The Cry of the Owl (2009)

Director:

Jamie Thraves

Writers:

Jamie Thraves (written by)
Patricia Highsmith (novel)

Release Date:

19 August 2009 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What would you do if someone was watching you?

Plot:

A troubled young man retreats from the big city and his ex-wife for the tranquility of a small town. He is drawn into a relationship with a young woman whose boyfriend goes missing, leaving the new arrival as a suspect.

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Stalking | Stalker | Break Up | Promotion

Cast

Paddy Considine	...	Robert Forrester
Julia Stiles	...	Jenny Thierolf
Karl Pruner	...	Mr. Jaffe
Phillip MacKenzie	...	Lavigne Client
Gord Rand	...	Jack Neilson
James Gilbert	...	Greg Wyncoop
R.D. Reid	...	Mr. Kolbe
Caroline Dhavernas	...	Nickie Grace
Alex Karzis	...	Robert's Lawyer (as Constantine Alex Karzis)
Marcia Laskowski	...	Nickie's Lawyer
Krista Bridges	...	Elaine
Charlotte Sullivan	...	Sally Nielson
Robbie Campbell	...	Walt Neilson
Jennifer Kydd	...	Susie Escham
Dru Viergever	...	Bill
Peter MacNeill	...	Sam Rhodes
Jonah Allison	...	Police Officer #3
Brian Bisson	...	Police Officer #1
Arnold Pinnock	...	Detective Anderson
Bruce McFee	...	Detective Lippenholtz
Nicholas Campbell	...	Mr. Wyncoop
James Byron	...	Police Officer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mya Rylyn Banks	...	Baby at Party (uncredited)
Chris Gillett	...	Mr. Thierolf (uncredited)
Sarah Podemski	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Maria Ricossa	...	Mrs. Thierolf (uncredited)

Directed by
Jamie Thraves

Writing credits
Jamie Thraves		(written by)
Patricia Highsmith		(novel)

Produced by
Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre	....	producer
Kirk D'Amico	....	executive producer
Malte Grunert	....	producer
Jennifer Kawaja	....	producer
Ronald Kruschak	....	creative producer: Studio Hamburg
Jamie Laurenson	....	executive producer
Julia Sereny	....	producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer
Stephen Ujlaki	....	executive producer
Sytze Van Der Laan	....	producer (as Sytze van der Laan)
Harro von Have	....	associate producer
Claire Welland	....	line producer
Michael Wood	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jeff Danna

Cinematography by
Luc Montpellier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Charap

Casting by
Robin D. Cook
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Matthew Davies

Art Direction by
Brent McGillivray

Set Decoration by
Erica Milo

Costume Design by
Lea Carlson

Makeup Department
George Aywaz	....	key hair stylist
Stephen Lynch	....	key makeup artist
Amanda Milne	....	first hair assistant

Production Management
Gabriele Niemeyer	....	post-production supervisor
Claire Welland	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Black	....	second assistant director
Jack Boem	....	first assistant director: second unit
David Manion	....	first assistant director
John Sauvé	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Robert L. Blair	....	property master (as Bob Blair)
Nitram Dass	....	set dresser
Dwight Doerksen	....	construction manager
Ed Doerkson	....	head carpenter (as Ed Doerksen)
Neil Floyd	....	art department trainee
Brent Kelly	....	lead set dresser
Jordan Kerner	....	set dresser
Robin Klein	....	on-set dresser
Janet Macleod	....	set dec buyer
Jack McCullough	....	key scenic painter
Aaron Morrison	....	second assistant art director
Glen Roemer	....	assistant property master
Peeter Tammemagi	....	gun wrangler (as Peter Tammemagi)
Rob Taylor	....	head painter
Bill Williamson	....	assistant head carpenter

Sound Department
Thekla Demelius	....	sound assistant
Norbert Göke	....	head of sound post-production
Nigel Holland	....	sound designer
Nigel Holland	....	supervising sound editor
Dominik Oppon	....	foley recordist
Dimitrios Posukidis	....	adr recordist
Dimitrios Posukidis	....	dialogue editor
Annette Prey	....	adr editor
Peter Roigk	....	foley artist (as Peter Roik)
Peter Roigk	....	foley editor (as Peter Roik)
Ralph Thiekötter	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Brock Jolliffe	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Ronney Afortu	....	colorist

Stunts
Tom Farr	....	stunt rigger
Walter Masko	....	stunt double: James Gilbert
Christopher McGuire	....	stunt double: Robert (as Chris McGuire)
Alison Reid	....	stunt coordinator
Alison Reid	....	stunt double: Nickie
Bryan Renfro	....	stunt double: Jed
Robert C. Shannon	....	water safety

