The Hole (2001)

Director:

Nick Hamm

Writers:

Guy Burt (novel)
Ben Court (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 April 2001 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Once you get in, you can't get out.

Plot:

Four teenagers at a British private school secretly uncover and explore the depths of a sealed underground hole created decades ago as a possible bomb shelter.

Plot Keywords:

School | Private School | Psychologist | Wales | Scream

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Thora Birch	...	Liz Dunn
Desmond Harrington	...	Mike Steel
Daniel Brocklebank	...	Martyn Taylor
Laurence Fox	...	Geoff Bingham
Keira Knightley	...	Frances 'Frankie' Almond Smith
Embeth Davidtz	...	Dr. Philippa Horwood
Steven Waddington	...	DCS Tom Howard
Emma Griffiths Malin	...	Daisy
Jemma Powell	...	Minnie (as Gemma Powell)
Gemma Craven	...	Mrs. Dunn
Anastasia Hille	...	Gillian
Kelly Hunter	...	DI Chapman
Maria Pastel	...	Policewoman
Celia Montague	...	Solicitor
Kevin Trainor	...	Boy in school
Lolita Chakrabarti	...	Doctor
Claire Fox	...	Reporter
Jennifer Hockman	...	Reporter
Jack Tanner	...	Reporter

Directed by
Nick Hamm

Writing credits
Guy Burt		(novel "After the Hole")
Ben Court		(screenplay) &
Caroline Ip		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jeremy Bolt	....	producer
Lisa Bryer	....	producer
Andrea Calderwood	....	executive producer
Pippa Cross	....	producer
Rebecca Hodgson	....	associate producer
François Ivernel	....	executive producer
Bill Shephard	....	line producer
Suzanne Warren	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Clint Mansell

Cinematography by
Denis Crossan

Film Editing by
Niven Howie

Production Design by
Eve Stewart

Art Direction by
Andrew Grant
Tom Read

Costume Design by
Verity Hawkes

Makeup Department
Sarah Monzani	....	hair designer
Sarah Monzani	....	makeup designer
Sandra Shepherd	....	assistant hair stylist
Sandra Shepherd	....	assistant makeup artist
Simon Thompson	....	hair designer
Sarah Monzani	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Shonagh Reid	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dominic Fysh	....	first assistant director
Kieran McGuigan	....	second unit director
Fletcher Rodley	....	third assistant director
Siobhan Tucker	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Rachel Bailson	....	art department assistant (as Rachael Bailson)
Eddie Baker	....	stand-by props
Tony Cook	....	stand-by rigger
Wayne Day	....	carpenter
Russell Delany	....	stagehand
Andrew Forrest	....	prop dresser (as Andy Forrest)
Gary Fox	....	stand-by props
Karen George	....	scenic painter
Andy Good	....	carpenter
Les Hall	....	chargehand carpenter (as Leslie Hall)
David Hill	....	carpenter
Martin Lane	....	stand-by painter
Jo Littlejohn	....	graphic designer
Lisa Lloyd	....	prop dresser
Leon McCarthy	....	stand-by carpenter
Richard Mills	....	property master
Brian Neighbour	....	carpenter
Justin Overhill	....	stand-by art director
Nick Pelham	....	storyboard artist
Dave Perschky	....	construction manager (as David Perschky)
Polly Philcox	....	production buyer
Russell Sargent	....	carpenter
David Stapleton	....	chargehand painter

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Andrews	....	adr mixer
Felicity Cottrell	....	foley artist
Paul Davies	....	sound designer
Matthew Desorgher	....	sound maintenance engineer
Paul Hickey	....	trainee: FT2
Miriam Ludbrook	....	assistant sound effects editor
Nneka Meka	....	trainee: FT2
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer (as Michael S. Miller)
James L. Nolan	....	adr recordist (as James L. Noland)
John Rodda	....	sound recordist
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Andrew Stirk	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Graeme Stoten	....	foley editor
Hilary Wyatt	....	supervising dialogue editor
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Graham Longhurst	....	special effects coordinator
Richard Van Den Bergh	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Nrinder Dhudwar	....	stunt coordinator
Joss Gower	....	stunt double
William Willoughby	....	stunt double (as Will Willoughby)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Barrs	....	trainee: FT2 camera (as Mark Barr)
Peter Batten	....	focus puller
Ray Brown	....	electrician
Brian Miller	....	generator operator
Mark Packman	....	electrician
Micky Page	....	gaffer
David J. Palmer	....	clapper loader (as David Palmer)
Mike Parker	....	aerial camera operator
Toby Plaskitt	....	grip
Xandy Sahla	....	Steadicam operator (as Alexander Sahla)
Xandy Sahla	....	camera operator (as Alexander Sahla)
Martin Shepherd	....	focus puller: second unit
Bobby Tanswell	....	best boy
Nick West	....	still photographer
Helen Williams	....	clapper loader: second unit

