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The Mothman Prophecies

 The Mothman Prophecies
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TVTItem
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies
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Inspired by… real events occurring between November 1966 and December 1967 in the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Produced by Lake Shore Entertainment released by Screen Gems and directed by Mark Pellington.The film starts with a reporter, John Klein (Richard Gere), and his wife Mary (Debra Messing) looking for a new house. They get into a car accident, during which Mary first witnesses the Mothman. She is later diagnosed with a brain tumor and dies soon after. Before she dies, she draws some really creepy pictures of a Winged Humanoid.A couple years later, John gets lost on a road trip and ends up in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, a normally sleepy backwoods town; however the townsfolk have become wary of strangers because of the recent supernatural events. The townsfolk have had a series of encounters with the Mothman, and soon a mysterious being named Indrid Cold calls John in the middle of the night. With the help of a local police officer, Sergeant Connie Mills (Laura Linney), John tries to solve the meaning of the Mothman's presence.The movie is based on a book written by journalist, parapsychologist, and ufologist John A. Keel which was first published in 1975, studying the events that occurred in the town in 1969. Despite the title, the original cover art, and later, the art of the movie poster, the book focused mostly on the UFO sightings in Point Pleasant at the time along with some mention of shifty men in black snooping around, with only a few chapters dedicated to the sightings of the Mothman entity. The documentary Eyes of the Mothman recounted the story in connection with various legends such as the Curse of Cornstalk.
 The Mothman Prophecies
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2024-03-18T11:01:37Z
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2024-03-18T11:01:37Z
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_1181a575
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The Unsolved Mystery
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The Unsolved Mystery: Onscreen text at the end of the film states that the cause of the Silver Bridge collapse was never determined. note This is a departure from the actual collapse in 1967, which was determined to have been caused due to the failure of I-bar 330, which brought the entire bridge down due to a lack of redundancy. More broadly, neither the characters nor the audience ever learn who or what the Mothman/Indrid Cold really is.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_127fc252
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Creator Cameo
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_127fc252
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Creator Cameo: Director Mark Pellington provides the voice of Indrid Cold. He also shows up as a bartender.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_141a6acb
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Madness Mantra
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Madness Mantra: The pages in Mary's notebook depict not only images of the Mothman, but written texts reading ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin ruin
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_1de5c038
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Too Happy to Live
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Too Happy to Live: Mixed with Cosmic Plaything. John speculates aloud he thinks Mary's death was the direct result of their happy marriage and the life that was ahead of them.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_1fb0f07b
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Horror Struck
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Horror Struck
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_21f7ff0f
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Knight in Sour Armor
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Knight in Sour Armor: Leek comes off as this, having become cynical and jaded over his experiences with the Mothman and how it affected his life and relationships.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2493b31d
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Fire-Forged Friends
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Fire-Forged Friends: John and Connie. John and the Smallwoods, too.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_256eaa53
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Prophetic Fallacy
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_256eaa53
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Prophetic Fallacy. John initially believes that the "tragedy on the Ohio River" will involve the local chemical plant, but it actually occurs much later when the Silver Bridge collapses.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_25b5600
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Captain Ersatz
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Captain Ersatz: Gordon Smallwood is very loosely based on Woodrow Derenberger. His encounter with Indrid Cold is one of the things faithful to the Mothman mythos.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2b2d7f8
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The Mothman
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2b2d7f8
comment
The Mothman: The movie's titular creature. Throughout the film, the main characters are vexed by dreams, omens and mysterious phone calls stating cryptic hints that about upcoming disaster, alongside visits by the Mothman itself. The omens hint at a disaster approaching the Ohio river, which eventually reveals itself as the historic Silver Bridge collapse that birthed the Mothman's legend.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2bc8bdeb
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Speak of the Devil
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2bc8bdeb
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Speak of the Devil: Of sorts, playing into the Blue-and-Orange Morality of the Mothman. According to Leek, we noticed it first, and it noticed that we noticed it.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_2fef0c01
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Twisted Christmas
