VALENTINE - THE STORY

"Valentine" is set against the background of the tradition of Valentine's Day, a time when love is on everyone's mind. "Sex and love go hand in hand with death in all horror films," says producer Dylan Sellers. "You're already going into a holiday that focuses on the former, so it's only natural that death comes along for the ride too. Our story takes revenge and obsession up a notch. And that's what this movie is -- these men and women desperately looking for love and crossing the line."

The film revolves around Kate (Marley Shelton), Paige (Denise Richards), Dorothy (Jessica Capshaw), Lily (Jessica Cauffiel) and Shelly (Katherine Heigl), who grew up together, went through school together and shared their dreams of the perfect boy and the perfect future. Lily is the school princess; Paige, the class bad girl; Kate is quiet; Dorothy plump and insecure. The four become a group and stick together, scorning the nerds and presenting a unified front to the school bullies.

"Junior high is the strangest time of your life," says Marley Shelton, who stars as Kate, "because in the grand scope it's only a few years of your life, but for some reason -- I think a combination of puberty and all the changes going on - everybody really remembers those years. I do think that a lot of our identity is shaped during that time, and, and it does effect who we are, presently. So I think it's really great that this movie hits on that and, and uses that as an engine."

Years later, they are still friends. Their lives now include careers but, like many young women, they are navigating through the singles scene. "These women truly do not know what's in store for them and how their earlier indiscretions are going to come back to haunt them," says director Jamie Blanks.

David Boreanaz, whose star has catapulted in the top-rated series "Buffy" and his own spin-off, "Angel," makes his big screen starring debut as Adam, a sports writer with whom journalist Kate finds herself in on-again-off-again relationship. "Adam has a thing for Kate," says Boreanaz. As the film unfolds, and terrible things begin to happen to Kate and her circle of friends, Adam and Kate become even closer. Boreanaz explains, "He tries to make her feel at ease in a very uneasy situation that he finds himself in the middle of. He's trying to be a shoulder to cry on and just comfort her. I've always loved playing those comforting roles," he jokes.

Denise Richards, who ignited the screen in "Wild Things," plays Paige, whom the young actress describes as "very sassy and witty. Paige knows exactly what she wants and sticks up for herself always." When the film takes a darker turn, Richards explains, "Paige is not afraid. She will not shrink at the first sign of trouble but charge into it without fear."

Jessica Cauffiel stars as Lily, who has become enthralled with artist Max Ives (Johnny Whitworth). "Lily is a fun member of this foursome, this group of girls, who all have very distinctive personalities," says Cauffiel. "Lily is the goofy one with the incessant wit and sense of humor. She is always dating the wrong men. She is roommates with Paige, who is the group sexpot, and Lily is always there with a witty quip. When necessary."

Jessica Capshaw plays Dorothy, still the poor little rich girl, who is falling way too fast for handsome Campbell (Daniel Cosgrove), a charmer who keeps his past to himself. "Dorothy was always the really shy girl and is always battling all these demons," says Capshaw. "She had a family that wasn't so caring and she was just kind of different than everyone else. Now she's grown up to be something quite different, and very much looks like she belongs, but still feels like the little girl that didn't belong."

The story begins before Valentine's Day when the friends convene for a close friend's funeral, after which they all start receiving strange, menacing Valentine messages.

At first, the women dismiss the twisted greetings as a sick joke. Then they meet with the detective (Fulvio Cecere) investigating their friend's death and learn there could be a link to someone they all knew, and tormented, years ago, at a Valentine's dance in junior high school - a boy named Jeremy Melton. The police try to trace him but the trail is cold. They can find no recent address, employment record or photograph. If Jeremy Melton still exists, he could be anyone, anywhere.

As the threats of violence intensify, each of the women grapples with the realization that any man she knows - or ever knew - could be a vicious killer.