Watchtower (2001)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

George Mihalka

Writers:

Rod Browning (writer)
Robert Geoffrion (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

27 September 2008 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A brother and sister move to a sleepy Oregon town and are befriended by a stranger with a magnetic personality on a summer sabbatical.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Lighthouse | Slap In The Face | Father Figure | Bare Butt

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Art Stoner
Rachel Hayward	...	Kate O'Conner
Tygh Runyan	...	Mike O'Conner
Elizabeth Carol Savenkoff	...	Cindy
Eli Gabay	...	Adam Terrell
Ralph J. Alderman	...	Jack (as Ralph Alderman)
Bruce Dawson	...	Tom Blanton
Mitchell Kosterman	...	Constable McMurty
Michael Leisen	...	Wayne
Leo Vernik	...	Dick (as Leo Vernick)
Spencer Roy	...	Adam Terrell's Son
James Ralph	...	Bar Patron

Directed by
George Mihalka

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Rod Browning		writer
Robert Geoffrion		writer
Dan Witt		writer

Produced by
Ted Bauman	....	line producer
Samuel Benedict	....	executive producer
Richard Brandes	....	executive producer
John A. Curtis	....	producer
Marc Forby	....	executive producer
Gary Howsam	....	executive producer
Richard O. Lowry	....	producer
Evan Taylor	....	producer
Patrice Theroux	....	executive producer
Evan Tylor	....	producer

Original Music by
Michel Cusson

Cinematography by
Peter Benison

Film Editing by
Glenn Berman

Casting by
Ann Forry
Aaron Griffith

Art Direction by
Peter Andringa
David Blanchard

Set Decoration by
Nancy Mossop

Costume Design by
Ellen Bennett
Karen Levis

Makeup Department
Angelina P. Cameron	....	hair department head
Stan Edmonds	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Gregor Hutchison	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brad Moerke	....	second assistant director
Katherine Ringer	....	third assistant director
Judy Slattery	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ken Baker	....	construction coordinator
Nelson Dewey	....	storyboard artist
Cody Larson	....	set dresser
Tim Walton	....	property master
Tim Winchester	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Hennie Britton	....	foley recordist
Jeff Davis	....	sound effects editor
Mark Hensley	....	adr recordist
Brad Hillman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andre Iwanchuk	....	assistant sound editor
Eric Lamontagne	....	sound mixer
Gael MacLean	....	sound designer
Gael MacLean	....	sound supervisor
Gina Mueller	....	adr & dialogue editor
Iain Pattison	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Graham Timmer	....	boom operator

Stunts
Charles Andre	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Dopud	....	stunt double
David Mylrea	....	stunt driver
James Ralph	....	stunt double
Owen Walstrom	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Guy Barrett	....	generator operator
Geoffrey James Dixon	....	best boy electric
C. Kim Miles	....	gaffer
Dean Morin	....	second assistant camera
Denis-Noel Mostert	....	camera operator
Jared Smith	....	lighting technician
Dan Zaviceanu	....	camera trainee

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carmen Bonzelius	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Dana Neville	....	color timer

Transportation Department
Dave Bryant	....	transportation co-captain
Ben Liljedahl	....	transportation captain
Rico Rogers	....	transportation coordinator
John Sorenson	....	driver

Other crew
Rod Akizuki	....	assistant to producers
Kathleen Gilbert	....	location manager
Miles Gorovich	....	office production coordinator
John Lacroix	....	production accountant
Heidi McKye	....	production assistant

Thanks
Gashtaseb Ariana	....	special thanks
Hennie Britton	....	special thanks
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	special thanks
Denis Garon	....	special thanks
Laurie Melhus	....	special thanks
Holger Petersen	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Frontline Entertainment
• GFT Entertainment
• H30 Filmed Entertainment Inc.
• Le Monde Entertainment

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Airwaves Sound Design  audio post-production facility
• Atkins & Company  production legal services
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce  production financing
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Completion Guarantors (TGC)  bond
• Critic's Choice  catering
• DeLuxe Laboratories  optical sound transfer
• Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Gowling LaFluer Henderson  production legal services
• Multimedia Risk Consultants and Insurance Brokers  insurance
• Original Conforming Services  negative cutting
• PS Production Services  grip and lighting equipment
• Rights Company, The  research services
• Sharp Sound  audio mixing facility
• Station 29 Post Production  editing facility
• Studio Q-Son  music mixing facility
• Studio Q-Son  music recording facility
• Vancouver Island Helicopter  helicopter rental

Also Known As:

Cruel and Unusual (Australia) (USA) (DVD title)
Aux aguets (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

Argentina:100 min | Australia:97 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:R21 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Germany:12 | Spain:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Good Berenger performance in an average film

Tom Berenger playing a serial killer! That's something new and since I'm a huge fan of this underrated actor I was very eager to get my hands on this flick. Did it disappoint? Not really, but it's far from being anything special.

Berenger plays a homicidal drifter who assumes the identity of his latest victim, a professor, and heads to a small community where he gets involved with a local woman and her brother. As his relationship with the woman progresses her brother becomes more and more suspicious of him and it's only a matter of time before things get nasty.

A semi well written character study of a psychopath which sadly doesn't delve too deeply into his motivations, and thus, leaving the viewer wanting more. Berenger, as always, does well with his role but the fact is it's an underdeveloped one and therefore doesn't have the intended impact. The end conclusion is mostly satisfying but overall the film is long-winded, has stereotypical supporting characters, particularly the brother, and ultimately fails mostly in the suspense department along with being very predictable.

In the end Berenger elevates the film with his performance and one is left with the impression that this film could have been so much better. Sadly it's just average.