The River King (2005)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Nick Willing

Writers:

Alice Hoffman (novel)
David Kane (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 October 2005 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

It's the truth that haunts us

Plot:

Abel Grey is sent to investigate the death of a boy from an exclusive local school, who is found floating in the river...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Edward Burns	...	Abel Grey
Jennifer Ehle	...	Betsy Chase
Thomas Gibson	...	August 'Gus' Pierce
John Kapelos	...	Joey Tosh
Jamie Thomas King	...	Harry McKenna (as Jamie King)
Rachelle Lefevre	...	Carlin Leander
Bruce Murphy	...	Joey's Son
David Gibson McLean	...	Young Abel (as David Maclean)
Julian Rhind-Tutt	...	Eric Herman
Ross Petty	...	The Dean
David Christoffel	...	Matt Farris
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Police Chief
Karl Pruner	...	Walter Pierce
Jonathan Malen	...	Nathaniel Gibb
Jeff A. Wright	...	Robbie (as Jeff Wright)
Nikki Barnett	...	Amy
Robert Bockstael	...	Kenny
Sean McCann	...	Ernest Grey
Peter West	...	Teacher
Sandy Lund	...	Secretary
Graham Farmer	...	Student
Joseph Wynne	...	Young Frank
David McVicar	...	Harry's Dad
Liam Cyr	...	1st Local Boy
Colin Rogers	...	2nd Local Boy

Directed by
Nick Willing

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alice Hoffman		novel
David Kane		screenplay

Produced by
Joshua Andrews	....	executive producer
Michele Camarda	....	producer
Michael Cowan	....	producer (as Michael L. Cowan)
Kirk D'Amico	....	executive producer
Peter James	....	executive producer
Michael MacDonald	....	co-executive producer
Alex Marshall	....	associate producer
Jason Piette	....	producer
Marion Pilowsky	....	producer
Bob Portal	....	line producer: UK
James Simpson	....	executive producer
Patrice Theroux	....	executive producer
Christopher Zimmer	....	producer

Original Music by
Simon Boswell

Cinematography by
Paul Sarossy

Film Editing by
Jon Gregory

Casting by
Robin D. Cook
Avy Kaufman
Sheila Lane

Production Design by
Phillip Barker

Art Direction by
Ann Bromley

Set Decoration by
Ian Greig

Costume Design by
Kate Rose

Makeup Department
Jim Macdonald	....	assistant hair stylist
Colleen Ryan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Linda Sophie Chiu	....	executive in charge: Myriad Pictures
Margaret Harrison	....	assistant production manager
Michael MacDonald	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Preston Hudson	....	trainee assistant director
Deborah Saban	....	first assistant director
John Shurko	....	trainee assistant director
Bruce Zwicker	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Teresita Doucet	....	props master
Ulo Greer	....	second assistant art director: animated video playback effects
Darren Howse	....	second assistant art director
Sue Klabunde	....	second assistant art director
Colin Paul	....	set decoration buyer
Gabriele Schnutgen	....	head scenic artist
Jason Shurko	....	assistant property master
Shawn Snip	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Paul Davies	....	supervising sound editor
Anthony Faust	....	adr mixer
Jack Gillies	....	dialogue editor
Gerry Jackman	....	boom operator
Christian Koefoed	....	sound effects editor
Ian Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Rillie	....	utility sound technician
Jim Rillie	....	production sound mixer
Steve Single	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Gary Coates	....	special effects director

Visual Effects by
Paul Alexiou	....	visual effects film editorial: MPC
Neil Culley	....	digital artist
Paddy Eason	....	compositing supervisor: MPC
Yasmine El-Ghamrawy	....	compositor
Michael Elson	....	head of production: MPC
Sean Farrow	....	visual effects supervisor
David Gibbons	....	digital artist
Sarah Hemsley	....	visual effects producer
Richard Higham	....	digital artist
Kirsty Lawlor	....	digital artist
Simon Leech	....	digital artist
Charlotte Loughnane	....	visual effects producer
Nick New	....	digital artist
Ben Shepherd	....	CGI supervisor: MPC
Rupert Smith	....	visual effects coordinator
Paul Tuersley	....	digital artist
Neil Turnbull	....	digital artist

