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IMDbPro

Shallow Ground

  • 20042004
  • RR
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
Shallow Ground (2004)
  • Horror
  • Thriller
A naked teenage boy covered in blood appears at a remote sheriff's station one year after the brutal unsolved murder of a local girl. Now Sheriff Jack Shepherd, guilt ridden over the girl's ... Read allA naked teenage boy covered in blood appears at a remote sheriff's station one year after the brutal unsolved murder of a local girl. Now Sheriff Jack Shepherd, guilt ridden over the girl's murder, must confront his own demons as he desperately searches for the boy's true identit... Read allA naked teenage boy covered in blood appears at a remote sheriff's station one year after the brutal unsolved murder of a local girl. Now Sheriff Jack Shepherd, guilt ridden over the girl's murder, must confront his own demons as he desperately searches for the boy's true identity and possible victims. Little does Jack realize that he has started down a path that will... Read all
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sheldon Wilson
  • Writer
    • Sheldon Wilson
  • Stars
    • Timothy V. Murphy
    • Stan Kirsch
    • Lindsey Stoddart
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sheldon Wilson
  • Writer
    • Sheldon Wilson
  • Stars
    • Timothy V. Murphy
    • Stan Kirsch
    • Lindsey Stoddart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 86User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Photos16

    John Kapelos as LeRoy Riley
    Lindsey Stoddart as Laura Russell
    Natalie Avital as Darby Owens
    Patty McCormack as Helen Reedy
    Rocky Marquette as the Boy
    Stan Kirsch as Stuart Dempsey
    Steve Eastin as Detective Russell
    Timothy V. Murphy as Sheriff Jack Shepard
    Ori Pfeffer in Shallow Ground (2004)
    Shallow Ground (2004)
    Shallow Ground (2004)
    Shallow Ground (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Timothy V. Murphy
    Timothy V. Murphy
    • Jack Sheppardas Jack Sheppard
    Stan Kirsch
    Stan Kirsch
    • Stuart Dempseyas Stuart Dempsey
    Lindsey Stoddart
    Lindsey Stoddart
    • Laura Russellas Laura Russell
    Patty McCormack
    Patty McCormack
    • Helen Reedyas Helen Reedy
    Rocky Marquette
    Rocky Marquette
    • Boyas Boy
    Natalie Avital
    Natalie Avital
    • Darby Owensas Darby Owens
    Chris Hendrie
    Chris Hendrie
    • Albert Underhillas Albert Underhill
    Tara Killian
    Tara Killian
    • Amy Underhillas Amy Underhill
    Myron Natwick
    Myron Natwick
    • Harveyas Harvey
    Steve Eastin
    Steve Eastin
    • Detective Russellas Detective Russell
    John Kapelos
    John Kapelos
    • Leroy Rileyas Leroy Riley
    Christine Avila
    Christine Avila
    • Mrs. Underhillas Mrs. Underhill
    Ori Pfeffer
    Ori Pfeffer
    • Curtisas Curtis
    Victor Campos
    Victor Campos
    • Bus Driveras Bus Driver
    John MacKane
    John MacKane
    • Passenger #1as Passenger #1
    John Henry Whitaker
    John Henry Whitaker
    • Passenger #2as Passenger #2
    • (as John Whitaker)
    Tom Druilhet
    Tom Druilhet
    • Passenger #3as Passenger #3
    Sheri Foster
    Sheri Foster
    • Female Detectiveas Female Detective
    • Director
      • Sheldon Wilson
    • Writer
      • Sheldon Wilson
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In reference to the scene where Darby gets attacked in the medical van, Natalie Avital said: "The stunt coordinator was great. For the scene where I am hanging from the branch they had this box and between takes they would throw the box in for me to rest on. It was a little wild when I was hanging, but I was hanging."
    • Goofs
      The sheriff carries a Ruger Mini-14 rifle throughout the film, however there is never a magazine in the weapon. Though Ruger does make a version of the rifle with a fixed internal magazine, you can clearly see the open magazine well in a few shots; he's carrying an empty weapon.
    • Quotes

      Stuart Dempsey: Things haven't exactly been normal around here, you know what I'm saying?

      Detective Russell: Things haven't been normal anywhere for the last 24 hours.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Mortuary (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      No One Leaves
      Written by Nicole Hughes, Jeff Dalziel and Steve London

      Performed by Scratching Post

      Produced by Jeff Dalziel

      Co-produced by Nicole Hughes

      Courtesy of Sony/ATV Music and Raglan Road Music Publishing

    User reviews86

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Disturbing.
    Disturbing.

    It is true that there are many issues in Shallow Ground that hamper its performance as a masterpiece and keep it from reaching classic status. The acting, for example, was far from excellent, there are too many easily perceived goofs and the characters fail to make any impression other than that of their physical presence on set and even that can almost be disregarded, at times.

    Yet, there is a very fortunate combination of factors that rise this movie above the average, uninspired product with little or no value. First of all, the scenery. Not only are the woods chosen a very strong visual setting in which to unroll a horror story as it was explored almost to the fullest. Instead of the typical dark-hued and mostly shady forest environment for which most of these movies would go for, Shallow Ground opts to shoot sun dappled clearings and light flooded groves. And this green preponderance is shockingly effective when it becomes the background for the blood soaked boy whose silent performance may very be one of the most uncanny characters ever to haunt a horror movie.

    Which is another strong feature in this movie, perhaps the most original one, the nameless creation whose identity is a mystery and whose purpose is never fully explained. Although many will claim this is a fault in the script, that plot-wise it is a muddle of never fully developed ideas, in a way that is exactly its allure. A horror movie must leave something to the imagination, there is not need to skin down motives and expose a very well define system of motivations for it to work as a nightmarish concoction of the not necessarily logic.

    Although it does remind one of an X Files Episode, the gruesome and very often blood spattered approach that permeates the whole movie set it a few rungs above the toned down horror of our days.

    At least, Shallow Ground is not afraid to be a pure horror movie, one that accepts the rules of the genre only to introduce fresh variations within a tradition that seemed to be dying off. Shallow Ground may the first movie of the 2000's to follow the Texas Chainsaw legacy.

    And that is praise worthy.
    helpful•12
    7
    • gothic_a666
    • Mar 5, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 28, 2005 (Russia)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Shallow ground: Bajo tierra
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Deco Filmworks
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $72,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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