Something Beneath (2007) (TV)

Director:

David Winning

Writers:

Mark Mullin (written by) &
Ethlie Ann Vare (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Evil Lurks In The Most Unlikely Of Places

Plot:

Just under your feet lurks an evil so deadly, so intelligent, it's scary. The attendees of an ecological summit are about to discover a bigger problem than global warming.

Plot Keywords:

Sewer | Hallucination | Resort Hotel | Psychosis | Slime

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Kevin Sorbo	...	Father Douglas Middleton
Peter MacNeill	...	Deadmarsh
Natalie Brown	...	Khali Spence
Brendan Beiser	...	Dr. Connolly
Frank Adamson	...	Lowell Kent
Gordon Tanner	...	Symes
Brittany Scobie	...	Mikaela Strovsky
Brett Donahue	...	Tony
Paige Bannister	...	Aimee
Tom Keenan	...	Hank
Blake Taylor	...	Reggie
Rob McLaughlin	...	Eugene Herman
Gene Pyrz	...	Jim Bailey
Tracey Nepinak	...	Khali's Grandmother
Kevin Aichele	...	Dutch
Mike Bell	...	Construction Foreman
Aimee Cadorath	...	Young Khali
Lindsay Embroyle	...	Paramedic
David Stuart Evans	...	Clerk (as David Evans)
Craig Matthews	...	Hard Hat
Kyle Nobess	...	Sheik
Thanya Romero	...	Manuela
Karl Thordarson	...	Mr. Briggs
Julia Van de Spiegle	...	Woman in the mirror
Tanakh	...	Ajax
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Winning	...	Beast in the Woods / Angry Arab guest / TV announcer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
David Winning

Writing credits
Mark Mullin		(written by) &
Ethlie Ann Vare		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	executive producer
Robert Halmi Sr.	....	executive producer
Gary Howsam	....	executive producer
Phyllis Laing	....	producer
Dave Mahoney	....	line producer
Gilles Paquin	....	executive producer
Michael J. Taylor	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Richard Plowman

Cinematography by
Brenton Spencer		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mark Sanders

Casting by
Jim Heber

Production Design by
Réjean Labrie

Art Direction by
Scott Rossell

Set Decoration by
Owen Bird

Costume Design by
Maureen Petkau

Makeup Department
Ediena Hawkes	....	key hair stylist
Amanda Kuryk	....	special effects makeup: daily (as Amanda Lesage)
Brenda Magalas	....	key makeup artist
Beth Ann McIvor	....	makeup assistant
Doug Morrow	....	special effects makeup artist
Brenda Rocchio	....	first assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Danielle Audette	....	post-production supervisor
Kate Harrison	....	production supervisor
Dave Mahoney	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Megan Basaraba	....	second assistant director
Douglas Mitchell	....	first assistant director
Markian Saray	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Gary Barringer	....	graphic artist
Lindsey Bart	....	assistant set decorator
Ryan Berzuk	....	daily assistant property master
Nick Burns	....	storyboard artist (as Nicholas Burns)
Jim Cebrowski	....	construction coordinator
Bruce Cook	....	set dresser
Jason Gibbs	....	property master
Mary Esther Griffith	....	key scenic artist
Michael Kemkaran	....	lead carpenter
Jason Kenett	....	art department assistant (as Jason Kennett)
Robert Kestler	....	daily props crew (as Rob Kestler)
Alexis Labra	....	on-set dresser
Robert K. Laurie	....	set dresser
Rodel Manoy	....	draftsperson
Robb Paraskevopoulos	....	lead set dresser
Ray Peterson	....	props buyer
Chris Roznowsky	....	assistant property master
Karl Sisson	....	painter
Scott Solmundson	....	assistant lead carpenter
Remi Verfaillie	....	set buyer
Khali Wenaus	....	assistant art director
Robert Williams	....	scenic carpenter
Paul Zacharias	....	scenic artist
Jamie Lou Morneau	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Russ Dyck	....	foley artist
Bruce Little	....	post sound supervisor
Bruce Little	....	re-recording editor
Anita Lubosch	....	sound effects design
Anita Lubosch	....	sound effects editor
Paul Morrow	....	dialogue editor
Roberto Romero	....	cable puller
Sacha Rosen	....	boom operator
Dino Schiavone	....	production sound mixer
John Schritt	....	foley engineer