Stunts
Randy Boliver	....	stunt coordinator
Randy Boliver	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Goldie	....	second assistant camera: UK
Martin Kenzie	....	director of photography: UK unit
Giles Keyte	....	still photographer: UK
Ruth Leggett	....	electrician
Forbes MacDonald	....	camera operator
Peter MacDonald	....	electrician
Raphael MacKenzie	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Eddy McInnis	....	second assistant camera
Mario Paulin	....	gaffer
David Reilly IV	....	best boy grip
Gareth Roberts	....	first assistant camera
Gary Sandover	....	key grip
Jordan Schella	....	best boy gaffer
Kelsey Smith	....	Steadicam operator
Tim Spencer	....	steadicam operator
Martin Stephens	....	director of photography: Novia Scotia unit

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hazel Pethig	....	costume designer: UK

Editorial Department
Alexandra Kosevic	....	post-production coordinator
Dave Muscat	....	telecine suite operator
Mila Patriki	....	dailies colorist
Ian Seymour	....	associate editor

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	orchestrator
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Abi Leland	....	music supervisor (as Abigail Leland)
Christopher Violette	....	music supervisor
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Other crew
Cynthia Amsden	....	unit publicist
Kim Ballard	....	head of production finance
Shirine Best	....	development assistant
Neil Chordia	....	co-production consultant
Jake Clarke	....	power pod technician
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
William Flower	....	marine coordinator
Mark Grimwade	....	location manager: UK
Phil Hatcher	....	assistant location manager
Mel Hider	....	assistant: Mr. Cowan and Mr. Piette
Mark Hopkins	....	set runner
Daniel Jewel	....	development executive
Simon Keating	....	production runner
Alexandra Kosevic	....	production coordinator: UK
Emily Kyriakides	....	assistant to producer: UK
Nathalie Laporte	....	key production accountant
Steven Lewis	....	production attorney
Heather Macdonald	....	daily accounting clerk
Lucy McColl	....	production secretary
Elena Miles	....	personal assistant to producer: Spice Factory
Karlie Morash	....	production coordinator
Francesco Scopelliti	....	technocrane trainee: second unit, UK
Lucy Shuttleworth	....	development executive
Mike Snider	....	production assistant
Maggie Thomas	....	script supervisor
Chris Turner	....	stand-in
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Kismet Film Company
• imX Communications
• Myriad Pictures
• Spice Factory
• Téléfilm Canada
• Movision
• First Choice Films
• Imx River King

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Myriad Pictures
• Filmax (Spain)
• First Look International (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Imagem Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures (USA)
• River King Productions Ltd.

Special Effects

• Cine Image Film Opticals (digital main and end titles)
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)
• Senate Visual Effects, The

Other Companies

• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• Malde & Co.  production auditor
• Mayflower Studios  sound post-production
• Salon  avid editing equipment
• Senate Visual Effects, The  visual effects

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violent images.

Runtime:

USA:95 min (DVD version) | Canada:99 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-11 | Italy:T | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Kismet Film Company

Trivia:

At the end of the film, Abel's father, Ernest, recalls how Abel's brother had hugged him the day that he committed suicide. Ernest then remarks that he found it strange because it wasn't Frank's way. This dialogue is taken directly from a scene where Abel is talking to his mother rather than his father.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After pulling Gus' body from the river, Abel and Joey's boots and pants are perfectly dry. It would've been impossible for them to pull the body from the river without at least getting their boots and pant legs wet.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joey Tosh: Get in there!

Soundtrack:

Midnight Lightning

A very refreshing movie

The River King is a refreshing movie. It has none of the usual clichés. The plot is not predictable. The movie presents the viewer with little hooks and clues that leave one wondering about how they all come together. At times, I was left wondering what type of movie is this? Is it a horror movie? Is it sci-fi? Is it a ghost story? The actors performed their roles convincingly. The character Abel Grey leads the viewer to believe in what he suspects is happening, that he is right. Carlin's character has the right balance, not too dumb, not too incredibly (ie unrealistically) smart, just like a regular person. No super heroes in this movie.

The cinematography and background music is so seductive and blends very well with the subject of the film. The time just fly by as the main characters arrive at a very plausible ending.

If you're tired of comic book hero movies, or TV-like stories, or violence, or CSI-like sleuthing then check out 'The River King'. I'm really happy that I did.