The Graves (2009)

Director:

Brian Pulido

Writer:

Brian Pulido (written by)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

In Skull City, Death is the least of your problems

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mine | Arizona | Black Belt | Road Trip | Supernatural Power

Cast

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
Christopher Vejnoska	...	Kirk (as Chris Vejnoska)
Brian Pulido	...	M. Mischief
Francisca Pulido	...	FP
Jess Acridge	...	Samuel
Kevin Berman	...	Tobias
Michael A. Stackpole	...	Joseph
Jimmy Calabrese	...	Himself
Bobby Calabrese	...	Himself
Davey Calabrese	...	Himself
Benjamin Glendenning	...	Comic Shop clerk
Luke Fisher	...	Comic Shop Patron
Chad Cooper	...	Piercer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Erin Johnson	...	Screamers Patron
Hannah Johnson	...	Screamers Patron
Mike Nelson	...	Unity Townsperson
George O'Barts	...	Concert goer
Shane Stevens	...	Savior (voice)
Brooke Wheeler	...	Comic Store Patron
Michelle Winters	...	Unity Townsperson
Lauryn Berger	...	Town Legion (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Pulido

Writing credits
Brian Pulido		(written by)

Produced by
Christine Acridge	....	executive producer
Cindy Acridge	....	executive producer
Jess Acridge	....	executive producer
Kevin Berman	....	executive producer
Joe Calderon	....	executive producer
Roe Caporael	....	executive producer
Kevin Hicks	....	executive producer
Tanya Hicks	....	executive producer
Brett Kalina	....	executive producer
Chris LaMont	....	producer
Brian Pulido	....	producer
Francisca Pulido	....	producer
Brian Ronalds	....	producer
Dean Matthew Ronalds	....	producer (as Dean Ronalds)
Chris Rothert	....	executive producer
Greg Seki	....	co-producer (as Gregory Seki)
F. Miguel Valenti	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jim Casella

Cinematography by
Adam Goldfine

Film Editing by
Dean Matthew Ronalds		(as Dean Ronalds)

Casting by
Nina Axelrod

Production Design by
Francisca Pulido

Art Direction by
George O'Barts

Costume Design by
Brooke Wheeler

Makeup Department
David Anaya	....	makeup artist
Ashlyn Melancon	....	key makeup artist
Emily Rowan	....	makeup artist
Dana Vargas	....	hair department head

Production Management
Mark Dufour	....	unit production manager
Francisca Pulido	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeremy Phoenix	....	first assistant director
Brian Sofsky	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Marc Lara	....	art production assistant
Tony Parker	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Kenneth Cross	....	boom operator
Stephen Harrison	....	supervising sound editor
Rick MacDonald	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Michael Peterson	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Adam Fanton	....	visual effects
Darren Fanton	....	visual effects
Cameron VanHook	....	visual effects
Kevin VanHook	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Matthew Bowman	....	best boy electric
Jon Carson	....	second assistant camera
Janaki Cedanna	....	first assistant camera
Janaki Cedanna	....	red camera technician
Corey Erwin	....	electrician
Fred Gibson	....	gaffer
Mark Harrison	....	grip
Mike Healy	....	grip
Andrew Hendrix	....	second second assistant camera
Andrew Hendrix	....	video operator
Jennifer McCuen	....	still photographer
Diana Price	....	still photographer
Gary W. Shaw	....	key grip
Torrey Speer	....	camera production assistant
N. Scott Trimble	....	camera operator
Jen Winterbotham	....	camera production assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer McCuen	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Milton Adamou	....	digital intermediate colorist
Spenser Crayola	....	colorist
Ernest Fairchild	....	post-production coordinator
Katie Fellion	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Nick Gallegos	....	assistant editor
Nick Gallegos	....	on-line editor
Oscar Velasquez	....	post-production assistant

Other crew
Howard Allen	....	script consultant
Shelley Marie Brown	....	promotions
Casey Fingerhut	....	production assistant
Luke Fisher	....	production assistant
Joe Gruberman	....	script supervisor
Carmen Howie	....	publicist
Heather O'Neil	....	production coordinator
Tony Parker	....	storyboard illustrator
Joe Russo	....	assistant to director
Joe Russo	....	key production assistant
Torrey Speer	....	production assistant
Mike Tank	....	location manager
Jen Winterbotham	....	production assistant

Thanks
Paul J. Alessi	....	special thanks (as Paul Alessi)
Sean Dubravac	....	special thanks
Matt Ilczuk	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Mischief Maker Studios
• Ronalds Brothers Films

Distributors

• After Dark Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• I-On New Media (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Buzz Factory, The  promotions
• Catering Excellence  catering
• Dark Falls PR  publicity services
• NPI Entertainment Payroll  payroll services (as NPI Production Services)
• Royalty Rope  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for bloody violence

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45656)

Filming Locations:

Wickenburg, Arizona, USA

Company:

Mischief Maker Studios

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: (at around 23 mins) Some crew members can be seen on the car's reflection.

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Graves 2: Return to Skull City (????)

Soundtrack:

Children of the Night

A Film With So Much Potential That Just Deflates

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

I had moderately high hopes for this one after the first ten minutes. Although I was a bit annoyed by the use of the hand-held video camera (this never works in movies, why add it to one if you do not need to) and the blood effects are so obviously the work of a computer... the sisters were likable enough and we are almost immediate thrown into a killer-chasing-victims mode.

I also had a few hopes because of the inclusion of Bill Moseley and Tony Todd. This is not Todd's finest work, but it is always nice to see him on screen. Moseley, on the other hand, has done a large amount of low-grade horror and his performances vary greatly depending on the project. Here, he throws himself right into it and I have to say it might be his best work since "Devil's Rejects".

The problem with the film is that while it is wonderful how fast it jumps into the action, it cannot keep up with the pace it set early on. It shifts gears and slows down part way through, and once we start focusing on the cult rather than the murderous brothers, it just loses a lot of the fun and becomes a weak story with little behind it. I feel there was more going on, and this could have been examined, but it just was not done.