The Abandoned (2006)

Director:

Nacho Cerdà

Writers:

Karim Hussain (screenplay) &
Nacho Cerdà (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Death never runs out of time.

Plot:

An adopted woman returns to her home country to the family home that she never knew and must face to mystery that lies there.

Plot Keywords:

Skeleton | After Dark Horrorfest | Haunted House | Rowboat | Murder

Cast

Anastasia Hille	...	Marie Jones
Karel Roden	...	Nicolai
Valentin Ganev	...	Andrei Misharin / Kolya Kaidavosky
Paraskeva Djukelova	...	Marie's Mother
Carlos Reig-Plaza	...	Anatoliy
Kalin Arsov	...	Bearded Russian Patriarch Man '1966'
Svetlana Smoleva	...	Bearded Patriarch's wife '1966'
Anna Panayotova	...	Bearded Patriarch's daughter '1966'
Jordanka Angelova	...	Blind Woman 'present day'
Valentin Goshev	...	Patriarch - present day
Jasmina Marinova	...	Patriarch's Wife
Monica Baunova	...	Emily
Marta Yaneva	...	Natalya

Also Known As:

Abandonados, Los (Spain)
Bloodline (Spain) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore, some disturbing images, nudity and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Spain | UK | Bulgaria

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:-12 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Company:

Castelao Producciones

Trivia:

Writer Karim Hussain said that the film was inspired by obsessions with family and the double aspects of everybody's lives. Also, Hussain based his work on some experiences he lived at his father's farm as a child.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Marie rows across the river and starts walking, the boat started to float away. The first shot shows the front of the boat (pointed end) toward Marie, moving backward. The second shot shows the boat moving forward with the rear facing Marie. Then the last shot of the boat shows the front pointing toward Marie again moving backward.

Movie Connections:

Features Faust: Love of the Damned (2001)

Soundtrack:

Natalya

Insanely scary and terrifically atmospheric chiller in Lucio Fulci mode

Spanish director Nacho Cerda's THE ABANDONED is like the beautiful, unholy marriage of Lucio Fulci (circa THE BEYOND) and Russian art-house master Andrei Tarkovsky -- if that sounds like some high-falutin' pretentious art/horror movie, think again: this film is so downright terrifying I spent half the movie with my hands over my eyes, and my brother confirmed it's one of the scariest flicks he's ever seen. Cerda conjures up a classic Haunted House from Hell (or in this case, the Russian countryside) scenario, and then wrings about as many shocks and spinetingling moments out of it as (in)humanly possible. Some amazing, ear-shredding sound design also adds to the scare factor. Mucho credit goes to main screenwriter Karim Hussain for creating a storyline that is at once enigmatic in an unfolding, puzzle-box kind of way and also emotionally resonant and intense. Again, if you long for the days of classic Fulci shockers with a strong dose of PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK/THE LAST WAVE dreamlike vibe thrown in -- check this one out. A winner all the way.