The Echo (2008/I)

Director:

Yam Laranas

Writers (WGA):

Eric Bernt (screenplay) and
Shintaro Shimosawa (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 May 2009 (South Korea)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Open the door... I know you're in there.

Plot:

An ex-con moves into an old apartment building, where he encounters a domestic problem involving a police officer, his wife, and their daughter. When he tries to intervene, however, a mysterious curse entraps him. |

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Police Officer | Playing Chess | Remake Of Asian Film | Nightmare

Cast

Jesse Bradford	...	Bobby
Amelia Warner	...	Alyssa
Carlos Leon	...	Hector Rodriguez
Iza Calzado	...	Gina
Kevin Durand	...	Walter
Louise Linton	...	Katie
Jamie Bloch	...	Carly
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Joseph
Aron Tager	...	Old Man
Hrant Alianak	...	Max
Jayne Eastwood	...	Lucille Jiminez
Arnold Pinnock	...	Officer Cole
Marvin Hinz	...	Detective
George Santino	...	Manager
Paulette Sinclair	...	Helen Davis
Bathsheba Garnett	...	Old Russian Woman
Stacey LaBerge	...	Student
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brendan Carmody	...	University student
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee	...	Dr. Morris
Robert Morse	...	Construction worker no 1
Vanessa Petronelli	...	Waitress
Courtenay J. Stevens	...	Older Cop

Directed by
Yam Laranas

Writing credits (WGA)
Eric Bernt		(screenplay) and
Shintaro Shimosawa		(screenplay)
Yam Laranas		(film "Sigaw") and
Roy Iglesias		(film "Sigaw")

Produced by
Eric Bernt	....	executive producer
Don Carmody	....	executive producer
Doug Davison	....	producer
Elliot Ferwerda	....	executive producer
Kimberly Fox	....	executive producer
Robert Hoff	....	executive producer
Michael Kessler	....	associate producer
Roy Lee	....	producer
Tyler Mitchell	....	producer
Shintaro Shimosawa	....	producer
Will Wright	....	producer
Irene Yeung	....	co-producer

Original Music by
tomandandy

Cinematography by
Matthew Irving

Film Editing by
John Coniglio

Casting by
Tina Gerussi
Nancy Nayor

Production Design by
Franco De Cotiis

Art Direction by
Michele Brady

Set Decoration by
Caroline George-Kohne
Carol Lavoie
John Cameron Martin
John Rankin
Geoffrey Smith

Costume Design by
Joanne Hansen

Makeup Department
Katie Brennan	....	makeup department head
Amber Chase	....	assistant makeup artist
Karola Dirnberger	....	head hair stylist
Paul Jones	....	special makeup effects designer
Paul Molnar	....	key makeup artist
Francisca Saavedra	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tanya Barringer	....	production manager: New York
Hartley Gorenstein	....	production manager
Gregor Hutchison	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tim Cushen	....	assistant director
Catherine Lew	....	second assistant director
Fatima Palhetas	....	trainee assistant director
Sterling Thomas	....	third assistant director
Patrick Tidy	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ryan Falkner	....	storyboard artist
William Koon	....	assistant key scenic
Andrea Kristof	....	assistant art director
Stephen Levitt	....	property master
Arlene Lott	....	assistant art director
Reet Puhm	....	key scenic artist

Sound Department
Steve Baine	....	foley artist
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Todd Beckett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Denis Bellingham	....	boom operator
Roderick Deogrades	....	sound effects editor
Hugo Jeffreys	....	adr recordist
Matthew McKenzie	....	adr mixer
Jason Perreira	....	re-recording assistant
Jill Purdy	....	dialogue & adr editor
Trent Richmond	....	assistant sound editor
David Rose	....	sound effects editor
Brad Thornton	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Tony Kenny	....	special effects coordinator
Chris Wallace	....	mastergrade colourist

Visual Effects by
Kyle Boylen	....	digital compositor
Noel Hooper	....	visual effects supervisor
Haydn Masuda	....	digital compositor
Christa Tazzeo	....	visual effects producer
Neil Williamson	....	visual effects executive producer
Motassem Younes	....	digital opticals

