Dark Water (2005)

A mother and daughter, still wounded from a bitter custody dispute, hole up in a run-down apartment building. Adding further drama to their plight, they are targeted by the ghost of former resident.

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Kôji Suzuki (novel), Hideo Nakata (film Honogurai mizu no soko kara),

Stars:

Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Tim Roth

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Connelly	...	Dahlia
John C. Reilly	...	Mr. Murray
Tim Roth	...	Jeff Platzer
Dougray Scott	...	Kyle
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Veeck
Camryn Manheim	...	Teacher
Ariel Gade	...	Ceci
Perla Haney-Jardine	...	Natasha / Young Dahlia
Debra Monk	...	Young Dahlia's Teacher
Linda Emond	...	Mediator
Bill Buell	...	Mediator
J.R. Horne	...	Man in Train
Elina Löwensohn	...	Dahlia's Mother
Warren Belle	...	UPS Man
Alison Sealy-Smith	...	Supervisor

Storyline

Dahlia Williams and her daughter Cecelia move into a rundown apartment on New York's Roosevelt Island. She is currently in the midst of divorce proceedings and the apartment, though near an excellent school for her daughter, is all she can afford. From the time she arrives, there are mysterious occurrences and there is a constant drip from the ceiling in the only bedroom. There are also noises coming from the apartment directly above hers, though it would appear to be vacant. Is the apartment haunted or is there a simpler explanation?

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | water | school | apartment building | hello kitty | 

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Taglines:

This Season, The Mystery Of The Darkness Will Consume Your Life

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, frightening sequences, disturbing images and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Touchstone Pictures [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agua turbia

Filming Locations:

Chandler Valley Center Studios - 13927 Saticoy Street, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$436,582 (Germany) (23 September 2005)

Gross:

$25,472,967 (USA) (7 October 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Pandemonium Productions, Vertigo Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 103 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The heartbeat heard during Dahlia's migraines are from an ultrasound scan of Daniel Rezende's wife who got pregnant at the beginning of the shooting.

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Goofs

Near the end of the film, Kyle is carrying a clear plastic container of Ceci's dolls when he enters the elevator. You can see a sock puppet and a pink sheep on the outermost side of the box. When the elevator doors open at the first floor, the contents of the box have changed.

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Quotes

Dahlia: If you ever need me, I'll be right here.

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Connections

Featured in Late Show with David Letterman: Jennifer Connelly/Eels (2005)

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Soundtracks

"I Got Soul"
Written by John Martinez and Josh Kessler
Performed by Scar featuring Filthy Rich
Courtesy of Marc Ferrari/MasterSource

User Reviews

A lot more than a remake

Having seen both the Japanese original and Walter Salles' remake i find the remake was the best thing that could happen to this story. Salles picks up the original story without making just a copy. He fills the gaps (and there were plenty), corrects a lot of little flaws and adds the credibility that was lacking in the original. The original was in parts a horror movie, and a very poor one so. Predictable behavior, foreseen turnings, forced mysteriousness - the usual problems i have with so many horror movies. The other part is a family drama, with a weird happy end. The happiness of which intrudes into the horror story and further degrades it. Salles goes more than a step further here by not making a simple horror movie. Rather he's making a stressful movie. Stress? The stresses of everyday life in a difficult situation. A recent divorce, fighting for the custody of the child, low budget, cheap noisy apartment with wet ceiling, trouble at school, no contact with neighbors, careless caretakers and managers. It's a context fueled by very real issues people are struggling with every day. The mysterious components only add to this and drive it, until they finally take over. Very dense atmosphere and Jennifer Connelly's excellent acting make you feel this stress. What more can you ask for?