DARK WATER (UR) (UMD/PSP) DVD

Dark Water
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

Cast Jennifer Connelly as Dahlia John C. Reilly as Mr. Murray Tim Roth as Jeff Platzer Dougray Scott as Kyle Pete Postlethwaite as Veeck Camryn Manheim as Teacher Ariel Gade as Ceci Perla Haney-Jardine as Natasha / Young Dahlia

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

Dark Water
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 hriller 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
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: Additional Features: "Beneath the Surface: The Making of Dark Water" featurette "The Sound of Terror: The Subliminal Soundscapes of Dark Water" - Featurette on the movie's sound design Wall of water DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: Content Length: 103 min