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Twisted Christmas: The bridge collapse happens on Christmas Eve.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_33029735
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Dies Wide Open
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Dies Wide Open: Gordon Smallwood
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_330ef176
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Our Cryptids Are More Mysterious
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_330ef176
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Our Cryptids Are More Mysterious: The Mothman is a (presumably) real cryptid alleged to be connected with a genuine historical bridge collapse.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_330ef176
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_37690091
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Stable Time Loop
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Stable Time Loop: Inverted: Gordon claims John visited them at the same time three nights in a row, which John knows is impossible.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_3c3f28a5
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Blessed with Suck
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_3c3f28a5
comment
Blessed with Suck: The Mothman, Indrid Cold, the predictions, all of the mysterious occurrences are something that are undeniably attractive, but Leek knows that it's a trap, Gordon falls into the trap, and John has to fight to pass up the temptations, including a chance to reunite with his dead wife.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_3ce914fb
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Macabre Moth Motif
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_3ce914fb
comment
Macabre Moth Motif: Deconstructed. Leek talks about the theme of the moth as a Legacy Character throughout history.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_40cc0c7e
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Bittersweet Ending
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_40cc0c7e
comment
Bittersweet Ending: The Silver Bridge collapses, 36 people die and none of the mysterious occurrences are ever explained. However, John reconciles the death of his wife, saves Connie—the person who helps him reconcile and likely saved his life—and possibly saves many other lives just by being there to warn people off the bridge sooner.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_444154b8
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Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_444154b8
comment
Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book: Mary's little drawings are full of Mothman pictures. The orderly mistakes them for pictures of angels.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_45a177f1
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Touched by Vorlons
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_45a177f1
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Touched by Vorlons: What happens to everyone who encounters the Mothman and/or Indrid Cold.
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A God I Am Not
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_504333fe
comment
A God I Am Not: Certainly not said by the Mothman/Indrid Cold entity itself, but discussed by the human characters. Alexander Leek insists with Klein that the entity(entities?)'s omniscience doesn't necessarily implies godhood, being just a matter of perspective from inhabiting a higher dimensional plane.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_504333fe
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Dark Is Not Evil
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_575fd5e2
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Dark Is Not Evil: The Mothman seems to take a relatively benign interest in humanity, but then, it's hard to tell.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5a3b8032
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The Un-Reveal
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5a3b8032
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The Unreveal: You never get to see Indrid Cold. John never answers the phone in Georgetown.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5ce7dbb9
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Central Theme
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5ce7dbb9
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Central Theme: Letting go of the past, and These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5d5cc3fd
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Through the Eyes of Madness
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5d5cc3fd
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Through the Eyes of Madness: Indrid Cold's voice is sometimes just barely audible underneath the voices of other characters John speaks to over the phone. According to director Mark Pellington, the intent was to suggest that all of the strange happenings might be in John's head.
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Intrepid Reporter
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_5f52cfcf
comment
Intrepid Reporter: John is a writer for the Washington Post, which gives him the means to carry out his Mothman investigations.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_62434fe2
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Sanity Slippage
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_62434fe2
comment
Sanity Slippage: It seems to be a natural consequence of prolonged exposure to the Mothman, and in turn leads to death. It's implied that it might have had something to do with Mary's death; Gordon suffers through this, and dies from exposure as a result. Leek was previously institutionalized because These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know, losing his family in the process, and warns John he's skipping merrily down the same destructive path by trying to understand the Mothman.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_6439de78
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Heroic Sacrifice
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_6439de78
comment
Heroic Sacrifice: During the Silver Bridge collapse, Connie stays on the bridge to warn people off and goes back to her cruiser to radio for help. She gets knocked out and falls into the river inside her cruiser. She survives.
