• Rating:
• Genre: Horror
• Movie Type: Haunted House Film, Psychological Thriller
• Themes: Ghost Stories, Mothers and Daughters, Custody Battles
• Director: Walter Salles, Jr.
• Main Cast: Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Pete Postlethwaite
• Release Year: 2005
• Country: US
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG13

Plot

Directed by Walter Salles Jr., this remake of Hideo Nakata's supernatural psychological drama Honogurai Mizuno Soko Kara revolves around the plight of a single mother (Jennifer Connelly) whose messy divorce and subsequent battle for the custody of her five-year-old daughter is taking a heavy toll on her emotional well-being. Ultimately, the mother and daughter are able to relocate to an apartment, which, despite its excessively dilapidated interior, seems to be an adequate location for beginning a new life. Before long, however, what appears to be the spirit of a young girl begins to haunt them. No stranger to mental illness, the wary young woman brushes the visions aside as part of the inherent stress of making the transition from housewife to working, single mom. As time goes by and the apparent haunting does not subside, the apartment's new residents are forced to examine the history of its former tenants. Dark Water also features performances from John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, and Dougray Scott. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Review

It's easy to get frustrated with Hollywood when considering the studio system's over-reliance on remakes and at times seemingly paralyzing phobia of producing anything that could be perceived as remotely original -- and for fans of Japanese horror films in particular, the remake explosion has cut especially close to the bone. In rare cases, though, when given time and careful consideration -- and when the original shows promise yet lacks perfection -- a remake can be a truly satisfying and more effective extension of the concepts presented in the original. With his remake of Ring director Hideo Nakata's 2002 thriller Dark Water, Motorcycle Diaries director Walter Salles achieves the rare feat of actually improving on the original, thanks in no small part to the screenwriting skills of Rafael Yglesias -- who realized that a little subtlety can go a long way. Not only are the actions of the characters more believable in the American incarnation of Kôji Suzuki's dark mystery, but by reducing the focus on the now-clichéd creepy little girl with long hair and instead focusing on the mental deterioration of the mother, the strain of her failed marriage, and the frail but loving relationship that she shares with her daughter, Yglesias and Salles allow the viewer to truly connect with the characters before ratcheting up the tension by introducing the supernatural element.

While it is true that some of the more explicit "scare" scenes were excised in this version in favor of crafting better-drawn characters, the substitution ultimately makes the end payoff more effective. Even for those who don't have children, it will be difficult not to empathize with the mother who, while quite possibly emotionally unbalanced, does her best to reconcile the trauma of her own childhood, and it's here where actress Jennifer Connelly truly brings the character of Dahlia to life. The supporting players -- including John C. Reilly's hoagie-chomping slumlord, Tim Roth's phone-camera-happy lawyer, and Pete Postlethwaite's crusty superintendent -- also shine, with Salles and Yglesias providing just enough character quirks to allow them to stand out and make an impression. Another performance worth mentioning is Dougray Scott's portrayal of Dahlia's husband, Kyle -- a role effectively expanded in the American version to both give viewers a better understanding of Dahlia's past and enhance the mystery. Though younger audiences may not be able to connect with Dark Water as well as older viewers due to its mature themes and favoring of slow-burn dread over quick-cut shocks, the film remains a shining example of low-key psychological horror that, while remaining true to its roots in the J-horror movement, transcends its mediocre origins to provide chills that run deep and will likely only improve with age. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Jennifer Connelly - Dahlia
• John C. Reilly - Mr. Murray
• Tim Roth - Jeff Platzer
• Dougray Scott - Kyle
• Pete Postlethwaite - Veeck

Camryn Manheim - Teacher; Ariel Gade - Ceci; Perla Haney-Jardine - Natasha / Young Dahlia; Bill Buell - Mediator; Elina Löwensohn - Dahlia's Mother; Debra Monk - Young Dahlia's Teacher; Simon Reynolds - Man in Elevator; J.R. Horne - Man in Tram; Alison Sealy-Smith - Radiology Clinic Supervisor; Diego Fuentes - Night Doorman; Jennifer Baxter - Mary; Linda Emond - Mediator; Warren Belle - UPS Man; muMs - Platzer's Backseat Client; Matt Lemcke - Steve; Kate Hewlett - Teacher's Aide; Zoe Heath - Natasha's Mother; Edward Kennington - Billy

