Dark Water (2005)

A mother and daughter, still wounded from a bitter custody dispute, hole up in a run-down apartment building, where they are targeted by the ghost of a former resident.

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Kôji Suzuki (novel), Hideo Nakata (film Honogurai mizu no soko kara)

Stars:

Jennifer Connelly, Ariel Gade, John C. Reilly

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Connelly	...	Dahlia
John C. Reilly	...	Mr. Murray
Tim Roth	...	Jeff Platzer
Dougray Scott	...	Kyle
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Veeck
Camryn Manheim	...	Teacher
Ariel Gade	...	Ceci
Perla Haney-Jardine	...	Natasha / Young Dahlia
Debra Monk	...	Young Dahlia's Teacher
Linda Emond	...	Mediator
Bill Buell	...	Mediator
J.R. Horne	...	Man in Train
Elina Löwensohn	...	Dahlia's Mother
Warren Belle	...	UPS Man
Alison Sealy-Smith	...	Supervisor

Storyline

Dahlia Williams and her daughter Cecelia move into a rundown apartment on New York's Roosevelt Island. She is currently in the midst of divorce proceedings and the apartment, though near an excellent school for her daughter, is all she can afford. From the time she arrives, there are mysterious occurrences and there is a constant drip from the ceiling in the only bedroom. There are also noises coming from the apartment directly above hers, though it would appear to be vacant. Is the apartment haunted or is there a simpler explanation?

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | supernatural horror | female protagonist | grindhouse film | apartment | 

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Taglines:

This Season, The Mystery Of The Darkness Will Consume Your Life

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, frightening sequences, disturbing images and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

(at around 55 mins) When Dahlia moves her wet clothes from one washing machine to another, you can see the number, "666", pop up for a moment on the second washing machine. That number is known as the symbol of the Anti-Christ.

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Goofs

(at around 18 mins) In the custody office when Dahlia is arguing with Kyle over hers and Ceci's relocation, Dahlia takes out a newspaper cutting detailing how good the school near her new apartment is; she holds it up with her right hand. In the following shot the article has switched hands, and Kyle snatches it from her left hand.

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Quotes

Dahlia: [Referring to Natasha] There's water everywhere! She can't be here!

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Alternate Versions

Unrated version adds one scene (dream sequence) but removes the dream/reality scene (where Dahlia dreams that her daughter returns from her father) and the scene where Ceci calls Dahlia. In the end the unrated version runs ca 1 minute shorter.

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Connections

Referenced in Rewind This! (2013)

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Soundtracks

Electrified
Written by Mike Gallagher and Marc Ferrari
Performed by Mike Gallagher
Courtesy of Marc Ferrari/MasterSource

User Reviews

This is a beautiful film

I have never posted a review on this site, but I feel that I should inform some people on "Dark Water".This is NOT a horror film.Yes,it's being marketed that way but it's not.This is a drama about a mother and daughter trying to make it on their own with a bit of a ghostly twist.Jennifer Connelly is amazing and has become one of my favorite actresses.In this,she is strong and fragile.She almost made me cry once or twice as she tried to hold things together and convince herself that she is not crazy.The little girl playing her daughter is sublime;The next dakota fanning maybe. This film is slow paced,there are NO big scares,no blood-just tension and mystery under the surface.The pace brings you to really care about the characters and not root for dahlia because it's Jennifer Connelly,but because it's Dahlia.It has one of the saddest yet hopeful endings I've seen in a while.This stands head and shoulders above "The Ring" (which I liked) and "The Grudge".Give it a try if you're looking for a good drama.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Water

Filming Locations:

Chandler Valley Center Studios - 13927 Saticoy St, Panorama City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,939,251, 10 July 2005

Gross USA:

$25,473,352

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$68,357,079

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Pandemonium Productions, Vertigo Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 103 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1