Shroud (2009)

Director:

David Jetre

Writer:

David Jetre (writer)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

Hell on Earth. And enough Heaven to stop it.

Plot:

In 1862 a Dutch widow travels to the Old West to discover the fate of her husband and learn the horrible secret of the town in which he died. |

Plot Keywords:

Old West | Medieval Times | Sequel | Gunslinger | Texas

Cast

Charles Baker	...	William 'Billy' Sidehammer
Dylan Barth	...	Abraham
Carlos Benitez	...	Comanchero 2
Donnie Blanz	...	Sloan
Chad Briley	...	Comorro
Paul Calahan	...	Roarke
Bryan Chatlien	...	Brisby
Mark Crosby	...	Curry
Larry Jack Dotson	...	Doc
Megan Duncan	...	Slave Child 2
Robert Duncan	...	Slave Child 1
Hope-Marie Henderson	...	Young Elizabeth (as Hope Henderson)
Melanie Holland	...	Lady Elektra
Grace Holley	...	Lady Orland
Jim Lawrence	...	Priest
Nicole Leigh	...	Victoria Celestine
Tex Marshall	...	Jed
Tyler Mason	...	Dr. Johnathan Celestine
Cameron McElyea	...	Mccoy
Jodie Moore	...	Jericho Lynch
Michael Peek	...	Cort
Russell Reynolds	...	Mayor Undercroft
Daniel Salinas	...	Comanchero 3
Morgana Shaw	...	Elizabeth
Joe D. Sorrels	...	James Truepenny
Kevin Squires	...	Bartender
Richard Stambaugh	...	Burdett
Dan'l Terry	...	Old Blind Man
Kip Turner	...	Cowboy
Steve Uzzell	...	Aaron
Chuck Watts	...	Train Passenger
John Weeks	...	Gulch Guillory
Christa White	...	Slave Child 5
Kameron White	...	Slave Child 4
Kyle White	...	Slave Child 3
Gaston Willig	...	Lord Riven
Gary L. Wimmer	...	Shimmy
Michael Zepeda	...	Comanchero 1

Directed by
David Jetre

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Jetre		writer

Produced by
Daniel Duncan	....	producer
David Jetre	....	producer
Edgar Pitts	....	producer
Brad Stephens	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Wolfgang Lackner

Cinematography by
H.R. Massey

Film Editing by
David Jetre
Brad Stephens

Casting by
Arlette Morgan

Art Direction by
David Jetre

Costume Design by
Marty van Kleek

Makeup Department
Lauren Napier	....	makeup artist
Wendy Sanders	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kellen Dengler	....	second unit director
Derek Nickell	....	second unit director
Brad Stephens	....	assistant director

Art Department
Moody Anderson	....	set dresser
Donnie Blanz	....	special weapons
Chad Briley	....	special weapons
Paul Calahan	....	special weapons
David Jetre	....	set designer
Evil John Mays	....	property master
Ugo Serrano	....	armour designer
Joseph Sorrells	....	special weapons
Patrick Thaden	....	armour designer
Toby Thomas	....	special weapons

Sound Department
Jason Manzano	....	sound recordist
Johnny Marshall	....	co-sound designer
Johnny Marshall	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lorie Mosley	....	sound recordist
Valerie Powers	....	boom operator
Brian Wilkerson	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Evil John Mays	....	creature effects

Stunts
David Jetre	....	fight choreographer

Camera and Electrical Department
Craig Ballin	....	camera operator
Bryan Chatlien	....	Steadicam operator
Bryan Chatlien	....	camera operator
Bryan Chatlien	....	still photographer
Scott M. Hathaway	....	swing grip
Tony Lopez-Cepero	....	best boy electric
Michael Morlan	....	gaffer
Robert C. Moseley Jr.	....	camera operator
Paul Patrin	....	key grip
Richard Welsh	....	grip

Editorial Department
Omar Godinez	....	colorist

Production Companies

• Jetrefilm Entertainment

Special Effects

• Studio 930

Other Companies

• Design & Technology Consulting Services  marketing
• Marshall Sound Design  sound post-production

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Jetrefilm Entertainment

Quotes:

Sloan:Why, you're as lovely as rain.
Victoria Celestine:Rain is common in England.
Sloan:Not in Arizona. Here is a rare and beautiful thing, a thing for which most men thirst.
Victoria Celestine:Here I believed that to be whiskey.

They tried really hard to make something out of nothing.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

To be fair, I really wanted to like this film. I highly approve of independent film makers who can secure all the ends that it takes to produce a film and market it themselves. There were things that I liked and the film piqued my curiosity until about 20 minutes into the thing, I began to question creative choices the director made - and not because I was being overly critical. I was attempting to view this film through the lens of being an indie film maker myself.

My kudos go to the art department, the set direction and use of props and costumes to make an authentic looking period piece. There's a lot that can be said for that. However, this film just has way too many nits to pick. The obvious one is the cinematographic choices, that resulted in a film that looked to be shot on a low quality HD camera, with no depth of field - and at 29.95 fps. This is glaring and totally pulls you out of any possible immersion, despite the brilliant landscapes, and shots of ships - trains - and characters.

As far as the writing, there was a lot of quick, very well written, concise dialogue through the beginning of the film - however around the middle, it's as though the writing started sounding like it was still in a first draft state. The director began retreating to the use of tired clichés, especially during the scene where the protagonist has a gun to Nicole Leigh's head and the bad guy makes sexually demeaning comments to her...which then resulted in nothing - just throwaway lines that added nothing. This was extremely misplaced, as it simply felt shoe-horned in to give the movie a more adult thematic element. It felt forced, because this sort of behavior is not evident or repeated anywhere else in the film. That is probably why it bothered so much, because of the lack of consistency.

The director obviously had a story to tell, and a lot of great elements to include in the movie, but as the movie pushes forward it really feels contrived and disjointed - like too many things are being pushed into the story and we're told most of it, instead of shown. The script could have done with a good re-write - and having the concepts *shown* rather than explained away through dialogue...which is a very wobbly crutch to rest the plot of the film on. Films that make use of a single concept and focus everything towards that singularly honed point are much better in leaving a lasting appeal...this is especially evident by the end, when the final revelation is revealed to deliver some dramatic poignancy...but left me laughing because it came from WAY out in left field. Why does this need to be an origin story of a character in classic literature? So much more could be said of it for using completely original characters and elements. Let the work stand on its own.

I understand the super natural overtones that were mentioned from the start were the eventual focus of the film, but 90% of the movie has no supernatural relevance and actually was more of a revenge film with completely normal characters. Unfortunately, all these problems persisted and despite a solid effort by the actors to deliver, the movie putters out before the climax. I would have given another star for the writing, if it had been consistent, but the last 2/3rds of the movie stretching out into so many different realms couldn't make up for that.