Severance (2006)

Director:

Christopher Smith

Writers:

James Moran (screenplay) and
Christopher Smith (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Another bloody office outing.

Plot:

During a team-building retreat in the mountains a group of sales representatives are hunted down by crazed killers.

Plot Keywords:

Team Building | Eastern Europe | Stabbed In The Back | Pot Smoking | Shot To Death

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Toby Stephens	...	Harris
Claudie Blakley	...	Jill
Andy Nyman	...	Gordon
Babou Ceesay	...	Billy
Tim McInnerny	...	Richard
Laura Harris	...	Maggie
Danny Dyer	...	Steve
David Gilliam	...	George
Juli Drajkó	...	Olga
Judit Viktor	...	Nadia
Sándor Boros	...	Coach Driver
Levente Törköly	...	Lodge Killer
János Oláh	...	Flamethrower Killer
Attila Ferencz	...	Head-squish Killer
Bela Kasi	...	Headbutt Killer
Roland Kollárszky	...	Knife-in-butt Killer
Péter Katona	...	Stone Thrower Killer
Levente Lezsák	...	Landmine Killer
Nick Greenall	...	Big Gun Killer
Matthew Baker	...	Nose-feratu (as Matt Baker)
Steve Dawson	...	Guard 1 in Harris' Story
John Frankish	...	Doctor John 'Victor' Frankish in Jill's Story
Johnnie Schinas	...	Long-Haired Girl in Richard's Dream
Leon MacPherson	...	Corporate Video Palisade Worker
Arnold Zarom	...	Corporate Video Palisade Worker
Laura Bushell	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
John Cole	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
Murray Golding	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
Jamie Higgins	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
Nerys Martin	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
Stephanie Ratcliff	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
Cindi Svensson	...	Corporate Video Office Blonde
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Craig Hudson	...	Coachman (uncredited)

Directed by
Christopher Smith

Writing credits
James Moran		(screenplay) and
Christopher Smith		(screenplay)
James Moran		(story)

Produced by
Alexandra Arlango	....	co-producer
Steve Christian	....	executive producer
Finola Dwyer	....	producer: Qwerty Films
Andrew Hildebrand	....	co-producer: Qwerty Films
Michael Kuhn	....	executive producer
Jason Newmark	....	producer
Malcolm Ritchie	....	co-executive producer
Rosa Romero	....	line producer
Jill Tandy	....	co-executive producer
Colleen Woodcock	....	co-producer: Qwerty Films
Mark Woolley	....	co-producer: Qwerty Films

Original Music by
Christian Henson

Cinematography by
Ed Wild

Film Editing by
Stuart Gazzard

Casting by
William Davies
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
John Frankish

Set Decoration by
Zsuzsa Mihalek

Costume Design by
Stephen Noble
Steven Noble

Makeup Department
Noémi Czakó	....	dailies makeup artist: Hungary (as Noemi Czako)
Richard Darwin	....	makeup effects supervisor
Claire Folkard	....	makeup effects crew
Neill Gorton	....	makeup effects designer
Lotta Haggqvist	....	makeup effects crew (as Lotta Haggkvist)
Martina Hawkins	....	makeup effects crew
Ely Jim	....	dailies makeup artist: London
Judit Jánosi	....	dailies makeup artist: Hungary
Jánosné Kajtár	....	dailies makeup artist: Hungary (as Kajtár Jánosne Bogyó)
Matthew O'Toole	....	makeup effects supervisor (as Matt O'Toole)
Jan Sewell	....	hair designer
Jan Sewell	....	makeup designer
Lesley Smith	....	hair stylist
Lesley Smith	....	makeup artist
Anna Tesner	....	makeup artist
Lauren Wellman	....	makeup effects crew
Keith Wilson	....	makeup effects crew

