The Shortcut (2009)

Director:

Nicholaus Goossen

Writers (WGA):

Dan Hannon (written by) &
Scott Sandler (written by)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Two brothers come upon a rarely used shortcut in their new town |

Plot Keywords:

Shortcut | Climbing Through A Window | Strangulation | Double Barreled Shotgun | Dragging A Body

Cast

Kent Allen	...	Mr. Hartley
Wendy Anderson	...	Derek's Mom
Raymond J. Barry	...	Old Man / Ivor Hartley (as Raymond Barry)
Jeremy Bastian	...	Benjamin Hartley (1940s)
Katrina Bowden	...	Christy
Cavan Cunningham	...	School Administrator
William B. Davis	...	Benjamin Hartley
Benjamin DeWalt	...	Benjamin Hartley (1950s)
Nicholas Elia	...	Tobey
Josh Emerson	...	Taylor
Dave Franco	...	Mark
Jonelle Gunderson	...	Sally (1950s)
Shannon Jardine	...	Ms. Milan
Scott Lyster	...	Dougie
Christine MacInnis	...	Mrs. Hartley
Daniel Maslany	...	Ivor Hartley (1950s)
Maxine Miller	...	Grandma
Tracy-Lynn Pugsley	...	Irene
Rob Roy	...	Mr. Armstrong
Jaden Ryan	...	Kid #1
Drew Seeley	...	Derek
Jeff Stone	...	Teen Boy #2
Scott Woloshin	...	Kid #2
Shannon Woodward	...	Lisa
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Hannon	...	Ricky / Dead Guy (uncredited)
Kristy Landers	...	Sarah (uncredited)
Lindsey Landers	...	Jessie (uncredited)
Chris Titone	...	Grill master (uncredited)

Directed by
Nicholaus Goossen

Writing credits (WGA)
Dan Hannon		(written by) &
Scott Sandler		(written by)

Produced by
Kevin DeWalt	....	executive producer
Simon Edery	....	executive producer
Scott Einbinder	....	producer
Philip Fier	....	executive producer
Jack Giarraputo	....	executive producer
Dan Hannon	....	co-producer
Adam Sandler	....	executive producer
Scott Sandler	....	producer
Tyler Spindel	....	co-producer
Janine Stener	....	associate producer
Ingo Vollkammer	....	producer
Ryan Westheimer	....	line producer: additional photography
Brian Witten	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Suby

Cinematography by
Mark Irwin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jake York

Casting by
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger		(as Lindsey Kroeger)
David Rapaport

Production Design by
Marian Wihak

Set Decoration by
Andrea Spakowski

Costume Design by
Sonja Clifton-Remple

Makeup Department
Nicole Dumelie	....	assistant hair stylist
Jennifer Forberg	....	assistant makeup artist
Tracy George	....	makeup department head
Tamara Harrod	....	key hair stylist
Emersen Ziffle	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
C. Christel	....	production supervisor: additional photography
Ty Hyland	....	production manager (as Ty Hyland-Lott)
Heather Malek	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elizabeth Farrer	....	second assistant director
Tyler Forrest	....	trainee assistant director
Danny Giles	....	key second assistant director: additional photography
Michael Neumann	....	first assistant director
Tyler Spindel	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Adrienne Conley	....	set designer
Johanna de Vries	....	scenic artist
Daniel McKay	....	scenic painter
Trixi Moersch	....	props assistant
Travis Neufeld	....	second assistant art director
Kimberley Phaneuf	....	scenic artist
Skye Rolick	....	property master
Danny Scavuzzo	....	construction coordinator
Johann Wessels	....	scenic artist
Jordy Wihak	....	property master
Laura Wolfe	....	on set dresser

Sound Department
Joshua Adeniji	....	additional sound effects editor
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Levent Erdogan	....	sound editor
Jason Gaya	....	adr mixer
Corey J. Grasso	....	adr mixer
Angela Hemingway	....	adr dialogue editor
Scott Hinkley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cody King	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kitting	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Tiffany Lentz	....	assistant sound editor
Zach Michaelis	....	foley mixer
Randolph Saucedo	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Wade Maurer	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
T.J. Bews	....	stunt coordinator
Jason Gray	....	stunt double
Dan Skene	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Maya Batten-Young	....	lamp operator
Chad Biesenthal	....	grip
Layton Burton	....	steadicam
Andrew Chojnacki	....	additional grip
Meghan Cosenzo	....	camera trainee
Michael Di Ricco	....	electrician
Allan Feildel	....	still photographer
Tom Gardiner	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Andrew Gordon	....	gaffer
Gord Hearn	....	best boy grip
Kyle Mrazek	....	best boy: electric
Rob Parrell	....	key grip
Michael Pavlovsky	....	second assistant camera
Andrew Pedley	....	digital imaging technician
Andrew Pedley	....	digital video assist operator
Jesse Sannerud	....	first assistant camera: b
Ryan Scott	....	genny op
Dean Stinchcombe	....	first assistant camera
Kobus Vermaak	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Janice M. Bernier	....	extras casting
Carmen Kotyk	....	casting: Canada
Julie Swistak	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kerri La Londe	....	set supervisor (as Kerri Lalonde)
Riley Lawson	....	costume trainee
Robin Merrifield	....	truck costumer
Joanna Vollhoffer	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Jake Hamilton	....	editorial assistant
Sarah Farrand	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Bryan Ling	....	music supervisor
Levent Erdogan	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Stephan Fuchs	....	driver

