The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007)

Deaths tells the story of an all-American guy who is murdered each day by horrifying pursuers, only to wake up in slightly different lives to experience the terror of being murdered again.

Director:

Dario Piana

Writer:

Brendan Hood

Stars:

Mike Vogel, Jaime Murray, Christina Cole

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mike Vogel	...	Ian Stone
Jaime Murray	...	Medea
Christina Cole	...	Jenny Walker
Michael Feast	...	Gray
Charlie Anson	...	Josh Garfield
Michael Dixon	...	Brad Kopple
George Dillon	...	Referee
Marnix Van Den Broeke	...	Harvester 1
Andrew Buchan	...	Ryan
Bill Nash	...	Terrified Man
Anthony Warren	...	Carl
Jason Steadman	...	Pedestrian
Jason Durran	...	Man Waiting for Phone Booth
Jeff Peterson	...	Harvester 2
Tom Bodell	...	Elevator Passenger

Storyline

Ian Stone (Mike Vogel) is a working stiff, an American businessman who travels to England for business only to find himself trapped in a bizarre reality: every day he dies a horrific death at the hands of an unknown killer... only to wake up and murdered again and again. Can Ian get to the bottom of the mystery and break the recurring chain of death and resurrection?

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Plot Keywords:

dying repeatedly | transformation | subway station | hockey game | clock stopped | 

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Taglines:

What Hides in Life is Found in Death

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some drug content and brief language

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Josh Garfield: Stone!

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Connections

Featured in Phelous & the Movies: The Deaths of Phelous (2010)

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Soundtracks

Very Gun
Performed by Black Wire

User Reviews

One of the Best of the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest

Ian Stone wakes up day after day, only to be killed again and again. He is followed by a group of murderers who disguise themselves, often as important people in his life. And one woman keeps re-appearing that he must protect at all cost: but why is she so important and why do the killers want him dead?

I have seen this film compared to a variety of movies, including "Donnie Darko" (which seems to be a bit of a stretch). My impression was of "Dark City" and to a lesser degree "The Other Side". Regardless, this film does seem to remind people of other films -- which is strange once you realize how completely different this film is from pretty much every other horror film out there.

The downfall of this movie is the fact you are unclear about what is going on and why it is going on, at least at first. Sure, it's not as confusing as trying to read Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason" but you will have to have an open mind to get into this, something that many horror fans might not be willing to do. (I freely admit that as much as I love thinking films, some days I just want to see teenagers die in the woods.)

Even after you finally "get it" there remains some mystery. A lot of questions go unanswered that a good audio commentary or a sequel would need to clear up. I'm not sure I'd want to spend much time with either one, though... this film had very little lasting power for me and even less re-watchability. It's deep, romantic and nihilistic to a degree (which I like) but also a bit too dense to become a fan favorite. Yet, as my title says, it really ranks high in the pantheon of Horrorfest options.

I have to praise the special effects and the scenes of "torture". Both were well-done, and not in any way derivative of the other films that I've been subjected to over the past few years. If this film is to be called "low budget" or "independent" (and I believe it is both) then it is setting a standard for others to follow. 2008's Horrorfest will have to release some gems.

I guess I'm suggesting you see this film. I think you'll like it, and even if you never watch it a second time, I think the experience will be worthwhile. All the actors put on a good show as they reappear in multiple worlds (the main character's heroin scene is amazing) and they deserve full credit for carrying this picture.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 January 2008 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

The Deaths of Ian

Filming Locations:

Battersea Park, Battersea, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$512,000, 11 November 2007

Gross USA:

$97,182

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,506,562

Company Credits

Production Co:

Odyssey Entertainment, Isle of Man Film Commission, Stan Winston Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1