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Manly Tears
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Manly Tears:
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_66755d29
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Author Avatar
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_66755d29
comment
Author Avatar: Alexander Leek (Keel spelled backward)
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_6841f7f5
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Evil Phone
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_6841f7f5
comment
Evil Phone. Not quite evil, but thoroughly creepy, since his voice patterns were "outside of human vocal range". And then there's the phone that rings even after Klein yanks the cord out of the wall.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7241785e
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You Can't Fight Fate
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7241785e
comment
You Can't Fight Fate: Connie then tells John that bad things happen to good people: planes crash, earthquakes happen, and loved ones die. Bridges collapse, too. They can't be stopped or reversed, and the point is to be with people who are alive and enjoy being with you.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_72d31973
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Surreal Horror
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_72d31973
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Surreal Horror: It's the sort of movie where a shot of the protagonist holding Chap-Stick in a motel room is one of the most unnerving in the whole film.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7464705c
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Arc Words
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7464705c
comment
Arc Words: "Wake up, number 37." "Ruin." "I'll see you in time."
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7b6e47a5
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Armor-Piercing Question
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7b6e47a5
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Armor-Piercing Question: "In the end it all came down to just one simple question. Which was more important - having proof, or being alive?"
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7d152a2d
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Agent Mulder
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7d152a2d
comment
Agent Mulder (Alexander Leek) and Agent Scully (Connie)
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7d7c8e54
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Being Watched
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_7d7c8e54
comment
Being Watched: One of the running themes. John at times can sense someone or something watching him, such as when he's sitting alone on a bench in a wintry Washington, DC, and very often, the camera will appear to be the POV of something watching him, and occasionally swooping or flying away.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_808b6d16
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Sdrawkcab Name
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comment
Sdrawkcab Name: Leek is based on author Keel.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_851dda8f
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Humanoid Abomination
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_851dda8f
comment
Humanoid Abomination: The Mothman, if you don't consider it to be an Animalistic Abomination.
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_853b7948
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Ambiguously Evil
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_853b7948
comment
Ambiguously Evil: The Mothman itself certainly looks and behaves in a very sinister manner, but it never does anything overtly malicious, as is Indrid Cold (who may or may not be the Mothman himself in the film.)
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8a295a46
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Cool Car
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8a295a46
comment
Cool Car: Mary's 1988 BMW 528e, John's 2000 Audi A8L, Connie's 1984 Jeep Cherokee XJ take-home patrol vehicle, Gordon's 1985 Chevrolet C-10 and CJ's 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS. The BMW strikes something that leaves a burn mark on its front bumper and grill. Mary ends up hitting her head against the driver side window, cracking it but not shattering it. The car otherwise remains intact. Somehow, the A8L covers 400 miles in less than 90 minutes despite John claiming he only did 80note The 2000 Audi A8L is speed limited to 130MPH and you'd have to go 267MPH to cover the same distance in that time. the whole way. It also instantly transitions from an Interstate highway to a rural highway and breaks down within walking distance of Gordon's house in Point Pleasant. A local mechanic finds nothing wrong with it and it otherwise runs flawlessly for the rest of the film. During the Silver Bridge collapse, the Impala is struck by a support cable, killing CJ instantly. The Jeep ends up in the river with an unconscious Connie inside it, but an air pocket saves her from drowning and the vehicle's light bar marks its location underwater allowing John to rescue her.
