Vacancy (2007)

Director:

Nimród Antal

Writer (WGA):

Mark L. Smith (written by)

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

How can you escape...if they can see everything?

Plot:

A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film

Plot Keywords:

Happy Ending | Raised Middle Finger | Tunnel | One Night | Scare

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kate Beckinsale	...	Amy Fox
Luke Wilson	...	David Fox
Frank Whaley	...	Mason
Ethan Embry	...	Mechanic
Scott G. Anderson	...	Killer
Mark Casella	...	Truck Driver (as Mark Cassella)
David Doty	...	Highway Patrol
Norm Compton	...	Snuff Victim
Caryn Mower	...	Snuff Victim
Meegan Godfrey	...	Snuff Victim (as Meegan E. Godfrey)
Kym Stys	...	Snuff Victim
Andrew Fiscella	...	Snuff Victim
Dale Waddington Horowitz	...	Snuff Victim
Ernest Misko	...	Snuff Victim (as Ernie Misko)
Bryan Ross	...	Snuff Victim
Chevon Hicks	...	Snuff Victim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cary Wayne Moore	...	Snuff Guy #4 (uncredited)
Richie Varga	...	Snuff Guy #3 (uncredited)

Directed by
Nimród Antal

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark L. Smith		(written by)

Produced by
Stacy Cramer	....	executive producer (as Stacy Kolker Cramer)
Glenn S. Gainor	....	executive producer
Hal Lieberman	....	producer
Brian Paschal	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Paul Haslinger

Cinematography by
Andrzej Sekula

Film Editing by
Armen Minasian

Casting by
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger
David Rapaport

Production Design by
Jon Gary Steele

Art Direction by
Chris Cornwell

Costume Design by
Maya Lieberman

Makeup Department
Michelle Bühler	....	key makeup artist (as Michelle Buhler)
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Beckinsale
Yvonne Depatis-Kupka	....	key hair stylist
Robert Hall	....	special makeup effects designer: Almost Human
Eric Koo	....	sculptor: Almost Human
Scott Patton	....	special makeup effects concept designer
Erik Porn	....	lab technician: Almost Human
Darnell Shepherd	....	hair/lab technician: Almost Human Inc.
Vasilios Tanis	....	makeup artist: Ms. Beckinsale

Production Management
Glenn S. Gainor	....	unit production manager
Nicolas Stern	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ingrid K. Behrens	....	second second assistant director
Adam Druxman	....	first assistant director
Adam Druxman	....	second unit director
Adam Ben Frank	....	second assistant director (second unit)
James Moran	....	second assistant director
Marc Newland	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Angela C. Tortu	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Angela Tortu)

Art Department
Tony Bohorquez	....	lead model maker
Claudia Bonfe	....	set dressing buyer
Max E. Brehme	....	property master
Paul Cunningham	....	gang boss
David Eckert	....	assistant art director
Todd Harris	....	storyboard artist
Brock Helfer	....	set dresser
Vinson Jae	....	stand-by painter
Mark Kelly	....	props assistant
Eric Koo	....	sculptor
Holiday Landa	....	art coordinator
Candice Muriedas	....	art assistant
John Naehrlich	....	lead man
Joe Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator
Christopher Schultz	....	assistant property master
Trey Shaffer	....	graphic designer
Kevan Weber	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Bill W. Benton	....	supervising sound mixer
Gaston Biraben	....	dialogue editor
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	supervising sound editor (as Chic Ciccolini III)
Rickley W. Dumm	....	sound effects editor (as Rickley Dumm)
Linda Folk	....	adr supervisor
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Kurt Peterson	....	boom operator
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Lynn Sable	....	assistant sound editor
Ed White	....	sound mixer
Brian Williams	....	sound designer

Special Effects by
Jason Dodd	....	special effects foreman
William N. Greene III	....	special effects foreman
John C. Hartigan	....	special effects coordinator (as John Hartigan)
Roger Lifsey	....	special effects foreman
Chris Walkowiak	....	special effects coordinator (as Christopher Walkowiak)

Visual Effects by
Casey Allen	....	Flame artist
Raoul Bolognini	....	visual effects producer (as Raoul Y. Bolognini)
Kristen Branan	....	head of production
Doug Cram	....	digital compositor
An H. Dang	....	technical assistant (as An Dang)
Spence Fuller	....	digital compositor
Scott Gregory	....	digital film colorist
Paul Hill	....	digital compositor
Chris Ingersoll	....	Flame artist
Chris John Jones	....	creative director: Zoic Studios
Darren MacKay	....	digital compositor
Brian Nugent	....	Inferno artist
Brian Nugent	....	digital compositor
Rocco Passionino	....	visual effects supervisor
R. Matt Smith	....	compositing supervisor
Jakris Smittant	....	visual effects coordinator
Trevor Strand	....	digital compositor
Sean Wallitsch	....	Inferno artist
Loeng Wong-Savun	....	visual effects artist
Zachariah Zaubi	....	digital compositor
Thomas Nittmann	....	visual effects producer: Lola Visual Effects (uncredited)
Edson Williams	....	visual effects supervisor: Lola Visual Effects (uncredited)
Ryan Zuttermeister	....	visual effects coordinator: Lola Visual Effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Arturo Dickey	....	stunt rigger
Marvin Francis	....	stunt rigger
Lance Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Meegan Godfrey	....	stunts
Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw	....	stunt double
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunt double: Kate Beckinsale
T. Ryan Mooney	....	stunt double: Frank Whaley
Caryn Mower	....	stunts
Peter B. Simpson	....	stunt rigger
Kym Stys	....	stunt performer
Jason Shupe	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jake Avignone	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Gary Bevans	....	camera loader
Julian de la Pena	....	electrician
Matthew Fabian	....	grip
Michael Herron	....	digital video assist operator
Joe Hill	....	grip
Mark Hochman	....	computer/24 frame video engineer
Valentine Marvel	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Niles McElroy	....	lighting technician
Marc Meisenheimer	....	gaffer
Riggs Murdock	....	camera operator
Riggs Murdock	....	director of photography: second unit
Dwayne Platz	....	additional grip
David Schmalz	....	second video assist operator
Abel Soto	....	best boy grip: second unit
Abel Soto	....	grip
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
James 'Biff' Thomsen	....	electrician
Henry Tirl	....	steadicam operator
Lance Jay Velazco	....	additional video assist operator
Robert Zullo	....	key grip
Sean Tuell	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy Haffner	....	costumer
Leah Katznelson	....	costumer
Courtney Ormond	....	key costumer
Kanani Wolf	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Scott Gregory	....	digital film colorist
Blair Miller	....	editorial production assistant
David Reale	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Mark Curry	....	scoring mixer
John Jacobellis	....	assistant music editor
Tracy McKnight	....	executive soundtrack producer
Dave Porter	....	composer: additional music
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Brian Williams	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
James G. Brill	....	driver
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Irv Press	....	driver generator operator
Mike Storc	....	transportation
John Yarbrough	....	driver

