War of the Dead (2011/I)

Director:

Marko Mäkilaakso

Writers:

Barr B. Potter (co-writer)
Marko Mäkilaakso (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

4 May 2012 (Finland)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller | War

Plot:

A platoon of American and Finnish soldiers is driven deep into a Russian forest where its Captain discovers a terrifying secret.

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Finnish Soldier | Bunker | Undead | Russian Soldier

Cast

Andrew Tiernan	...	Captain Martin Stone
Jouko Ahola	...	Captain Niemi
Samuel Vauramo	...	Kolya
Mikko Leppilampi	...	Lieutenant Laakso
Andreas Wilson	...	Assistant
Antti Reini	...	Sergeant Halonen
Magdalena Górska	...	Dasha
Mark Wingett	...	David Selzman
Andrius Paulavicius	...	Russian soldier
Geoffrey T. Bersey	...	Old man
Tomas Ereminas	...	Nazi zombie soldier
Teemu Eriksson	...	Medic
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alden Anderson	...	Russian Soldier (uncredited)
Marko Mäkilaakso	...	Corporal Jackson (uncredited)

Directed by
Marko Mäkilaakso		(as Marko Makilaakso)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Marko Mäkilaakso		screenplay
Marko Mäkilaakso		story
Barr B. Potter		co-writer

Produced by
Alessandro Fracassi	....	executive producer
Robert Little	....	executive producer (as Robbie Little)
Marko Mäkilaakso	....	co-producer (as Marko Makilaakso)
Barr B. Potter	....	producer
Ramunas Skikas	....	producer
Joel Soisson	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Neal Acree
Joel Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Hannu-Pekka Vitikainen

Film Editing by
Michael J. Duthie

Casting by
Robin Gurland

Production Design by
Algis Garbaciauskas

Art Direction by
Darius Bastys
Audrius Dumikas
Kari Kankaanpää

Set Decoration by
Dalia Pranckenaite

Costume Design by
Daiga Rybakoviene

Makeup Department
Egle Mikalauskaite	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Darius Jarasunas	....	production manager
Milda Leipute	....	production supervisor
Chris F. Woods	....	post-production supervisor (as Christopher Francis Woods)
Inga Zavoronok	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laura Stankeviciute	....	second assistant director
Boris Taskov	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Barry Atkinson	....	development artist
Arturas Cerkauskas	....	props
D'Ubaldi Cinzia	....	digital artist
Aurelijus Gaidelionis	....	assistant property master
Kari Kankaanpää	....	development artist
Arturas Kmitas	....	props on set
Ramunas Rastauskas	....	property master
Sarune Tautvaisaite	....	props on set

Sound Department
Steven Avila	....	sound designer
Trip Brock	....	supervising sound editor
Peter D. Lago	....	sound designer
Peter D. Lago	....	sound effects editor
Zdenek Manych	....	boom operator
Greg Mauer	....	foley mixer
Rene Mikan	....	sound mixer
Rick Owens	....	foley artist
Owen Peterson	....	sound engineer
Alexander Pugh	....	sound effects editor
Mark A. Rozett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jason Shaffer	....	sound effects editor
Bryon Speller	....	dialogue editor
Steven Utt	....	sound recordist
Kelly Vandever	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian S.M. Wroth	....	adr editor
Brian S.M. Wroth	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Darius Cicenas	....	special effects supervisor
Volker Lorig	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Alden Anderson	....	visual effects
Andrea Baracca	....	digital color timing
Magno Borgo	....	digital paint artist
John Bowers	....	visual effects
Erik Dehkhoda	....	visual effects artist
Rob Geddes	....	digital paint artist
Justas Giedraitis	....	visual effects supervisor
Alyssa Gobelle	....	visual effects intern
Chad Goei	....	visual effects supervisor
Georg Kaltenbrunner	....	visual effects
Christopher Knight	....	visual effects artist
Nicholas Lambert	....	digital paint artist
Brandon Miletta	....	cg supervisor
Charles Pina	....	digital paint artist
James Pina	....	roto/paint supervisor
Raminta Poskute	....	visual effects producer
Jonathan Sims	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Tomas Ereminas	....	stunt coordinator
Leonid Kotik	....	stunts
Robert Martinkevic	....	stunt rider
Ruta Nemaniene	....	horse wrangler
Arturas Nemanis	....	horse master
Grigorij Strelec	....	stunt rider

Camera and Electrical Department
Linas Dikcius	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Vytaitas Gudlevicius	....	key grip
Zdislav Jagelo	....	electrician
Rolandas Joneliukstis	....	first assistant camera
Alexandre Lehmann	....	additional photography
Marko Mäkilaakso	....	camera operator
Jerzy Palacz	....	camera operator
Audrius Zelenius	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Donatas Simukauskas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aldona Levandaviciené	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Baron Kimble	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Jelena Grishina	....	trainee script supervisor
Lon Haber	....	publicity department
Loreta Liesyté	....	script supervisor
Salvatore Ricciardi	....	scan operator
Rasa Vilkaityté	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Lloyd Kaufman	....	special thanks
Stan Lee	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Accelerator Films
• Lietuvos Kinostudija
• Media One Entertainment
• Rialto International

Distributors

• Earth Star Entertainment (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2012) (Finland) (theatrical) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
• Alliance Films (2012) (Canada) (all media)
• Aventi (2012) (France) (all media)
• Entertainment One (2012) (USA) (all media)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2012) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• KSM Film (2013) (Germany) (all media)
• Marco Polo Productions (2012) (France) (all media)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• New KSM (2013) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Glowgun

Other Companies

• Cinecittá Studios  post-production
• Monkeyland Audio  sound post-production
• Paramount Pictures Production Services  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

"War of the Dead - Stone's War" - International (English title) (alternative title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA | Lithuania | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Vilnius, Lithuania

Company:

Accelerator Films

Trivia:

According to writer/director Marko Makilaakso, the film is a love letter to Action films of the 80s, like "Rambo", "American Ninja", "Terminator" and "Indiana Jones".

Goofs:

Factual errors: In World War II Finland was allied with Germany, and thus part of the Axis, so it seems unlikely they would join US troops in an assault against a German bunker.

honest, accurate review for 'war of the dead'

the best way to describe this movie is that it's a B movie coated with A movie presentation. the special effects and the acting are the only things really holding it back from its true potential. the acting or dialogue is at times so bad and the accents so inconsistent that you wonder why the director didn't just choose to re-shoot some of the scenes and put a little more pressure on his actors. the special effects are sometimes good, but sometimes bad. this is made clear at the start of the movie when some men are gunned down in a hallway yet there is no sign of any bullet penetration or even sound effects here and there. some men just fall to the ground, we'r shown close ups of some weird nazi character grinning as he walks out of a lit-up doorway like a freaking angel or something.

the best thing about this movie is its presentation. the cinematography and camera-work is pretty 'up there'. like one of the quotes on the DVD cover states, it is 'like an episode of band of brothers with zombies'. and yeah, it is; just with much less impressive actors.

the story is unoriginal yet interesting enough to warrant your time and it looks like a lot of effort went into this little B movie. the characters all look fantastic (just like any soldier out of saving private ryan or band or brothers) and at times gunfights and explosions are convincing. its just a shame the acting and occasional iffy effects let it down.

so in summary:

presentation - 8 special makeup effects & sound - 6 acting - 5 script - 6

overall - 6/10