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These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8b6394c
comment
These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know: Leek tells John that his search for answers regarding the Mothman and trying to understand what he cannot understand will only lead to ruin, with Leek explaining how his own experiences with the Mothman effectively ruined his life. John is warned that his search for answers is putting him on the same path. It's implied that this kind of exposure is in some way responsible for Mary's death, and later Gordan's.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8b6394c
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8b6394c
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_8b6394c
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cb844c6
type
Mr. Exposition
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cb844c6
comment
Mr. Exposition: Leek gives the Back Story of Mothman, but subverted in that he only knows the background, and has no idea what's going on himself.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cb844c6
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cb844c6
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cfa86d7
type
Just One Second Out of Sync
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cfa86d7
comment
Just One Second Out of Sync: Watch carefully: in one scene, John Klein's reflection is out of sync with Klein himself.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cfa86d7
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cfa86d7
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_8cfa86d7
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_9d12bbc1
type
Foreshadowing
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_9d12bbc1
comment
Foreshadowing: There are many, but the most pointed is John's last conversation with Gordon in person is them standing on the Silver Bridge.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_9d12bbc1
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1.0
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_9d12bbc1
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a2b38d3b
type
Eye Scream
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a2b38d3b
comment
Eye Scream: Looking at The Mothman causes the eyes to inflate and bleed. This actually happened to one of the Mothman witnesses — the diagnosis was actinic conjunctivitis from being exposed to extreme ultraviolet radiation.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a2b38d3b
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_a2b38d3b
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a673ae02
type
The Un-Twist
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a673ae02
comment
The Un Twist: You know the Mothman? That entity which the main characters know is real and they're trying to prove it? Turns out in the end, he's real! And he saved their lives! Suggesting that in fact, he's on our side! Or... he could just be fascinated with our actions much like how a kid will watch ants react to a small fire.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a673ae02
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_a673ae02
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a86069f
type
Alternate History
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a86069f
comment
Alternate History: The movie takes place in a world where the sudden rash of Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant and the collapse of the Silver Bridge, two real-world events that occurred in 1966-67, instead happen in the early 2000s. The film also changes the date of the bridge collapse (December 15 to December 24) and the death toll (46 to 36). Additionally, in the movie there are hundreds if not thousands of other Mothman sightings from all over the world, both before and after the Point Pleasant incident; in reality, reported Mothman sightings are pretty much exclusive to West Virginia, there have only been a handful since 1966-67, and none prior to that.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_a86069f
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_a86069f
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: John, realizing the "tragedy on the River Ohio" won't be the chemical plant, but the Silver Bridge.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad1db87c
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1.0
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad1db87c
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad7a381d
type
P.O.V. Cam
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad7a381d
comment
P.O.V. Cam: Maybe? The camera behaves like it, swooping, flying, sneaking up from behind, eavesdropping from above, but there's no evidence it's the Mothman.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad7a381d
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad7a381d
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_ad7a381d
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Connie. Also the Mothman himself: "Still more proof, John Klein?"
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ae3d6438
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ae3d6438
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1.0
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_ae3d6438
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_af7d483f
type
Dreaming of Things to Come
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_af7d483f
comment
Dreaming of Things to Come: Gordon has predictions from daymares, starting with predicting the death of 99 people in a plane crash. Connie has a recurring dream, describing how she was trying to swim to saftey while drowning in a freezing river, inexplicably surrounded by presents followed by a voice saying "Wake up, number thirty seven". These refer to the Silver Bridge collapsing on Christmas Eve, in which Connie also falls into the river and nearly drowns. After John saves her, they find that thirty six people died.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_af7d483f
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1.0
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_af7d483f
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b85c06f2
type
Glowing Eyes of Doom
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b85c06f2
comment
Glowing Eyes of Doom / Red Eyes, Take Warning: How the residents describe the Mothman.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b85c06f2
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b85c06f2
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_b85c06f2
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b869b5b1
type
Color Motif
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b869b5b1
comment
Color Motif: The color red is used very sparingly, and always appears when the Mothman is present, physically or no (which is in keeping with the legend of its unnaturally red eyes.) His wife also has a red motif (striking red hair and lipstick), which ties her into the second half of the film.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b869b5b1
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1.0
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_b869b5b1
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b9af5ef3
type
The Film of the Book
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b9af5ef3
comment
The Film of the Book: Very loosely.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b9af5ef3
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_b9af5ef3
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_b9af5ef3
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_bc1faa80
type
Mirror Scare
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_bc1faa80
comment
Mirror Scare: Described by Gordon, that he looked into a mirror at one point and saw something he couldn't describe, but was certainly not himself. Later, after a scene in which John stares into a medicine cabinet mirror, and smashes his head into it — which turns out to be a vision. Later, he slams a mirrored cabinet door while walking away... and for a brief moment, a strange visage is shown reflected in it.