Production Management
Ferenc Béres	....	production manager: Hungary
Cass Marks	....	production manager: Isle of Man
Sarah Shepherd	....	unit manager: Isle of Man
László Sipos	....	production supervisor: Hungary
Gábor Ujházy	....	production manager: Hungary (as Újházy Gábor)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matthew Baker	....	first assistant director
Matthew Baker	....	second assistant director (as Matt Baker)
Melanie Dicks	....	first assistant director
Kerric Macdonald	....	second unit director
Dénes Sajgál	....	third assistant director
Andrea Slater	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nurey Al-Kahzrajie	....	stand-by props: Isle of Man (as Nurey Alkahzrajie)
Tihamér Antal	....	construction stand-by: Hungary
Sally Black	....	art department buyer: Isle of Man
György Bátonyi	....	assistant art director: Hungary
Richard Campling	....	storyboard artist
Bob Charlton	....	carpenter: Isle of Man
Caroline Cobbold	....	art director: Isle of Man
Lisa Collins	....	painter: Isle of Man
Steve Dawson	....	stand-by carpenter: Isle of Man
Csaba Drótos	....	construction stand-by: Hungary
James Fennessy	....	painter: Isle of Man
Jonathan Foster	....	carpenter: Isle of Man
Tibor Sziki Gál	....	props: Hungary (as Tibor Gál)
Gyula Herjeczki	....	construction manager: Hungary
Meike Maher	....	graphic artist: Isle of Man
Louise Marzaroli	....	supervising art director: Hungary
Dan Maslen	....	storyboard artist
Spencer Mead	....	prop master: Isle of Man
Zsuzsa Mihalek	....	set decorator: Hungary
Jim Mulvany	....	carpenter: Isle of Man
László Németh	....	construction stand-by: Hungary
Edward Oldham	....	dailies props: Isle of Man
Susan Ross	....	painter: Isle of Man
Piroska Szabady	....	art director: Hungary
Zoltán Szabó	....	assistant set decorator: Hungary
Lucinda Thomson	....	art director: Isle of Man
John Thorpe	....	construction manager: Isle of Man
Béla Tollay	....	swing gang
István Tímár	....	props: Hungary
Zoltán Tóth	....	assistant construction manager: Hungary

Sound Department
John Lewis Aschenbrenner	....	sound maintenance (as John Lewis)
Nick Baldock	....	sound effects editor
Peter Baldock	....	supervising sound editor
Antony Telfer Brown	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist
Paul Cotterell	....	adr recordist: London
Paul Cotterell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Dunford	....	dialogue editor (as Richard Dunford)
Michael Feinberg	....	adr editor
Michael Feinberg	....	foley editor
Adele Fletcher	....	assistant sound editor
Joan Giammarco	....	adr editor: Los Angeles
Sean Hannah	....	assistant adr recordist
Sean Hannah	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Sue Harding	....	foley artist
Joe Henson	....	sound designer
Alexandros Sidiropoulos	....	foley recordist
Michael Spencer	....	sound

Special Effects by
Paul Clayton	....	special effects: Isle of Man
Richard Darwin	....	animatronic model designer
József Gerencsér	....	special effects supervisor: Hungary
Adam Hollow	....	special effects: Isle of Man
Bob Hollow	....	special effects: Isle of Man
Sándor Katona	....	pyrotechnician
Mark McKendry	....	special effects: Isle of Man
Csaba Torok	....	pyrotechnician
Attila Török	....	pyrotechnician
Ferenc Török	....	key pyrotechnician
Attila Vásári	....	pyrotechnician
Mark Woolley	....	armourer