Credit

Angelo Colavecchia - Camera Operator; Amy Lynn - Second Assistant Director; John McDonnell - Assistant Properties; Paul Tuerpé - ADR Loop Group; David J.Webb - First Assistant Director; Angelo Badalamenti - Composer (Music Score); Affonso Beato - Cinematographer; Robin Bush - Costumes Supervisor; Peter M. Chesney - Special Effects Supervisor; Therese DePrez - Production Designer; Mali Finn - Casting; Jeffrey Lee Gibson - Stunts; David Jaquest - Set Dresser; Steve Kirshoff - Special Effects Coordinator; David Koneff - Set Decorator; Phil Marshall - Additional Music; Walter Salles, Jr. - Director; Gordon J. Smith - Makeup Special Effects; Jamie Jones - Stunts Coordinator; Diana Pokorny - Co-producer; Rafael Yglesias - Screenwriter; Marc Fisichella - Production Designer; Michael Barosky - Sound Mixer; Frank Graziadei - Sound/Sound Designer; William Mesa - Visual Effects Supervisor; Taka Ichise - Producer; Glen Gauthier - Sound Mixer; Olivia Guimaraes - Post Production Coordinator; Monty Rowan - Camera Operator; Morris Flam - Gaffer; Kirk R. Gardner - Camera Operator; Nerses Gezalyan - Foley Mixer; Lewis Goldstein - Sound Effects Editor; David Hallinan - First Assistant Director; Scott Millan - Re-Recording Mixer; Christopher Moriana - Foley Artist; Digital Domain - Visual Effects; Tina Gerussi - Casting; Michael Wilkinson - Costume Designer; Paul Varrieur - Camera Operator; Doug Stone - ADR Loop Group; Doug Stone - Voice Casting; G.A. Aguilar - Stunts Coordinator; Jed M. Dodge - Dialogue Editor; Shawn Holden - Sound Mixer; David Parker - Re-Recording Mixer; David Bach - ADR Supervisor; Frank Gaeta - Sound/Sound Designer; Ellis Barbacoff - Assistant Properties; Bob Jackson - Dialogue Editor; Nicholas Lundy - Art Director; Clive Thomasson - Set Decorator; Flash Film Works - Visual Effects; Pacific Title Digital - Title Design; Michael Shocrylas - Set Designer; Grant Van Der Slagt - Set Designer; Paul W. Whitehead - First Assistant Editor; Kelly Jones - Stunts; Lincoln Kupchak - Visual Effects Editor; Kôji Suzuki - Book Author; Daniel Rezende - Editor; Alex Raspa - ADR Recordist; Dwight LaVers - Dolly Grip; Central Casting - Extra Casting; Bob Brown - Stunts Coordinator; David O. Charles - Set Dresser; Wayne Goodchild - Grip; Glen Goodchild - Grip; Kaz Kobielski - Special Effects Coordinator; Rafy - Still Photographer; Roland N. Thai - Sound Effects Editor; Kate Quinlan - Costumes Supervisor; Mike Thomas - Camera Operator; Mark Bero - Special Effects Coordinator; Blaise Corrigan - Stunts; Grant Wilfley Casting Incorporated - Casting; Eric Thompson - ADR Mixer; Bruno Bryniarski - Second Assistant Director; John Colavecchia - First Assistant Camera; Cylvan Desrouleaux - Second Assistant Camera; Tom Farr - Stunts; Tina Earnshaw - Makeup; Jeffrey White - Visual Effects Producer; Javier Bennassar - Foley Editor; Jay Duboisson - Assistant Costumer Designer; Brenton Brown - Set Dresser; Zamaret Kleiman - Extra Casting; Elisa Marsh - Key Make-up; Wayne Herndon - Hair Styles; Larry Wallace - Gaffer; Rickley W. Dumm - Assistant Sound Editor; Robert J. Carlyle - Construction Coordinator; Steve Switzer - Boom Operator; Jack Boem - First Assistant Director; Jack Boem - Third Assistant Director; Ronald Burke - Dolly Grip; Doug Davison - Producer; Dylan Hopkins - Second Second Assistant Director; Jonathan Kovacs - Assistant