Camera and Electrical Department
Iain Baird	....	steadicam
Darren Boyce	....	key grip
Michael Curtis	....	electrician
Jeff Dasilva	....	second assistant camera
Greg Davis	....	grip
Andy Jekabsons	....	first assistant camera
Alex Jordan	....	electrician
Christos Kalohoridis	....	still photographer
Terry Kelly	....	gaffer
Tricia Meyer	....	camera loader
John Pogue	....	best boy
Anthony Police	....	dolly grip
Jerry Romanko	....	grip
Cactus Simser	....	generator operator
Jeff Smallacombe	....	best boy grip
Michael Spicer	....	camera operator
Michael Spicer	....	cinematographer: second unit
Allyn Terry	....	electrician
Ken Woroner	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jozi Conte	....	set supervisor (as Jozie Conte)
Lori Endes	....	wardrobe buyer
Lerelynne Phillips	....	assistant costume designer
Karen Steele	....	Truck Supervisor

Editorial Department
Julia Drache	....	assistant editor
Benjamin Gerstein	....	first assistant editor
Sebastian Lipp	....	assistant editor: VCC
Michael Nollet	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ursula Campbell	....	assistant music supervisor
Amy Fritz	....	music supervisor
Brad Haehnel	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Don Chan	....	transportation captain
Al MacNeil	....	transportation coordinator
Joseph Ramdath	....	unit driver

Other crew
Cynthia Amsden	....	unit publicist
Kimberley Bradley	....	production coordinator
Derek Brady	....	location manager
William Chrysler	....	office production assistant
Adam Chuckryk	....	stand-in
Jane Conway	....	animal wrangler
Tiffany Cox	....	office production assistant
Donna Gardon	....	script supervisor
Andrea Glinski	....	production executive
Brad Gratkowski	....	assistant location manager
Nico Grein	....	production coordinator
Rhonda Hall	....	stand-in
Marie-Noelle Hauville	....	general accountant (as Marie Noelle Hauville)
William Hawrylenko	....	location production assistant
Bill Hong	....	insert car operator
Geraldine Jourdan	....	production coordinator
Vera Kehlenbrink	....	production coordinator
Birgit Mangold	....	key accountant: Studio Hamburg
Baynu Misir	....	location production assistant
Keith Park	....	assistant location manager
Danny Pawlick	....	dialogue coach (as Dan Pawlick)
Basil Person	....	assistant production coordinator
A.J. Reynolds	....	office production assistant
Richard Rotter	....	office production assistant
Günther Russ	....	production executive: Studio Hamburg (as Guenther Russ)
Steve Sheridan	....	second assistant accountant
Nora Simmons	....	production accountant
Ute Storm	....	title designer: main title
Daniela Zomparelli	....	first assistant accountant

Production Companies

• BBC Films (in cooperation with)
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The
• MACT Productions
• Myriad Pictures
• Sienna Films
• Studio Hamburg International Production (SHIP)

Distributors

• CTV International (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Myriad Pictures (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• David Distribucion (2009) (Mexico) (all media)
• Eagle Films (2009) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Movie Bank (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel DVD (2011) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Eastside Communications  publicity: Germany)
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantor
• Studio Funk  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

Canada | UK | Germany | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45966) | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:MA (2011) | Finland:K-15 (video premiere) (2010) | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Claremont, Ontario, Canada

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

Scott Speedman was originally up for the role of Greg Wyncoop.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Owls fly silent so their prey cannot hear them. Their feathers are softer and therefore quieter against the wind.

Movie Connections:

References It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Soundtrack:

Roscoe

What happened? Where am I?

I am one of those people who believes that all good scary/thriller movies and books have one thing in common that makes them so scary: They could happen to you.

The events that take place in this movie have not happened to anyone, ever. They aren't believable, not in the least. So the film doesn't work as a drama, either, because the entire time, you're distracted, wondering: "WHEN does that happen???" Aside from the outlandish plot, the writing was clumsy. For a long time, I wasn't sure who the protagonist was supposed to be, and when I was sure, I wasn't motivated to care. I was just waiting for the movie to end. And the director, it seems, didn't care, either. Every scene went: Establishing shot, close-up of Paddy, close-up of Julia, splash of red, close-up of Paddy staring at Julia, patch of blue, scene. It didn't help that the actors were walking through their roles, too. They were bland and tasteless, and I'll be polite and leave it at that.

Five minutes in I was laughing hysterically and saying, "It's a dark comedy, right? Please tell me it's a dark comedy." If it were a dark comedy, I'd like it a lot better. Point is, it's still boring. Whether it's a drama, thriller, dark comedy, whatever the hell it was originally intended to be--believe me, I have no clue--I was bored out of my skull, and I wanted my money back.