The Graves (2009)

Two inseparable sister's visit to a remote mine town turns into a mind-bending fight for survival against menaces both human and supernatural.

Director:

Brian Pulido

Writer:

Brian Pulido

Stars:

Clare Grant, Jillian Murray, Bill Moseley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clare Grant	...	Megan Graves
Jillian Murray	...	Abby Graves
Bill Moseley	...	Caleb 'Cookie' Atwood
Tony Todd	...	Reverend Abraham Stockton
Amanda Wyss	...	Darlene Atwood
Randy Blythe	...	Deacon Luke (as D. Randall Blythe)
Shane Stevens	...	Jonah Lee Atwood
Barbara Glover	...	Mama
Patti Tindall	...	Becka Crane
Brian Ronalds	...	Pete Tyler
Dean Matthew Ronalds	...	Eric Tyler (as Dean Ronalds)
Cathy Rankin	...	Valerie Mills
Greg Seki	...	Gordy Evans
Bill Lippincott	...	Scottsdale Dad
Rosalie Michaels	...	Scottsdale Mom

Storyline

Present day. Arizona. Megan and Abby Graves are inseparable sisters that couldn't be less alike. Megan just graduated ASU with a marketing degree. She's a self-assured, naturally attractive rock chick with a black belt that she likes to use. Abby just barely graduated high school. She's a cute, Hot Topic Goth who's caustic and afraid of her own shadow. They share one thing: a life-long obsession with comics and pop culture. Simply put, they are beautiful geeks. In a few days, Megan will start a new job at in New York. To send her off in style, the sisters go on a wild, pop culture bender that includes a trip to uncharted Arizona in search of a kitchy roadside attraction. Instead, Megan and Abby happen on Skull City Mine, a weather-beaten, abandoned mine town converted into a self-guided tour. But Skull City harbors terrible, vexing secrets. It appears to be haunted. Its caretakers are murderous. Victims' souls are ripped from their bodies right before their eyes, and that's only the ...

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Plot Keywords:

mine | arizona | black belt | road trip | supernatural power | 

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Taglines:

In Skull City, Death is the least of your problems

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Genres:

Adventure | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for bloody violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gravesid

Filming Locations:

Wickenburg, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mischief Maker Studios, Ronalds Brothers Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Davey, Jimmy, and Bobby Calabrese, from the horror rock band Calabrese, all make an appearance in the movie.

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Goofs

When Abby and Megan are eating in the diner, the red Coca-Cola logos on their cups are painted over with red marker (apparently so as not to give Coke free advertising).

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Crazy Credits

Eli, The Gnome played by Boris, The Gnome

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Connections

Followed by The Graves 2: Return to Skull City

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Soundtracks

"Vampires Don't Exist"
Written and Performed by Calabrese

User Reviews

By Nature/Name

The two main actresses look really good in this. And one of them reminded me of Olivia Wilde somehow (although I can't say why). Other than that, you also have two "horror" heavyweights in the cast. But it also feels like quite a few characters got crammed into this. Technically done very solid, but the story might have needed a few tweaks here and there to work out better.

The usual "Duh" moments are not absent, quite the contrary and of course, although pretty feisty and not always in the "victim" role, our lead women do quite a few "stupid" things. Things that go against common sense that is.

What you should check out though, is the DVD of the movie. I only heard the first couple of minutes, but the commentaries on the Disc seem genuinely entertaining! Rent it and give it a listen (the thing they say about the baby is worth the rent money alone). Not great by long shot, but still far from the worst movies I've seen.