Properties; Thomas Prate Jr. - Key Grip; Vic Rigler - Properties Master; Derek Vanderhorst - Sound Effects Editor; Catherine A. Harper - Foley Artist; John Quaglia - Key Hairstylist; Lori Hicks - Key Make-up; Ted Ross - Special Effects Technician; Jay Spadaro - Stunts; Roy Lee - Producer; Denis Bellingham - Boom Operator; Rocky Quiroz - Cable Person; Paul J. Zydel - ADR Mixer; David Nims - Key Grip; Mark O. Forker - Visual Effects Supervisor; Nicholas Evans - Set Decorator; Karen Pidgurski - Unit Publicist; Herb Reischl Sr. - Electrician; Chris Navarro - ADR Recordist; Daniel Rosenblum - Boom Operator; Albert Marangoni - Special Effects Technician; Paul Hackner - Assistant Sound Editor; David Rapaport - Casting Associate; Sonja Christoph - Production Assistant; David R. Beecroft - Key Hairstylist; Rob McCallum - Storyboard Artist; Lydia Pensa - Assistant Hair; Kimothy Steede - Set Dresser; Susan Carrano - Assistant Costumer Designer; Bobby Griffon - Properties Master; Heather Norton - First Assistant Camera; Hartsell Taylor - Costumes Supervisor; Paul Berolzheimer - Sound Effects Editor; John Coats - Matte Painting Supervisor; Todd Isroelit - Visual Effects Producer; Sylvain Cournoyer - Key Make-up; Tony Eldridge - Electrician; Mike Kirilenko - Key Grip; Ron Renzetti - Dolly Grip; Ron Yolevsky - Best Boy Grip; Cameron Steenhagen - Dialogue Editor; Maria Montoreano - Associate Editor; James Bridges - Still Photographer; Graham Stumpf - Post Production Supervisor; Kevin W. Flynn - Best Boy Grip; Bruce Donnellan - Special Effects Foreman; Shaun Glendenning - Special Effects Technician; Phil Notaro - Special Effects Coordinator; Tim Lidstone - Special Effects Technician; Amy Herman - Production Manager; Chris "Fish" Shadley - Production Assistant; Mary Beth Smith - Negative Cutter; Moshe Saadon - Boom Operator; Jim Reischl - Special Effects Technician; Inese Dzenis - Special Effects Technician; Sophie Vertigan - Special Effects Technician; Mark Logan - Location Manager; Catherine Crawford - Assistant Location Manager; John MacKenzie - Construction Coordinator; Dawn M. Stoliar - First Assistant Editor; Bill Mechanic - Producer; Georgia Simon - ADR Loop Group; Kate Kelly - Production Coordinator; Richard Hebrank - Construction Coordinator; Ed Nessen - Second Assistant Camera; Sasha Markova - Personal Assistant; Kenny Becker - Color Timing; Rudy Braun - Set Designer; Troy Rundle - Special Effects Technician; Tim Boggs - ADR Supervisor; Felipe Reinheimer - First Assistant Camera; Michael Flood - Best Boy Electric; Andrea Isaacs - Production Supervisor; Gary Kleinsteuber - Special Effects Technician; Pablo Prietto - Additional Editing; Marc Siegel - Production Assistant; Chester Coleman - Set Medic/First Aid; Adam T. Weisinger - Second Second Assistant Director; Ashley Kramer - Executive Producer; James Kirkpatrick - First Assistant Editor; William Almeida - Best Boy Electric; Nadia Guglieri - Script Supervisor; Joe Proscia - Leadman; B. J. Smith - Set Medic/First Aid; Suzie Gilbert - First Assistant Editor; Sandy Hays - Camera Operator; Sandy Hays - Steadicam Operator; Chris Trent - Foley Mixer; Ken Keavy - Properties Maker; Barbara Mcdermott - Assistant Music Editor; David Best - Graphic Design; Chris Howard - Gaffer; Michael Bird - Special Effects Technician; Tony Bonaventura - Properties Master; Lauren A. Bonfiglio - Stunts; Russel