Special Effects by
Tim Harding	....	special effects coordinator
John Jennissen	....	special effects first assistant
Ryan Patton	....	special effects second assistant: daily
Robert Potter	....	special effects second assistant: daily
Arlea Ashcroft	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Brad Hoplock	....	visual effects
Mark Savela	....	special visual effects designer
Jeremy Hampton	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Joel Skeete	....	digital compositor: Ronin Visual Effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Lori MacKay	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Garth Merkeley	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Chuck Robinson	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Darren Ross	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Dan Skene	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
François Balcaen	....	key grip
Ryan Beresford	....	daily electrician: LX
Gabriel Daniels	....	lead grip
Conroy Finnegan	....	best boy grip (as Conroy Finnigan)
Allen Fraser	....	still photographer
Casey Harrison	....	daily second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jason Heke	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Ryan Herdman	....	lamp operator
Cliff Hokanson	....	Steadicam
Cliff Hokanson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Joao Holowka	....	gaffer (as João Luis Holowka)
Joe Hurlburt	....	intern: LX, FTM
Michael Kelly	....	daily electrician: LX
Jay Kohne	....	daily first assistant camera: "b" camera
Charles Konowal	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Darren Lannoo	....	rigging grip
Aaron Mallin	....	daily camera trainee
Conor McGoey	....	daily grip
Craig McWade	....	daily grip
Jeremy Milmine	....	lead electric (as Jeremiah Milmine)
Jonathan Muller	....	camera trainee
Murray O'Shea	....	generator operator
Nicolas Phillips	....	daily rigging electric: LX (as Nicholas Phillips)
Tai Pu	....	best boy electric
Daniel Quesnel	....	daily second assistant camera: "b" camera
Chris Roy	....	daily grip
Paul Sigurdson	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as [Paul] Einar Sigurdson)
Vince Syposh	....	daily grip
Terry Thiessen	....	grip
Robert Thomson	....	dolly grip (as Robert H. Thomson)
Shauna Townley	....	daily first assistant camera: "b" camera

Animation Department
Gary Barringer	....	animator

Casting Department
Eleanor Erum	....	extras casting assistant
Kari Rieger	....	extras casting: Kari Casting
Joey Ritche	....	casting associate: Canada (as Joey Ritchie)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolyn Bradshaw	....	truck costumer
Paula Dunfield	....	set costume supervisor
Nadine Falk	....	costume buyer
Karen Kristalovich	....	assistant costume designer
Amy Sztulwark	....	costume assistant
Angela Wells	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gord Higham	....	dailies: HD
Andrew Shire	....	technician: Avid
Brittany Smith	....	assistant editor
Ben Wytinck	....	on-line assistant
Tony Wytinck	....	on-line editor