Casting Department
Kerry Barden	....	casting: USA
Sam Chandley	....	casting assistant: UK
Molly Clayton	....	casting assistant: New York
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Billy Hopkins	....	casting: USA
Kate Rhodes James	....	casting: UK
Suzanne Smith	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon Gilham	....	assistant costume designer
Nicki Varney	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Peter Ferrari	....	color grader
Michael Nollet	....	editorial trainee: FT2
Helen Paszyn	....	assistant editor
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
David Arch	....	musician: piano (as Dave Arch)
Simon Bags	....	musician: violin
Jon Bailey	....	scoring engineer: London
Nick Barr	....	musician: viola
Chris Barrett	....	scoring engineer: London (as Chris Barratt)
Leon Bosch	....	musician: bass
John Bradbury	....	musician: violin
Ed Coxon	....	musician: violin
Vic Fraser	....	music copyist
Joe Fromlich	....	musician: violin
Liz Gallacher	....	music supervisor
Roger Garland	....	musician: violin
David Gill	....	music copyist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Leo Herrera	....	scoring engineer: New Orleans
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
Nick Ingman	....	orchestrator
Skaila Kanga	....	musician: harp
Alison Kelly	....	musician: violin
Clive Lander	....	musician: violin
Gabrielle Lester	....	musician: violin (as Gaby Lester)
Danny Lonner	....	musician: guitars
Clint Mansell	....	score producer
Paul Martin	....	musician: viola
Cliff Masterson	....	music programmer
David Ogden	....	musician: violin
Melissa Phelps	....	musician: cello
Steve Tees	....	musician: viola
Jonathan Tunnell	....	musician: cello
Debbie Widdup	....	musician: violin
Nigel Wiesehan	....	scoring engineer: New Orleans
Paul Willey	....	musician: violin
Jonathan Williams	....	musician: cello
Rolf Wilson	....	musician: violin
Nick Wollage	....	scoring engineer: London

Transportation Department
Neil Birdsall	....	driver
Lia Bourne	....	driver
Steve Bridgen	....	driver
Jeremy Jacobs	....	driver
Jim King	....	driver
Simon Kinnersley	....	driver
Ian Lisi	....	driver
Mac MacLean	....	driver (as Mac McLean)
Stanley Milton	....	driver
Graham Pamment	....	driver
John Tiny Topping	....	driver (as Tiny Topping)
Mark Tyack	....	driver
Tony Wadsworth	....	driver

Other crew
Jenny Beckett	....	stand-in
Sean Begley	....	stand-in
Dan Channing-Williams	....	production office runner
Fizz Chaudhry	....	trainee: FT2
Mel Churcher	....	dialogue coach
Sara Curran	....	legal services
Alice Dawson	....	location scout
Vicky Edgson	....	nutritionist
Simon Fawcett	....	financial director: Pathé Pictures
Jacky Fitt	....	assistant to producer
Matthew T. Gannon	....	head of development: Pathé Pictures
Jeremy Gawade	....	legal services
Anwen Griffiths	....	assistant to producer
Sue Humphries	....	catering chef manager
Harriet Lawrence	....	location manager
Lissa Lebel	....	coordinator: Los Angeles
Neil Lee	....	location manager
Richard Lever	....	legal services
Max Longton-Lockton	....	floor runner
Natasha Marsh	....	assistant to producer
Jack Myles	....	legal and business executive: Pathé Pictures
Abigail Netcott	....	publicist
Susie Parkins	....	chef
Jamie Pridmore	....	chef
Mark Pybus	....	legal services
Marinella Setti	....	script supervisor
Guy Staight	....	medic (as Dr. Guy Staight)
David Sutcliffe	....	health and safety officer
Paul Swann	....	contact: Technicolor
Nathalie Tanner	....	production coordinator
Bill Twiston-Davies	....	assistant location manager
Sue Wall	....	production accountant
Richard Warlow	....	development executive: Pathé Pictures
Jacqui Wetherill	....	assistant production accountant
Clare Whitaker	....	unit nurse
Verity Wislocki	....	production secretary
Susanna Wyatt	....	head of physical production: Pathé Pictures
Adam Samuelson	....	louma crane technician (uncredited)