Other crew
Sara Bartkiewicz	....	production secretary
Jennifer Blair	....	production coordinator
Nicholas Brown	....	second assistant accountant
Randin Brown	....	production assistant
Matthew Cardarople	....	assistant: Mr. Wilson
John Charles	....	software manager: Sony DAC
Kate Clarke	....	photo double: Kate Beckinsale
Missy Coggiola	....	assistant: Ms. Beckinsale
Nicky Craft	....	payroll accountant
Grant Cross	....	additional set production assistant
Ricky Cuevas	....	first assistant accountant
Bill Delaney	....	production assistant
Erin Dicker	....	assistant: Mr. Antal
Brian Dittmar	....	production assistant
Caleb Duffy	....	location manager
Matthew F. Fuller	....	production assistant
Patricia A. Fullerton	....	script supervisor
Danny Giles	....	key set production assistant
Lindsay Hudson	....	set medic
Zachary Kahn	....	assistant location manager
Jeff Ketcham	....	production assistant
Jon Ko	....	medic
Lauren Brooke Kurfirst	....	assistant: Mr. Gainor
Cary Sato Lee	....	assistant craft service
K. Lynn Martin	....	script supervisor: second unit
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach
Jill Rosenblatt	....	production accountant
Charlie Scott	....	key craft service
Charlie E. Scott Jr.	....	craft service
Tim Seitter	....	production assistant
Sue Smith	....	assistant production coordinator
Katie Taylor	....	assistant: Mr. Lieberman and Mr. Paschal (as Katherine Taylor)
Benton Ward	....	RF technician
Kelly Williams	....	assistant craft service

Production Companies

• Hal Lieberman Company
• Screen Gems

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2007) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2008) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Screen Gems (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Almost Human (special makeup effects)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates (opticals)
• Zoic Studios (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Animals of Distinction  animals provided by
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Picture Mill, The  main and end titles designed and produced by
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  cellular fax rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  satellite phone rentals
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production services
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  opticals

MPAA:

Rated R for brutal violence and terror, brief nudity and language.

Runtime:

85 min | USA:80 min (R-rated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:18PL | Spain:18 | UK:15 | Italy:T | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Japan:PG-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | France:-12 | Australia:MA | South Korea:18 | Ireland:16 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Hal Lieberman Company

Trivia:

Shipped to theaters under the name "Temporary Arrangement."

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the highway patrol officer goes to investigate the 911 call, headquarters would be expecting a response back sooner or later. It was at least an hour if not more until 911 was contacted again, at which time the operator was still under the impression the officer had checked the place out. In reality, headquarters would have contacted the officer and upon there being no response, sent another unit or more to investigate why the highway patrol man didn't respond.

Quotes:

[first lines]
David Fox: [after swerving while driving] Son of a bitch!
Amy Fox: What are you doing?
David Fox: It was a goddamn raccoon in the middle of the road!
Amy Fox: Well, better to kill us than get a little roadkill on the car, huh?
David Fox: Well, we're still alive. I can tell by the pissy look that you're giving me.

Movie Connections:

References Psycho (1960)

'Vacancy' is skillfully made, tense and surprisingly scary

Vacancy;; Vacancy opens as a typical horror film, following a soon to be divorced couple, Amy and David Fox, driving down a winding road, in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. Car troubles lead them to an abandoned motel where the manager informs them the mechanic will be back early in the morning. He seems friendly at first, and offers them a discount on the Honeymoon suite. Amy is resistant, but David convinces her.

Amy's first impression of the Motel was right on target, as a series of creepy events lead David and Amy to watch a video tape in which various guests at the same hotel are murdered. Soon after, David finds hidden cameras in the vents. Suddenly, the lights go out, and David and Amy must fight to find a way to escape... or end up getting slaughtered on tape like everyone else.

I am an avid horror movie fan, although lately I have run into the problem of not getting scared during these so called "scary movies." I am pleased to report, not just to horror film fans, but movie fans alike, Vacancy is actually scary. And that is just about the biggest compliment a movie such as this could get.

Throughout the 80 minute running time of Vacancy, I jumped a few times, gasped once or twice, and had white knuckles for almost the entire time. Luke Wilson and Kate Bekinsale give good performances as the bickering victims, and direction is particularly well-done. Director Nimrod Antal makes a wise choice, veering from torture, blood and guts, and relying mostly on putting these characters we care about in taut, tense situations.

Vacancy is a fun, frightening horror movie. 3 from 4.