Transportation Department
Boris Danyliuk	....	driver
Ron Jennings	....	daily driver
Glen Kerr	....	driver: honeywagon (as Glenn Kerr)
Jason LaFrance	....	picture vehicles
Dave Perich	....	driver (as David Perich)
Garry 'Diesel' Trosky	....	transportation coordinator (as Garry Trosky)
Corey Walker	....	daily driver
Ralph Walker	....	transport captain (as D. Ralph Walker)
David Wharry	....	driver: cast
Jeff Zaporzan	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Neal Baksh	....	assistant location manager: off-site
Crystal Biloski	....	daily production assistant
Tony Braga	....	security coordinator
Milt Bruchanski	....	location scout (as Milton Bruchanski)
Michael Buffi	....	production assistant
Michael Chirsky	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Courchaine	....	second assistant accountant
Randy Cyr	....	assistant location manager: on-set
Barb DeJonge	....	office production assistant
Andrew Eddy	....	vice president: program strategy and investment
Cathie J. Edgar	....	location manager (as Cathie Edgar)
Jordan Fines	....	animal wrangler (as Jordan Heppner)
Wendy Gaboury	....	production accountant
Andrew Gallinger	....	production assistant
Don Gaudet	....	general manager: programming, Sun TV
Kate Godley	....	set production assistant
Trina Hickey	....	associate to the producers
Andrea Hutchison	....	production coordinator (as Andrea J. 'Hollywood' Hutchison)
Robert Lagrou	....	watchperson
Derek Luis	....	executive director: independent films, Sun TV (as Derrick Luis)
Tanya Mazur	....	script supervisor
Nathan McDougall	....	sous chef
Ross Mrazek	....	production financing: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Jennifer Omoth	....	first assistant accountant
Sara Paquin	....	assistant to executive producer
Judy Penner	....	clerk
Monique Perro	....	assistant to producer
Paul Popeski	....	production counsel
John Prentice	....	daily production assistant
Dave Priestly	....	daily production assistant
Barbara Sacks	....	financial supervisor
RoseAnna Schick	....	electronic press kit
RoseAnna Schick	....	publicist
Carl Scott	....	catering
Carolyn Stamegna	....	production counsel: Goodmans LLP
Judy Thomlinson	....	craft service assistant (as Judy Tomlinson)
Samantha Traub	....	production counsel: Goodmans LLP (as Samantha)
Michelle Walker	....	craft service
Michelle Walker	....	first aid
John Weber	....	production executive
Ryan Wuckert	....	office production assistant
Cory Fines	....	assistant animal trainer (uncredited)
Chantelle Kadyschuk	....	location trainee (uncredited)
Fawnda Neckoway	....	office production assistant intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Cindy Lavallee	....	special thanks
Roger Roulette	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Peace Arch Entertainment Group (presents) (as Peace Arch Entertainment)
• Paquin Entertainment Group (producer) (as Paquin Entertainment)
• Sci Fi Pictures (produced in association with) (as SCI-FI Pictures)
• Movie Central Network (produced in association with) (as Movie Central)
• Buffalo Gal Pictures
• Hallmark Entertainment
• RHI Entertainment

Distributors

• EuroVideo (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Genius Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Vietnam) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Primewave Corporation (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sci-Fi Channel, The (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Time Warner Cable (2007) (USA) (all media)

Special Effects

• Ronin Visual Effects (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Kari Casting  extras casting
• Mid Canada Production Services  supplied by: HD cameras & equipment (as MidCanada Production Services Inc. Winnipeg, Canada)
• Mid Canada Production Services  supplied by: Dolby 5.1 mixing & post production services (as MidCanada Production Services Inc. Winnipeg, Canada)
• Goodmans  production counsel
• CIBC  production financing (as Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce)
• Sega Corporation  courtesy of: House of the Dead II and House of the Dead III, ©SEGA. All Rights Reserved
• Citizens of Winnipeg, The  thank you to
• City of Winnipeg, Film & Cultural Affairs Office  thank you to
• Sun TV  funds provided by (as Sun TV's Priority Production Fund)
• Manitoba Film and Video Tax Credit Program  with the participation of: shot entirely in the Province of Manitoba (as the Government of Manitoba - Manitoba Film and Video Tax Credit)
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)  with the participation of
• American Humane Association, The  acknowledgment (as Film & TV Unit A Program of American Humane)
• DGC  acknowledgment (as DGC Directors Guild of Canada - Manitoba District Council)
• IATSE Local 856  acknowledgment (as I.A.T.S.E. 856 Motion Picture Technicians)
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 669  acknowledgment (as I.A.T.S.E. 669)
• Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)  acknowledgment (as ACTRA)

Also Known As:

"Slime" - Japan (English title) (DVD title)

Runtime:

Canada:90 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Peace Arch Entertainment Group

Quotes:

[first lines]
Hard Hat:[noisey construction site] Are you afraid?
Dutch:What?
Hard Hat:Are - you - afraid?
Dutch:Afraid of what?