Stunts
Brendan Carmody	....	stunt rigger
Cosette Derome	....	stunt double
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Raphael Boettger	....	daily grip
Brendan Carmody	....	on-set videographer
Kristin Fieldhouse	....	camera trainee
Rudy Katkic	....	Steadicam operator: "a" camera
Geoff Knight	....	electrician: New York
Patrick Krauter	....	grip
Mark Manchester	....	key grip
Robert McRae	....	key gaffer
Marvin Midwicki	....	camera operator
Steve Mrkobrada	....	camera operator
Mike Nieuwland	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Douglas G. Reid	....	best boy electric
Zenfeek	....	gaffer: New York

Casting Department
John Barba	....	casting associate
Jane Rogers	....	background casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karen Eppstadt	....	key wardrobe breakdown artist
Maria Fermo	....	costume supervisor
Sandra E. Hibovski	....	costume buyer

Editorial Department
Peter Armstrong	....	digital intermediate producer
Sue Len Quon	....	assistant editor
Dave Muscat	....	digital intermediate editor
Lorraine Samuel	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Kevin Banks	....	music editor
Alex Todorov	....	score recording & mixing

Transportation Department
Randy O'Connell	....	driver
Gary Russell	....	driver
Tanya Russell	....	transportation coordinator
Rob White	....	transportation co-captain
Robert White	....	transportation co-captain
Ian C. Harris	....	daily driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Cynthia Amsden	....	unit publicist
Coralie Brady	....	assistant location manager
James Burke	....	production assistant
Nuno Capitao de Salles	....	cast personal trainer
Janet Chandler	....	payroll accountant
Jennifer Drevnig	....	on-set tutor
Melissa Girotti	....	production coordinator
Quincy Gow	....	production assistant
Stephanie Holinski	....	production assistant
Rebecca Hughes	....	production assistant
Sarah Jene	....	assistant to executive producer
Dahla MacKenna	....	educational supervisor
Sandy Morrow	....	script supervisor
Pete Nilson	....	on-set caterer
Desmond Paes	....	production accountant
Lisa Perone	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeannine Sharp	....	first assistant production accountant
John Shone	....	location assistant
Abbey Taylor	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Vertigo Entertainment
• RightOff Entertainment
• Echo Productions
• QED International

Distributors

• Blue Sky Media (2009) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Prime Entertainment (2009) (Korea) (theatrical)
• CInema Hotel Corporation (CHC) (2010) (Kazakhstan) (theatrical)
• QED International (2008) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Viva International Pictures (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Pandastorm Pictures (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2009) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Invisible Pictures (visual effects)
• Paul Jones Effects Studio (make-up effects)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Toronto  post-production facilities
• Digital Post Services  trailer mastering
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Eisner & Frank  production legal
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• Pivotal Post  Avid Editing Equipment Provided By
• Regal Films  rights broker (as Regal Entertainment)
• RightOff Entertainment  funding
• Tattersall Sound  picture editing facilities
• Tattersall Sound  sound post-production
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, disturbing images and brief language

Runtime:

South Korea:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Portugal:M/16 | USA:R | Mexico:B15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA (2010) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Vertigo Entertainment

Trivia:

This is a remake of the Filipino horror movie entitled "Sigaw".

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Echo (2004)

Comes Alive Only in the Second Half

Ever since I heard about it, I wanted to watch this American production of a Filipino horror film, with the same director (Yam Laranas) at the helm. However, when I heard it went straight to DVD instead of wide theatrical release, I knew I had to temper my expectations.

The first half of this movie moves at a literal snail's pace. There was nothing much to establish, yet it certainly took its time. Bobby Reynolds (Jesse Bradford) earns parole from his prison term and went to live in his mother's apartment, which had been abandoned since her recent death. However, he sees strange things and hears strange sounds while he is there. This entire scenario with the Mom was not in the Philippine version at all, yet so much time was spent on this side story here.

However, in the second half, the movie finally comes alive when the story about the family who lived next door to Bobby finally gets dealt with in more of its gruesome detail. These scary scenes were shot very well, with the right amount of nervous tension. Still we see the victims do what most "horror movie victims" stupidly do to deserve their fates. The ending would seem to be quite simplistic given the extensive build-up to that point. This is especially true for us who had already seen the original before.

Jesse Bradford did well to convey how a macho ex-con could be the central character of a horror film, which is not typical. He did much better than the original actor. I felt it was too bad that Iza Calzado, who was given the chance to reenact her original role in this American version, was given little opportunity to fully delve into her disturbed character of the abused wife. Some time could have been spent to describe her situation more, than the excessive time given Jesse to explore his apartment. Knowing her character more could have increased the audience's satisfaction with the story's final outcome.