Wake Wood
| Wake Wood | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | David Keating |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Starring | |
| Music by | Michael Convertino |
| Cinematography | Chris Maris |
| Editing by | Tim Murrell |
| Distributed by | |
| Country | Ireland United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Wake Wood is a 2011 horror film. A UK and Irish co-production by Hammer Film Productions,[1] Wake Wood is directed by Ireland's David Keating.[2] It stars Timothy Spall, Eva Birthistle, Dan Gordon and Aidan Gillen.[3]
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[edit] Plot
Still grieving the death of nine-year-old Alice – their only child – at the jaws of a crazed dog, vet Patrick and pharmacist Louise relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood where they learn of a pagan ritual that will allow them three more days with Alice. The couple find the idea disturbing and exciting in equal measure, but once they agree terms with Arthur, the village’s leader, a far bigger question looms – what will they do when it is time for Alice to go back?[4]
[edit] Cast
- Timothy Spall as Arthur
- Aidan Gillen as Patrick
- Eva Birthistle as Louise
- Ruth McCabe as Peggy O'Shea
- Briain Gleeson as Martin O'Shea
- Amelia Crowley as Mary Brogan
- Dan Gordon as Mick O'Shea
- Ella Connolly as Alice
[edit] Production
Wake Wood was filmed in County Donegal, Ireland, and in Österlen, Scania, Sweden.[5] The selection of Sweden as a shooting location was because of David Keating's love for the Swedish horror film Frostbite. Keating did very much wish to work with the people behind the film and thus he hired Chris Maris who was the cinematographer on Frostbite to shot Wake Wood and Magnus Paulsson who produced Frostbite became a co-producer.[6] It was the first feature from genre production company Hammer Films in thirty years.[7] The film premiered at the 2009 Lund International Fantastic Film Festival in Sweden.[citation needed] It was released theatrically in UK cinemas on 25 March 2011 and it was released three days later on DVD in the UK on 28 March.[8]
[edit] Release
The film received a limited domestic release opening at 4 cinemas grossing £1,251 for the weekend of 25 - 27 March 2011.[9]
[edit] Home media
Momentum Pictures produced the Region 2 DVD[10] that came out in March 2011. Dark Sky Films released the Region 1 DVD[11] and Blu-ray[12] in June 2011.
[edit] Reception
Rotten Tomatoes gave the film 84% rating.[13]
Peter Bradshaw reviewed the film for The Guardian and gives it 4 stars out of five, suggesting the film is "in the tradition of Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man and the communal nightmares of Ira Levin; it's a low-budget film that entertainingly takes its audience to the brink of pure absurdity. But it also riffs nastily and effectively on ideas of taboo, on our perennial yearning for ceremony and ritual to alleviate the sadness of life, and on Larkin's idea that what's truly scary is not dying but being dead."[14]
[edit] Novelization
A novelization of the film was written by K.A. John and published by Hammer Books in association with the Random House Group in 2011, ISBN 978-0-099-55618-3.
[edit] References
- ^ "First Batch of Stills From Hammer Films' 'Wake Wood'". Bloody Disgusting. http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18637.
- ^ "New Stills From Hammer's Wake Wood". Dread Central. http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/35264/new-stills-from-hammers-the-wake-wood.
- ^ "Wake Wood: Hammer Films Returns!". Penny Blood. http://www.pennyblood.com/wakewood.html.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "HAMMER FILMS BACK IN PRODUCTION BUSINESS WITH "THE WAKE WOOD"". http://www.unofficialhammerfilms.com/news/2008/Sep22_03.html.
- ^ http://www.ystadsallehanda.se/tomelilla/article758313/Blodisande-samproduktion.html
- ^ "Is the Wake Wood doomed?". http://hammerandbeyond.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-wake-wood-doomed.html.
- ^ [2]
- ^ "UK Box Office: 25 - 27 March 2011". UK Film Council. http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/article/17433/UK-Box-Office-25---27-March-2011.
- ^ "Wake Wood". Momentum Pictures. http://www.momentumpictures.co.uk/home_entertainment/wake_wood.
- ^ "Wake Wood R1 DVD". Dark Sky Films. http://beta.darkskyfilms.com/Store/Detail.asp?ProdID=10812.
- ^ "Wake Wood R1 Blu-Ray". Dark Sky Films. http://beta.darkskyfilms.com/Store/Detail.asp?ProdID=10813.
- ^ "Wake Wood". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wake-wood/.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (March 24, 2011). "Wake Wood - review". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/mar/24/wake-wood-review.