Visual Effects by
Phil Attfield	....	visual effects supervisor
Paul Beard	....	visual effects line producer: Men from Mars
Tamsin Blanchard	....	visual effects producer
Lee Clappison	....	assistant colourist
James Clarke	....	visual effects
Stefan Drury	....	visual effects producer: LipSync Post
William Foxwell	....	digital lab operator: Lip Sync Post (as Will Foxwell)
Simon Frame	....	visual effects supervisor
Scott Goulding	....	digital lab operator
Andy Greethan	....	graphic artist: Men from Mars (as Andy Greetham)
Katja Hollmann	....	associate producer: Lipsync Post (as Katja Lazare)
Isaac Layish	....	digital effects artist
Alasdair MacCuish	....	senior producer: Lipsync Post
Tom Pegg	....	digital effects artist
Daniel Tomlinson	....	digital lab operator
Howard Watkins	....	visual effects supervisor: LipSync Post
Angela Stanley	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Kata Gellen	....	stunt double
László Imre	....	stunt double (as Laszlo Imre)
Bela Kasi	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Péter Katona	....	stunts
Erzsébet Szloboda	....	stunt double
Béla Unger	....	stunt coordinator
Sándor Boros	....	stunt actor (uncredited)
Sándor Boros	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Roland Kollárszky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Levente Lezsák	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gyula Balogh	....	dailies spark: Hungary
Gyula Balogh	....	electrician
Csaba Bankhardt	....	key grip
Barny Crocker	....	assistant camera: "b" camera, Isle of Man
István Csehy	....	electrician: Isle of Man (as István Csehi)
John Devine	....	dailies spark: Isle of Man
Charlie Dillion	....	dailies rigger: Isle of Man (as Charlie Dillon)
Zsolt Fehér	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Steve Foster	....	dailies electrician: Isle of Man
Matt Fox	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Dávid Gerencsér	....	unit base technician: Hungary
Károly Gál	....	best boy (as Károly Gaál)
Gergely Hajba	....	video assistant
David Harrison	....	dailies rigger: London
Rupert Hornstein	....	dailies focus puller: Isle of Man (as Rupert Horstein)
Róbert Horváth	....	unit base technician: Hungary
Miklós Izsó	....	unit base technician: Hungary
Zsolt Jámbor	....	grip: Hungary
Tamás Krausz	....	electrician
Rick Loughlin	....	dailies spark: Isle of Man (as Rick Loghlin)
Gavin MacArthur	....	assistant camera: "a" camera
Gábor Marczi	....	unit base technician: Hungary
Miklós Molnár	....	electrician: Isle of Man
Tamas Nyerges	....	Steadicam operator (as Tamás P. Nyerges)
Tamas Nyerges	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Tamás P. Nyerges)
Tim O'Connor	....	dailies electrician: London
Tomas Rozler	....	genny operator: Hungary (as Tomas Rözler)
Roland Safr	....	generator operator
Richárd Szeidermann	....	electrician: Hungary (as Richard Szeiderman)
József Szücs	....	dailies spark: Hungary (as Jozsef Szücs)
Rudolf Takács	....	gaffer
Dániel Tóth	....	electrician
Karelle Walker	....	dailies camera assistant: London
Nick Wall	....	still photographer
Ádám Wallner	....	assistant camera: "b" camera, Hungary
Frankie Webster	....	dailies rigger: London

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Tamás Kertész	....	extras casting
David Wheal	....	casting assistant
Linda Zsombolyay	....	casting: Hungary (as Linda Zsombolyai)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Melinda Domán	....	dresser
Anikó Fazekas	....	dailies costume: Hungary
Mari Havasi	....	dailies costume: Hungary
Laura Johnson	....	assistant costume designer
Jessica Scott-Reed	....	textile artist
Nat Turner	....	costume assistant: London
Joanna Weaving	....	costume breakdown (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Laura Bushell	....	post-production secretary
Lee Clappison	....	assistant colourist
Stuart Fyvie	....	digital colorist
Nick Greenall	....	first assistant editor
Lisa Jordan	....	post-production coordinator: Lipsync Post
Richard Lloyd	....	post production supervisor
Patty Papageorgiou	....	post-production coordinator
Kevin Phelan	....	head of post-production: Lip Sync Post

Music Department
Chris Barrett	....	score assistant
Matt Biffa	....	music supervisor
Adam Evans	....	musician: guitar, mandolin, banjo and ukulele
Olga FitzRoy	....	score assistant (as Olga Fitzroy)
Christian Henson	....	music programmer
Christian Henson	....	music sound designer: percussion
Christian Henson	....	orchestrator
Joe Henson	....	music programmer
Seanine Joyce	....	orchestrator
Seanine Joyce	....	score preparation
Gabor Knisch	....	music consultant: Hungary
Hilary Skewes	....	musician contractor
Nick Taylor	....	score assistant
Richard Todman	....	music editor
Nick Wollage	....	music recordist
Nick Wollage	....	score mixer
Alison Wright	....	music supervisor: Air-Edel