Other crew
Stacey Caldwell	....	key craft service
Kari Fonkalsrud	....	post accountant
Ian Gardner	....	production coordinator
Steven Hearn	....	location manager
Lauren 'Fluff' Lindsay	....	craft service
Cindy MacDonald	....	production coordinator
Rob Miller	....	production office assistant
Nathan Mosewich	....	assistant location manager
Cheryl Rizzo	....	assistant: Happy Madison
Shane B. Scott	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Sparrowhawk	....	director observer
Gail Tilson	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Happy Madison Productions (as Scary Madison Productions)
• Minds Eye Entertainment

Distributors

• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Albania) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Bulgaria) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Hungary) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Kosovo) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Republic of Macedonia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Montenegro) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Poland) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Romania) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Serbia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2011) (Slovenia) (all media)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• DLN Films (2012) (UK) (all media)
• Just Bridge Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Just Bridge Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Leomax Entertainment (2009) (USA) (all media)

Other Companies

• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantor
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, language, sexual material, thematic elements and brief teen drinking

Runtime:

Germany:100 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:16 | UK:15 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Company:

Happy Madison Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: It is announced at the beginning of the film that the year is 1945, and there is a prominent banner for Hartley High School's Homecoming. A young man entering the Marines says he's going to be stationed in Germany, which is important because he has to "Stop the Nazis." Homecoming dances at USA high schools are in October or November, which means the dialogue takes place in October or November of 1945. Hitler committed suicide in April of 1945, and the Nazi party quickly dissolved. World War II was over by the time this conversation took place.

Movie Connections:

References Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008) (VG)

Fairly average teenage slasher movie

This movie was, well truth be told, fairly average.

The storyline was pretty much like taken from a mold of how to make a teenage slasher movie, nothing new or super surprising to the story actually. You have your newly arrived family to a town, a crazy old man in the woods, and a bunch of teenagers with their noses in places they don't belong. And with that recipe, "The Shortcut" is set off to an otherwise alright ride.

The movie moves ahead at a good pace actually, never becoming stale or boring. There is a good turn of events throughout the movie, and some nice character build as well. This is some of the stronger elements that work for the movie.

As for the cast, well I think they actually put together an alright group of people here for the movie. Raymond J. Barry in the role of the 'old man' was actually good, he did come off the screen sort of aloof, but I wouldn't say he was creepy, as the teens in the movie described him. As for the young cast, well they did good jobs with their characters as well, but for me it was Raymond J. Barry who carried the movie.

Now, for a slasher movie, there isn't a whole lot of blood and gore, but that is alright, because the movie didn't' really need it. It was more thriving on building up suspense and atmosphere. However, I must say that you have the storyline figured out fairly quickly into the movie, but still, the movie is worth watching. And the ending, had a rather unusual twist to it. Whether you like that particular twist or not is a matter of opinion. I, personally, found the ending to be over the top, it just didn't seem like a wholesome way to round up the movie. But of course, this is a matter of taste.

One of the better scenes in the movie was the hammer scene. Without giving anything away, you will know what I am talking about when you see it. That scene was so good, and the aftermath was working out nice as well.

And what was really working for "The Shortcut" was the atmosphere of the setting and scenery. There was a whole seedy, dormant feel to the town in which it took place. And the old man's house, though described as creepy and disturbing by the teenagers, wasn't what they said it was. But, I will say that the old man's house was interesting, and it had a very gloomy feel to it, with some fairly interesting items to be seen here and there.

As movies go, do not expect the next Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger to be born from this movie. It is a fairly average movie, and it is one that fails to stand out in the slasher genre. Sad to say, but you watch this movie and then it will fade into oblivion, because nothing really makes it extraordinary or standing out in any way.

I found the movie to prove adequate entertainment for its one and a half hour (approximately) duration, though it is not a movie that I will be returning to for a second time around.