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1.0
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_bc1faa80
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_bcb452a9
type
Weirdness Magnet
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_bcb452a9
comment
Weirdness Magnet: The Mothman/Indrid Cold seems to get attached to individuals, and pester them with cryptic — and not-so-cryptic — phrases and predictions. At best, all you get are harassing phone calls like the fire department chief.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_bcb452a9
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_bcb452a9
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c50bd555
type
Make-Out Point
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c50bd555
comment
Make-Out Point: One of the places the Mothman shows up.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c50bd555
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c50bd555
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_c50bd555
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: Perhaps unintentional or intentional; Leek's story of knowing a building was going to blow up and no one listened.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c75df49a
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_c75df49a
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_c75df49a
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cb70651c
type
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cb70651c
comment
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Was it the Mothman Mary saw, or a hallucination caused by a tumor Or was the tumor caused by the Mothman?
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cb70651c
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cb70651c
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_cb70651c
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cdfe12c3
type
Nothing Is Scarier
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cdfe12c3
comment
Nothing Is Scarier: Indrid Cold is never seen. The happenings in Point Pleasant are never explained. The camera is often positioned in a manner that implies the characters are being watched — but we never see what's watching them. And it is creepy.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cdfe12c3
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cdfe12c3
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_cdfe12c3
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cead2a47
type
Cassandra Did It
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cead2a47
comment
Cassandra Did It: Possibly the Mothman.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cead2a47
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_cead2a47
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_cead2a47
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d129e13e
type
"Eureka!" Moment
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d129e13e
comment
"Eureka!" Moment: Just as the Silver Bridge was going to collapse, John's has a realization that this was what the "Great Tragedy on the Ohio River" refers too.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d129e13e
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d129e13e
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_d129e13e
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d44ea142
type
You Are Not Alone
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d44ea142
comment
You Are Not Alone: Connie tells John to get out of Georgetown, because at Point Pleasant, he won't be alone.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d44ea142
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_d44ea142
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_d44ea142
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dbca2c99
type
Red Herring
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dbca2c99
comment
Red Herring: The disaster will be at the chemical plant. It won't be.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dbca2c99
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dbca2c99
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_dbca2c99
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dc1c7647
type
Voice of the Legion
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dc1c7647
comment
Voice of the Legion: Indrid Cold.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dc1c7647
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dc1c7647
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_dc1c7647
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dca70c44
type
Reasonable Authority Figure
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dca70c44
comment
Reasonable Authority Figure: Sergeant Connie Mills is a friendly, honest, and approachable police officer. A lot of the information that John learns about the Point Pleasant Mothman encounters is due to her help and people's willingness to approach and talk to her.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dca70c44
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dca70c44
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_dca70c44
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dcb9c541
type
Ship Tease
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dcb9c541
comment
Ship Tease: John and Connie have chemistry, they deeply care for one another in a short period of time, but it's obvious if Connie did have romantic feelings for John, John's too raw from the loss of his wife to be receptive.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dcb9c541
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dcb9c541
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_dcb9c541
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dda99fa8
type
Despair Event Horizon
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dda99fa8
comment
Despair Event Horizon: A subtle one, but when Connie finds out Gordon somehow called John seven hours after his death, she mutters, "I can't stand this."