Transportation Department
Zsoit Borostyán	....	unit driver: Hungary (as Zsolt Borostyán)
Ferenc Béres	....	transportation captain
David Callister	....	unit driver: Isle of Man
Malcolm Corlett	....	head driver: Isle of Man
Ken Crellin	....	unit driver: Isle of Man
László Dárdai	....	unit driver: Hungary
József Hernádi	....	unit driver: Hungary
Wayne Moran	....	special effects driver: Isle of Man
Henrik Szabó	....	motorhome keeper: Hungary
Béla Takács	....	unit driver: Hungary
Mark Turner	....	special effects driver: Isle of Man
Brian Wilson	....	unit driver: Isle of Man
Craig Hudson	....	driver: coach (uncredited)

Other crew
Eva Badacsonyi	....	floor runner (as Éva Badacsonyi)
Gabriella Bathó	....	translator: Hungary (as Gabriella Batho)
Ritchie Beacham-Paterson	....	producer: LipSync Post
Michelle Brereton	....	production runner: Isle of Man
Mark Burfield	....	caterer: Isle of Man
Kofi Burke	....	production accountant: Qwerty Films
Laura Bushell	....	production secretary
Ferenc Béres	....	location manager
James Clarke	....	digital laboratory supervisor
Ágota Csuka	....	production secretary: Hungary
Cosmo Currey	....	runner
Annalise Davis	....	assistant to producer
Béla Dévényi	....	catering manager: Hungary (as Koko Dévényi)
Peter Eardley	....	assistant production accountant
Geraldine East	....	legal services
David Flynn	....	caterer: Isle of Man
József Gerencsér	....	key technician
Steve Gibson	....	head of facilities: Isle of Man
Zsófi Gonda	....	floor runner (as Zsófia Gonda)
Mark Herbert	....	title designer
Márk Herjeczki	....	floor runner: Hungary (as Márk Herjeckzy)
Michael Howard	....	caterer: Isle of Man
Michael Howes	....	animal handler: London
Josh Hyams	....	production coordinator
Clare Jarboe	....	production assistant
Gary Jenkins	....	head of facilities: Isle of Man
Carol Jones	....	animal handler: Isle of Man
Krisztina Kelemen	....	script supervisor
Ildiko Kemeny	....	production associate (as Ildikó Kemény)
Balázs Kovács	....	extras coordinator
Bendegúz Körmöczi	....	animal handler: Hungary
Imre Légmán	....	assistant location manager: Hungary
Emilie Maison	....	press attache france
Gyula Molnár	....	location scout: Hungary
Zsuzsa Mráv	....	caterer: Hungary
Keeley Naylor	....	unit publicist
William Prouty	....	assistant to director and producer
Joel Quinn	....	runner: London
Mike Reaney	....	production assistant: Isle of Man (as Michael Reaney)
Trevor Smith	....	animal handler: Isle of Man
Maxine Stanley	....	post-production accountant
Trevor Stanley	....	production accountant
Kerry Stringer	....	location assistant: Isle of Man
Sian Sutherland	....	location manager: Isle of Man
Richard Szabó	....	security HOD
Niall Trask	....	runner
Jószef Vigh	....	caterer: Hungary
Megan Ward	....	production assistant
Toth Zsuzsa	....	production coordinator: Hungary (as Zsuzana Tóth)
Gero Brugmann	....	legal advisor: financing (uncredited)
Katie Kubert	....	pre-production intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Craig Fackrell	....	special thanks
Jonathan Newman	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Qwerty Films
• Dan Films
• HanWay Films
• Isle of Man Film
• N1 European Film Produktions GmbH & Co. KG
• UK Film Council