Thanks
Jennifer Ehle	....	special thanks
Natasha Ross	....	thanks
Kathryn Smith	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Cowboy Films
• Film Council
• Granada Film Productions
• Impact Pictures
• Pathé Pictures International

Distributors

• Pathé Distribution (2001) (UK) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Dimension Films (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nexo (2001) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Nu Vision (2001) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Nu Vision (2002) (Venezuela) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2001) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Tobis StudioCanal (2001) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms A.I.E. (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (retail)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Dimension Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL7)
• Sogepaq Distribución (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Hypnosis VFX Ltd. (digital effects)

Other Companies

• AFM Lighting  lighting equipment
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  original music recording
• Aon Entertainment Risk Services Ltd.  insurance
• Compuhire  video playback
• Corbett & Keene  publicity
• Film Finances  completion guarantee
• General Screen Enterprises  opticals
• Global Music Service  music preparation
• Howell Opticals  opticals
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Kemistry  titles
• Lightworks  edited on
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited) (members)
• Nothing Studios  original music recording
• Pacific Ocean Post  adr: Los Angeles
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script
• TLO Film Services  action vehicles
• The Machine Room  telecine transfers
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, sexuality/nudity and drug use

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | South Korea:18 | UK:18 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12 | Mexico:B | Denmark:11 | Iceland:12 | Brazil:18 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:R16 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Benenden Girls' School, Cranbrook, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

The opening/ending credits sequences were achieved by punching holes in metal and shining a light through them.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: About 40 minutes into the film, Liz points the torch at Mike, they are level, but when the view moves to Liz's point of view it is slanting downward, as if from the ceiling.

Quotes:

Frankie:I hate beaches. All that sand up your crack and nowhere to pee apart from the ocean.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Celebrity Naked Ambition (2011) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Show Me The Money (Jerry Maguire Mix)

Good Film, Even Better Cast.. But A Few Sloppy Elements

I've been anticipating this film for a while since it is Thora Birch's first role since American Beauty. So, The Hole. The Hole has been hyped up as a horror/psychological film in which 4 students are locked down an old wartime bunker (-the- Hole) to avoid a boring Geography field trip. How does it fare?

The casting is probably the jewel of this film. It's superb. The absolutely stunning Keira Knightley (Sabé from Star Wars Episode I) appears as Liz's (Birch) friend, Frankie. All the rest of the characters are complete unknowns, except the psychologist played by Embeth Davidtz (Matilda, Bridget Jones, Schindler's List), but they all act their parts excellently.

This film really has the British 'feel' mastered. The sets are excellent, the locations are splendid, and the whole 'feel' of the movie is very realistic. The school really does feel like a British public school (A British 'public school' is like a 'private school' in the US.. one where you need rich parents to flash $$$ to get you in). The unnamed pupils seem extremely realistic.

There are only three small flaws with this film. The first is that it doesn't exactly live up to the hype in the British press. I did not find this scary at all, but it was an extremely well done mystery/whodunnit. Horror? Nah, not unless you classify psychological thrillers as 'horror'.

The second flaw is that the transitions between different parts of the film can be rather confusing. Often, the film bounds around past and present shots and be extremely disorienting in places. Unlike Memento, this disorientation is not an advantage. However, at the end of the film, you'll be able to tie all of the parts together and leave feeling quite satisfied with the story (a bit like the film 'Wild Things').

Another minor let down is the music. Totally forgettable, has no place in the film, and it often appears at the most inappropriate times.

I really do hope this is released in the USA soon, as Thora Birch is definitely not to be missed here.. and I think the stunning Keira Knightley is going to be getting some bigger roles from now on, she's definitely earned her stripes here. So, my big question, why has this not been scheduled for US release!?

This is certainly not a Blair Witch Project clone, although this impression has been given by the press. Instead, this is a cleverly constructed and extremely well casted psychological thriller/mystery.