Bowie - First Assistant Camera; Paul Brown - Special Effects Technician; Maria Carlota Bruno - Personal Assistant; Kenny Burke - Key Grip; Brian Carmichael - Video Assist; Tyler Clark - Properties Maker; Kath Corgan - Second Assistant Camera; Mavis Corrigan - Stunts; Lee Ann Cotton - Assistant Production Coordinator; Cathy Coulson - Production Assistant; Keith A. Cuba - Leadman; Gianna Degiulio - DGA Intern; Aaron Dinsmore - Special Effects Technician; Richard Bryon Douglas - Special Effects Technician; Kevin Drysdale - Production Assistant; Russ Formarco - Dialogue Editor; Kerry Foster - Associate Producer; Claudine Franco - Post Production Coordinator; Rafael Garcia - Assistant Location Manager; Eileen Gibson - Personal Assistant; Beth Gilinsky - Art Department Coordinator; Octavio Gomez - ADR Loop Group; John Patrick Graham - Grip; Sabine Graham - Production Coordinator; Mark Greenberg - Best Boy Grip; Paul Greenberg - Graphic Design; Nick Guest - ADR Loop Group; Michael L. Hall - Best Boy Electric; R. L. Hannah - Electrician; Chloe Jones - Stunts; Ciara Jones - Stunts; Dana Jones - Stunts; Adam Lee Jordan - Production Assistant; Laurel Kelly - Hair Styles; Cassandre Khoury - Production Assistant; Stephen Kolodziej - Video Playback; Judy Kuntz - Special Effects Technician; Jennifer Lai - Camera Loader; Salvatore Larizza - Special Effects Technician; Mark Laskowski - First Assistant Camera; Helena Lent - First Assistant Editor; Chris Leonidas - Assistant Location Manager; Lyn Lucibello-Brancatella - Unit Production Manager; Dave Mallow - ADR Loop Group; Patrick Martens - Boom Operator; Adriano Mato - Assistant Editor; Rich Mcdonough - Production Assistant; Jennifer Mclaughlin - Personal Assistant; Kip Meyers - Assistant Location Manager; Louise Muskala - Personal Assistant; Loretta Nero - Key Hairstylist; Greg Newman - Production Assistant; Heather Newsome - Electrician; Cathy Novembre - Production Assistant; Stephanie O'Brien - Second Assistant Director; Neil Parris - Personal Assistant; Lauri Pitkus - Location Manager; Lynn Powers - Assistant Location Manager; K. Dan Prussmann - Production Assistant; Joe E. Rand - Music Editor; Carson Reeves - Second Assistant Camera; Henrique Rezende - Sound Special Effects; Larry Ring - Location Manager; Brent Robinson - First Assistant Camera; Ulises Rodriguez - Production Assistant; Roberta Romano - Casting Associate; Bert Rosario - ADR Loop Group; Rodney Rosene - Set Dresser; Morgan Rue - Stunts; John Sauve - Third Assistant Director; Peter Scheer - Production Assistant; Dave Schmalz - Video Assist; Robert T. Scupp - Special Effects Foreman; Mike Sherwin - Special Effects Technician; Mark Simon - Special Effects Technician; Sound For Film - Sound Editor; Toby Stone - ADR Loop Group; Kyle Sucher - Production Assistant; John Thomas - Production Secretary; Blain Thrush - Second Assistant Camera; Julia Valente - Assistant Makeup; Daniel Reid Warman - Assistant Production Coordinator; Tom Wilson - Set Dresser; Debra Wolff - Visual Effects Editor; Greg Wood - Set Medic/First Aid; Alison Young - Script Supervisor; Jaclyn Young - Second Assistant Camera; Christine Zavala - Production Coordinator; Mark Zecca - Production Secretary; Andrew M. Stearn - Art Director; Michael McNamara - Grip; Jeffrey Lynn - First Assistant Camera

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