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Magnolia Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pathé Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Splendid Film (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Allarco Entertainment (2008) (Canada) (TV) (as Super Channel)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2009) (UK) (TV) (BBC1)
• Christal Films (2006) (Canada) (all media)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2007) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Icon Film Distribution (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• La Fabrique de Films (2006) (France) (all media)
• Movie Bank (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Millennium FX (special makeup effects)
• Men From Mars (digital visual effects)
• Lip Sync Post (additional digital visual effects)
• Atomic Arts (3D)

Other Companies

• Anvil Post Production  foley recording
• AFM Lighting  lighting and grip equipment
• ARRI Media  camera equipment
• Abacus Consult  accounting: audit
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded at (as Air Studios, Lyndhurst Hall)
• Air-Edel Associates  music supervisor (as Air-Edel)
• Air-Edel Recording Studios  music mixed at (as Air-Edel Studios)
• Angels the Costumiers  costume hire
• Art4noise  post-production facilities
• Art4noise  sound design
• Art4noise  sound post-production
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies/mobiles
• Boom  foley recorded at
• British Defense Film Library  stock footage
• Buick Productions  music contractor: strings
• Concorde Film Trust  funding
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Lip Sync Post  digital intermediate
• Lip Sync Post  post-production facilities (as Lipsync Post)
• Lip Sync Post  sound re-recording
• Lip Sync Post  titles and opticals
• Mann Crane Hire  camera cranes: Isle of Man
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Sky Media Travel  travel agent
• Soho Images  film laboratory services
• Synergy Vocals  choir

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, drug content and some sexuality/nudity

Runtime:

96 min | Canada:90 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English | Hungarian | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:18 | France:-12 (with warning) | Malaysia:(Banned) | USA:R | Finland:K-18 | Argentina:18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | New Zealand:R16 | Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM14 | Brazil:14 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Company:

Qwerty Films

Trivia:

The actor who plays the irate bus driver, Sándor Boros is a Hungarian stunt driver, and it is he who drives the bus during the crash scene. In the DVD featurette Crashing a Coach (2007) (V), director Christopher Smith goes into detail about how the crash scene was staged, and in it, he points out how the Hungarian stunt team were "less concerned with health and safety issues" than British stunt teams. Smith explains that for the crash scene, the stunt coordinator told Boros to drive at 35mph, but Boros felt this wouldn't produce a good enough scene, so he hit the stunt ramp at 50mph, producing a much more spectacular crash than Smith wanted. As it was a one-time only shot, this newly spectacular crash forced a hasty rewriting of the screenplay, as due to the severity of the crash, the characters now needed to be substantially more injured than was originally planned. Smith was also amazed that the only safety equipment Boros used during the scene was a seat belt and a motorcycle helmet. Indeed, during the stunt, Boros was knocked completely unconscious.

Goofs:

Continuity: When everyone gets off the coach after it stops at the fallen tree, dark vehicle tracks have appeared in front of the coach which weren't there in previous shots.

Quotes:

Gordon:I cooked it for the whole hour.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Soundtrack:

We'll Meet Again

A totally brilliant film

Severance shows us a happy tendency:a European filmmaker who takes the clichés of North American horror films and he gives them an excellent new twist with ingenious moments,intensity and touches of humor.The director who made this great movie is Christopher Smith who started pretty well with the very fun and gory film Creep and,now,gives us Severance,a perfect movie with fun characters,black humor and a social critic.This film can be described as a twist between the TV series The Office(the British version)and The Hills Have Eyes(1977).I know it sounds strange,but the screenplay sails greatly between the horrors of the office work,the black humor and the horror.The movie has a political commentary and it gives the movie a bigger context.Although the basic premise does not sound original,the performances,context and a lot of details give new life to a very used concept(including the great appearance of a bear).I also admire the main characters are not the typical teenagers,but a realistic group of clerks.The reactions the characters have with the horror are credible and fun.Also,the movie brings some intense moments of violence which could really keep me anxious and nervous...and that's something awesome for a horror film.Severance is a brilliant and very fun horror movie with great moments of intensity and black humor.If you are a fan of horror movies,you should not miss this joy which shows the genre on its best condition.