The Water Horse (2007)

A lonely boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Scottish legend.

Director:

Jay Russell

Writers:

Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay), Dick King-Smith (book)

Stars:

Emily Watson, David Morrissey, Alex Etel

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Allpress	...	Jock McGowan
Geraldine Brophy	...	Gracie
Eddie Campbell	...	Hughie (as Edward Campbell)
Ben Chaplin	...	Lewis Mowbray
Peter Corrigan	...	Jimmy's Buddy #1
Brian Cox	...	Old Angus
Carl Dixon	...	Gunner Corbin
Alex Etel	...	Angus MacMorrow
Nathan Christopher Haase	...	Male Tourist
Craig Hall	...	Charlie MacMorrow
Ian Harcourt	...	Jimmy McGarry
Rex Hurst	...	Jimmy's Buddy #2
William Johnson	...	Clyde
Megan Katherine	...	Female Tourist
Elliot Lawless	...	Beach Kid

Storyline

A boy finds an interesting egg. His curiosity leads him to protect it and want to figure out what will come out of it. He didn't realize that it would turn into something magical. The boy and the Water horse grow a strong relationship together in this wonderful story.

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Plot Keywords:

scottish highlands | bathtub | war widow | single mother | scotland | 

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Taglines:

Every big secret starts small.

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some action/peril, mild language and brief smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Sony [United States]

Country:

New Zealand UK Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mi mascota es un monstruo

Filming Locations:

Ardkinglas House, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£760,340 (United Kingdom), 10 February 2008, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,385,644, 23 December 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$40,412,817, 10 February 2008

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$104,636,188, 18 May 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revolution Studios, Walden Media, Beacon Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX DTS-ES SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although credited as a Dick King-Smith adaptation, the movie's story is almost completely original. The titular booklet by King-Smith is a simple story of children raising a baby Loch Ness Monster. But while this provided a basic springboard for the plot, there is not enough drama, eventfulness or character development in the book for a feature film. The adaptation had to improvise by creating numerous new characters and situations, and reassigned the movie's chronology from the early 1930s (just before Loch Ness Monster rumors were first heard) to the violent, turbulent 1940s when the Second World War was in progress.

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Goofs

When Angus's mum is looking at Angus, Gracie and Hughie through a window in the door, the camera seems to just see them through the window, but when we see Angus's mum looking through the window, the window is obscured or cracked.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Female Tourist: What is that?
Male Tourist: It's a famous picture of the monster. But it's fake.
Female Tourist: How do you know it's fake? It looks real.
Old Angus: Oh, it's fake alright.
Male Tourist: Of course it's fake. Everyone knows that.
Old Angus: We'd know, son. There's more to that photo than meets the eye.
Male Tourist: Oh ho, really.
Old Angus: Well, if you'd like to know the real truth.
Female Tourist: Yeah, I wanna know. Come on, it'll be fun.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Dedicated to the loving memory of Tristan Lascoumes 1996-2007

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Connections

Spoofs Jaws (1975)

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Soundtracks

String Quartet in G Major, K.387, First Movement
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

User Reviews

Great Family Movie

Heartwarming family entertainment. This movie has the feel of "ET" and "Dear Frankie" another great Scottish film. The setting is near Loch Ness in Scotland during World War II. The landscape of Scotland is a beautiful backdrop for the movie and the character of Angus just finds his way into your heart. There is laughter as well as many touching scenes. Of course, there is the anti-hero, there always is. And the war in Europe is also a "character" in the film as it affects people's lives. The theater where I saw the movie had many children in attendance and they all seemed to love this movie. And there is enough in the story to keep the adults involved also.