Movie Connections:

References "The Tyra Banks Show" (2005)

The Return of Eco-Horror...

...in the form of The Goo That Kills! From beneath the earth, it gets up and kills! Die, you pitiful humans with no respect for Mother Nature! Die in Hell and suffer a Thousand Deaths!

Nevermind that. I just felt like screaming something, anything, whatever, after seeing The Goo That Puts You To Sleep. There I was thinking the concept of a sinister mass of undefined substance rising from the bowels of the earth to take revenge on mankind sounded kind of cool. Knowing beforehand that this was (co-)produced by RHI, I knew I didn't have to expect a horror flick heavy on the stomach. RHI produces films & mini-series for television, but at least from what I had seen of them so far, most of their productions were supported by decent budgets, nice effects and a capable cast. I'm talking stuff from the 90's here, like the outer-space thriller "Lifepod" (1993) and their adaptation of "Gulliver's Travels" (1994). But after just now having seen "Something Beneath", I took the liberty of looking up their filmography as a production company again. And oh yes, things really went downhill for them in this new millennium. I can't see anyone who has seen the recent "Rise of the Gargoyles" (2009) disagreeing with me on that.

As the main location in "something Beneath", we have some sort of hotel/resort in which an environmental conference is about to be held. But the conference never happens, as guests start dying mysterious deaths. Responsible for the killings, is this black goo that's got the whole plumbing system of the resort messed up. When your skin touches the goo, you start hallucinating about your deepest fears, and you die, in one way or another. A guy who has asthma, gets pulled into the ground and suffocates. An extremely annoying celebrity babe - who again has me convinced that all video-bloggers are narcissistic, egotistical morons - gets assaulted by an ugly old hag coming from a mirror. A guy who likes playing zombie-shooting games gets attacked by the living dead. And this goes on until some priest & an executive lady in charge figure out what's going on. Then they hit the sewers and try to destroy this thing from beneath. It all turns out to be the umpteenth blue-print for yet another unworthy creature feature.

I admit, there are much worse films out there and still being made in this day and age, even for television (Sci-Fi Channel products probably is your safest bet to catch one of those). But "Something Beneath" turned out so unimaginative and uninspired, I couldn't even have much fun with it. The plot throws in a whole bunch of very different characters, and none of them really work together at any point. The make-up effects are passable. The CGI just average (and thankfully not overused). The orchestrated death sequences try to be original, but painfully lack a decent execution and are poorly crafted. No mood, no atmosphere, no tension, no scares. The final money shot of the blob creature in all its glory is present, but the damn thing doesn't do anything. Yes, it hints at something Lovecraftian or may even have you reminiscing some older, British B&W sci-fi classics, but nobody can convince me that all this served as an inspiration to the makers of "Something Beneath". And how they defeat the slimy creature this time, is simply preposterous.

I can't imagine in a million years "Something Beneath" being worth it for any serious horror fan. Perhaps Kevin Sorbo fans might watch and enjoy it, but what else would they do in their spare time anyway? So for those who decide to watch this film and happen to think it's awesome, you can go seek out Jim Wynorski's "Project Viper" (2002). It's an equally awesome movie, but this time featuring an undefined gray gooey substance from space. And if you want to take it a few steps up the quality ladder and watch an undiscovered recent masterpiece in the 'undefined organisms engulfing the earth and swallowing mankind' sub-genre, there's this one film called "Living Hell (aka Organizm)" (2008) that will probably rock your world. Enjoy!