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dda99fa8
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_dda99fa8
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_dda99fa8
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e16cd24e
type
Know When to Fold 'Em
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e16cd24e
comment
Know When to Fold 'Em: John has to learn to do this over the course of the movie. Some things are just not worth it.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e16cd24e
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e16cd24e
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_e16cd24e
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e384c244
type
Phone Call from the Dead
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e384c244
comment
Phone Call from the Dead: John receives a phone call from what appears to be his wife at one point. He is told that he will receive a call from her at a specific date and time, but at Connie's urging, John learns to let go of her, just as the phone rings out at the time Mary was supposed to call. This in turn, leads to John saving Connie from drowning in the river. Possibly Gordon as well. Connie estimates that he died eight hours before John found his body. But John apparently received a call from Gordon only one hour before he found the body.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e384c244
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1.0
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_e384c244
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4965307
type
Composite Character
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4965307
comment
Composite Character: In the book (and, presumably, the original stories Keel was reporting), Indrid Cold and the Mothman were separate entities, but the movie lumps them together. This is probably for the best, since the book's Cold was a perpetually grinning man who rode around on a flying chimney.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4965307
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4965307
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 The Mothman Prophecies
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4965307
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4b69188
type
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4b69188
comment
Very Loosely Based on a True Story: For one, the Silver Bridge disaster happened in the late '60s. Second, the Silver Bridge was a chain-link bridge, an unusual construction with no redundancy, that is, if one link fails, they all fail. So, unlike the movie's explanation that the cause of the collapse was never determined, in actuality it was discovered to be a micro-fracture that developed over time, exacerbated by heavy traffic that it was never intended to handle (like 18-wheeler trucks), that caused a sequential bridge failure. For this reason, most monster hunters think that the Mothman was there to warn the public of the impending disaster.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4b69188
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_e4b69188
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e8e56799
type
Blue-and-Orange Morality
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e8e56799
comment
Blue-and-Orange Morality: Discussed and clearly in effect (Leek: "Their motivations aren't human"). The motives of the Mothman are unknown and unlikely to make sense to humans.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e8e56799
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_e8e56799
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_e8e56799
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ea6f361f
type
You Are Number 6
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ea6f361f
comment
You Are Number 6: Connie is Number 37.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ea6f361f
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ea6f361f
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_ea6f361f
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0508c08
type
Decomposite Character
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0508c08
comment
Decomposite Character: John Keel - the paranormal writer who authored the book that the film is based on - is divided into protagonist John Klein (who is changed into a Washington Post journalist who ends up in the town accidentally and under bizarre circumstances, instead of having deliberately gone there to investigate like Keel) and Alexander Leek, a paranormal investigator who Klein consults with during his investigation, and who conveys some of the real Keel's interpretations of the subject matter. The characters of Connie Mills (a Point Pleasant police officer who assists John in his investigation) and John Klein's late wife Mary are a decomposite of journalist Mary Hyre, a colleague of Keel's who assisted him in his investigation, and who sadly died of illness not long after the events in question. Keel dedicated the book to her.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0508c08
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0508c08
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0c4ce7d
type
The Lost Lenore
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0c4ce7d
comment
The Lost Lenore: Mary's presence hangs over the film like a shroud.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0c4ce7d
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0c4ce7d
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_f0c4ce7d
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f1e68523
type
The Not-Love Interest
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f1e68523
comment
The Not-Love Interest: John and Connie have a special bond and share a lot of chemistry, but it seems to be of friendship, not romance. Even if Connie were the perfect future partner, John is still too raw from Mary's death, even two years later.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f1e68523
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 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f1e68523
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_f1e68523
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f3fd818b
type
Dark Reprise
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f3fd818b
comment
Dark Reprise: Mary apologizes for "ruining" everything, and tells John she's "sorry". Those words are repeated later in John's head, with a different subtext.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f3fd818b
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1.0
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_f3fd818b
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The Mothman Prophecies / int_f3fd818b
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ffad4e9f
type
Shown Their Work
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ffad4e9f
comment
Shown Their Work: The pencil and ink "angels" drawn in Mary's book are actual sketches of the Mothman from witnesses.note The filled in, gradient "demon" drawings are invented ones from the film.
 The Mothman Prophecies / int_ffad4e9f
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The Mothman Prophecies

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Mothman Prophecies
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Appearance Is in the Eye of the Beholder / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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Cosmic Plaything / int_faa7b661
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Dreaming of Things to Come / int_faa7b661
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Horror / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday / int_faa7b661
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Horror Struck / int_faa7b661
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Humans Are Insects / int_faa7b661
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Humans Are Morons / int_faa7b661
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It Won't Turn Off / int_faa7b661
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Macabre Moth Motif / int_faa7b661
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Make-Out Point / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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Mirror Scare / int_faa7b661
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Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book / int_faa7b661
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Our Cryptids Are More Mysterious / int_faa7b661
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Phone Call from the Dead / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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Sdrawkcab Name / int_faa7b661
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Supernatural Fear Inducer / int_faa7b661
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The Mothman / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
hasFeature
The Omniscient / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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You Are Number 6 / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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You Cannot Grasp the True Form / int_faa7b661
 The Mothman Prophecies
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Too Happy to Live / int_faa7b661