominent elements of satire and self-referentiality, his adaptation of *I Know What You Did Last Summer* reworked the novel's central plot to resemble a straightforward 1980s-era slasher film. After the success of *Scream*, the film was rushed into production.

*I Know What You Did Last Summer* was released theatrically on October 17, 1997. It received mixed reviews from critics, but was commercially successful, grossing $125.3 million worldwide on a budget of $17 million, and remaining number 1 at the U.S. box office for three consecutive weeks. It was also nominated for and won multiple awards. The movie has also been parodied and referenced in popular culture, and credited alongside *Scream* with revitalizing the slasher genre in the 1990s.

The film was followed by a direct sequel, *I Still Know What You Did Last Summer* (1998), with the main surviving characters returning. Later, a direct-to-video sequel was made called *I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer* (2006), without featuring any of the original cast.

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### Based on

I Know What You Did Last Summerby Lois Duncan

### Starring

Jennifer Love HewittSarah Michelle GellarRyan PhillippeFreddie Prinze Jr.Johnny GaleckiBridgette Wilson

## Plot[edit]

On July 4, 1996, in Southport, North Carolina, Julie James and her friends Ray Bronson, Helen Shivers, and Barry Cox drive to the beach. While driving along a coastal byway, they accidentally hit a pedestrian. Julie's friend Max Neurick passes by them on the road. Julie reassures Max of their well-being, and he leaves. The group decides to dump the body in the water, but the pedestrian wakes up and attacks Helen. She struggles and he falls into the water. The group flees the docks and swears to never discuss what happened.

One year later in 1997, Julie returns home from college for the summer. The friends have gone their separate ways. Julie receives a letter with no return address, stating, "I know what you did last summer!" Julie tracks down Helen, and they take the note to Barry, who suspects Max. They confront Max on the docks, and Barry threatens him with a hook. Julie meets Ray, who now works as a fisherman. Later, Max is killed by a figure in a rain slicker wielding a hook. Later that night, Barry discovers a picture of his car in his gym locker with the words "I KNOW" written on the back of it. He is then ambushed by the same assailant stealing and driving his car.

Julie researches newspaper articles, believing that the man they ran over was a local named David Egan. Helen and Julie meet with David's sister Missy at her home. Missy explains that their family was devastated by David's death and that a friend of his named Billy Blue visited her to pay his respects. That night, the killer sneaks into Helen's house, cuts off her hair while she sleeps and writes "SOON" in lipstick on her mirror.

The following morning, Julie finds Max's corpse wearing Barry's stolen jacket and covered in crabs in the trunk of her car. When she calls the others, the body and the crabs are missing. Julie, Helen and Barry confront Ray about the recent events. The latter claims to also have received a threatening letter. Julie goes back to visit Missy, while Barry and Helen participate in the 4th of July parade. Missy reveals David allegedly committed suicide out of guilt for the death of his girlfriend, Susie Willis, in a car accident and shows David's suicide note to Julie. As the writing matches that of the note she received, Julie realizes it was not a suicide note, but a death threat.

At the Croaker Beauty Pageant, Helen witnesses Barry being murdered on the balcony. She rushes upstairs with a police officer, but finds no sign of the killer or Barry. The police officer is escorting Helen home when the killer lures him into an alley and murders him. Helen runs to her family's store, where her sister Elsa is closing for the night. The killer enters the store and murders Elsa. Helen is chased upstairs and escapes through a window, falling to an alleyway. She runs toward the street, but the killer stops her and slashes her to death, her screams unheard by the ongoing parade.

Julie finds an article mentioning Susie's father, Ben Willis, and realizes Ben was the man that they ran over, moments after he killed David to avenge his daughter. She goes to the docks to tell Ray, but notices Ray's boat is called *Billy Blue* and flees from him. A fisherman appears and knocks Ray unconscious, inviting Julie to hide on his boat. On the boat, she finds photos and articles about her and her friends, and pictures of Susie. The boat leaves the docks, and the fisherman is revealed to be Ben Willis. He chases Julie below deck, where she uncovers the bodies of his victims, including Helen and Barry, in the boat's icebox. Ray regains consciousness and steals a motorboat to rescue Julie. He ultimately uses the rigging to sever Ben's hand and send him overboard. When Julie and Ray are questioned by the police, they deny knowing why Ben attempted to kill them, but are relieved not to have actually killed anyone, and reconcile.

A year later in 1998, Julie is in college in Boston. As she enters the shower, she notices the words "I still know" written in the steam on the shower door. Moments later, a dark figure crashes through it as Julie screams.

## Cast

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers

Ryan Phillippe as Barry Cox

Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson

Bridgette Wilson as Elsa Shivers

Anne Heche as Melissa "Missy" Egan

Muse Watson as Ben Willis / The Fisherman

Johnny Galecki as Max Neurick

Stuart Greer as Officer