Deathwatch (2002)

Director:

Michael J. Bassett

Writer:

Michael J. Bassett

Release Date:

7 November 2002 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | War | Thriller

Tagline:

Deliver them from evil

Plot:

In 1917, in the Western front, a group of survivors of the British Company Y reach the most forward German trench in a foggy night...

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | German | Trench | German Soldier | British Soldier

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Jamie Bell	...	Pfc. Charlie Shakespeare
Rúaidhrí Conroy	...	Pvt. Colin Chevasse (as Ruaidhri Conroy)
Mike Downey	...	Martin Plummer
Laurence Fox	...	Capt. Bramwell Jennings
Roman Horak	...	German soldier
Dean Lennox Kelly	...	Pvt. Willie McNess
Torben Liebrecht	...	Friedrich
Kris Marshall	...	Pvt. Barry Starinski
Hans Matheson	...	Pvt. Jack Hawkstone
Hugh O'Conor	...	Anthony Bradford
Matthew Rhys	...	Cpl. Doc Fairweather
Andy Serkis	...	Pvt. Thomas Quinn
Hugo Speer	...	Sgt. David Tate
Pavel Tesar	...	Mudman

Directed by
Michael J. Bassett

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael J. Bassett

Produced by
Michael Bischoff	....	associate producer
Mike Downey	....	producer
Jan Fantl	....	co-executive producer
Caroline Hewitt	....	executive producer
Frank Hübner	....	producer
Ralph Kamp	....	associate producer
Sam Lavender	....	executive producer
Dan Maag	....	executive producer
Sam Taylor	....	producer

Original Music by
Curt Cress
Chris Weller

Cinematography by
Hubert Taczanowski

Film Editing by
Anne Sopel

Casting by
Liora Reich

Production Design by
Aleksandar Denic

Art Direction by
Martin Martinec

Costume Design by
Lucinda Wright

Production Management
Simon Borecki	....	unit manager
Reinhild Gräber	....	production supervisor: ApolloMedia
Rudolf Kurz	....	production supervisor: ApolloMedia
Patty Saffeels	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jude Campbell	....	first assistant director: second unit
Hendrik Holler	....	first assistant director (as Hendrick 'The Machine' Holler)

Art Department
Pavel Hemmy	....	assistant property master
Dennis Todorovic	....	art department interpreter

Sound Department
Nick Adams	....	sound designer
Max Bauer	....	foley artist
Gordon Brown	....	dialogue adr editor
Normann Büttner	....	foley recordist
Paul Carr	....	sound
Daniel Dietenberger	....	foley editor
Samir Foco	....	sound effects editor
Samir Foco	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ivana Jeftic	....	sound editor
Jirí Kríz	....	production sound mixer
Jirí Kríz	....	sound
Srdjan Kurpjel	....	sound mixer
Andy Thompson	....	sound
Paul Wrightson	....	sound effects editor
Daniel Goganian	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Pavel Sagner	....	special effects coordinator
Jirí Vater	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ales Dlabac	....	digital effects artist
Maros Kesjar	....	digital effects artist
David Vána	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Pavel Cajzl	....	stunt double
Petr Drozda	....	stunt coordinator
Jindrich Klaus	....	utility stunts
Rudolf Vrba	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kriz David	....	electrician
Chad Davidson	....	camera operator
Milan Jirsa	....	gaffer
Frantisek Novák	....	first assistant camera
Petr Svoboda	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dita Valentinova	....	costume interpreter

Editorial Department
Trevor Brown	....	colorist
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter
Louisa Harding	....	assistant editor
Martin Hubacek	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Rob Lane	....	composer: additional music
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist
Alexander Saal	....	music recording mixer

Other crew
Kate Barry	....	production coordinator
Daniel Jewel	....	development executive

Thanks
Stephen Daldry	....	thanks
Alexander Stevens	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• ApolloMedia Distribution (co-production) (as ApolloMedia)
• Bavaria Film
• F.A.M.E. Film & Music Entertainment AG
• Film and Music Entertainment (F&ME) (co-production)
• Odyssey Entertainment (presents)
• Portobello Pictures
• Q&Q Medien GmbH

Distributors

• Pandasia Entertainment (2004) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• GAGA
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films
• Magna Pacific (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Manga Films (2002) (Spain) (all media)
• Pathé Distribution (2002) (UK) (all media) (as Pathé!)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2003) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Zound  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"Death Front" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and brief sexuality

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hong Kong:III | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Malaysia:18SG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Benesov, Czech Republic

Company:

ApolloMedia Distribution

Trivia:

Three quarters of the dialogue had to be rerecorded in post-production.

Goofs:

Continuity: The first night in the German bunker shows Shakespeare with a folded blanket on his lap, but moments later he is thrown a blanket and the folded blanket is gone.

Quotes:

Sgt. David Tate:Don't call me 'sir', alright? I'm a sergeant, I work for a living.

popcornpopcornpopcorn

"Welcome to hell," are the eerily prophetic words, complete with shells, atmospheric all-is-not-right music and the groans of dying men, a hint of what's to come. After the battle, out of the fog and into a German trench, the men of Y-company discover that's exactly where they've landed. First of all, the place is deserted. And strewn with (mutilated) corpses of German soldiers. All dead. Except one (Torben Liebrecht), who warns them desperately that there is "quelque chose de mal" in that place, and to get out as soon as they can. Naturally, they all ignore him, except for Shakespeare (Jamie Bell). Soon, it proves true when the men start turning against each other, or getting sucked into the earth with barbed wire, or tying each other up à-la-crucifixion.

Well. After two years of watching this in the making, it hasn't disappointed (thank you, Mr, Bassett). Great set-up, with the rain, the rats, trenches and mud to make Spielberg weep with envy. While the script could use some work ("what's the matter with this place? What's happening?" asks one -rhetorically?), the acting keeps the characters from becoming walking clichés, especially Jamie Bell as the unwelcome greenhorn, or Hugo Speer as the duty-bound Sgt. Tate, to name a few. The suspense was average and wasn't so scary that there'd be lost sleep over it, nor was it anything over-original. But it's a great piece of ensemble casting (i'd pay the admission again to see Hugh O'Conor say the f-word), cool FX and steady directing make it a good viewing.