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John Dies at the End

  • 20122012
  • RR
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
38K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Clancy Brown, Paul Giamatti, Glynn Turman, Rob Mayes, and Chase Williamson in John Dies at the End (2012)
A pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs are enlisted to save humanity from a paranormal, psychoactive drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit.
Play trailer2:33
2 Videos
32 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy
  • Horror

A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return no longer human. Can two college drop-outs save humanity from this silent, otherworldly... Read allA new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return no longer human. Can two college drop-outs save humanity from this silent, otherworldly invasion?A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return no longer human. Can two college drop-outs save humanity from this silent, otherworldly invasion?

IMDb RATING
6.3/10
38K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Don Coscarelli
  • Writers
    • Don Coscarelli(written for the screen by)
    • David Wong(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Chase Williamson
    • Rob Mayes
    • Paul Giamatti
Top credits
  • Director
    • Don Coscarelli
  • Writers
    • Don Coscarelli(written for the screen by)
    • David Wong(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Chase Williamson
    • Rob Mayes
    • Paul Giamatti
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 146User reviews
    • 309Critic reviews
    • 53Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos2

    Redband Version
    Trailer 2:26
    Redband Version
    No. 1
    Trailer 2:33
    No. 1

    Photos32

    Paul Giamatti and Chase Williamson in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Rob Mayes in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Chase Williamson in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Rob Mayes in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Paul Giamatti in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Paul Giamatti in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Don Coscarelli and Paul Giamatti in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Rob Mayes and Chase Williamson in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Clancy Brown, Paul Giamatti, Rob Mayes, and Chase Williamson at an event for John Dies at the End (2012)
    Cesare Gagliardoni in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Paul Giamatti in John Dies at the End (2012)
    Clancy Brown, Helena Mehalis, and Maria Mehalis in John Dies at the End (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Chase Williamson
    Chase Williamson
    • Daveas Dave
    Rob Mayes
    Rob Mayes
    • Johnas John
    Paul Giamatti
    Paul Giamatti
    • Arnie Blondestoneas Arnie Blondestone
    Clancy Brown
    Clancy Brown
    • Dr. Albert Marconias Dr. Albert Marconi
    Glynn Turman
    Glynn Turman
    • Detectiveas Detective
    Doug Jones
    Doug Jones
    • Roger Northas Roger North
    Daniel Roebuck
    Daniel Roebuck
    • Largemanas Largeman
    Fabianne Therese
    Fabianne Therese
    • Amyas Amy
    Jonny Weston
    Jonny Weston
    • Justin Whiteas Justin White
    Jimmy Wong
    Jimmy Wong
    • Fred Chuas Fred Chu
    Tai Bennett
    Tai Bennett
    • Robert Marleyas Robert Marley
    Allison Weissman
    • Shellyas Shelly
    Ethan Erickson
    Ethan Erickson
    • Sergeant McElroyas Sergeant McElroy
    Kevin Michael Richardson
    Kevin Michael Richardson
    • Korrokas Korrok
    • (voice)
    Riley Rose Critchlow
    Riley Rose Critchlow
    • Girl with Rastafarianas Girl with Rastafarian
    Pat McNeely
    • Old Womanas Old Woman
    Angus Scrimm
    Angus Scrimm
    • Father Shellnutas Father Shellnut
    Brett Wagner
    Brett Wagner
    • Reanimated Dead Guyas Reanimated Dead Guy
    • Director
      • Don Coscarelli
    • Writers
      • Don Coscarelli(written for the screen by)
      • David Wong(based on the story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    It's a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't. —David Wong
    • multiple dimensions
    • male friendship
    • cult film
    • mind altering drug
    • bullet time
    • 46 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Just so you know...they're sorry for anything that's about to happen.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Fantasy
      • Horror
      • Sci-Fi
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for bloody violence and gore, nudity, language and drug content
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The uniforms worn by the two members of the Human Liberation Army were not made for this film. They originally appeared as Thermian outfits in the film Galaxy Quest (1999).
    • Goofs
      When Dave pours gasoline on the bloodstained couch in Robert Marley's trailer, in the next shot there is no blood on the couch.
    • Quotes

      Dave: What do you think it's like, Father?

      Father Shellnut: What's what like?

      Dave: Being crazy, mentally ill.

      Father Shellnut: Well, they never know they're ill, do they? I mean, you can't diagnose yourself with the same organ that has the disease, just like you can't see your own eyeball. I suppose you just feel regular, and the rest of the world seems to go crazy around you.

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the credits there's a warning that 'any unauthorized duplication and/or distribution (...) may result in civil liability, criminal prosecution and the wrath of Korrok'.
    • Alternate versions
      The original ending was a TV interview with Marconi. It was deemed anticlimactic by the filmmakers according to their DVD commentary. This, and other deleted scenes, are included on the DVD release.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Fictional Movie Drugs (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Shang High
      Written and performed by Paul Ratajczak

      (Spozzy Song Music - BMI)

    User reviews146

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Fun and delightfully weird book adaptation from Don Coscarelli
    John Dies At The End is an adaptation of David Wong's book of the same name written and directed by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, Bubba Ho-Tep). While not familiar with the book, the bizarre and surreal story does seem like a perfect fit for Coscarelli as his films have alway had a touch of both the surreal and a bit of offbeat whimsy. The film starts out with David Wong (Chase Williamson) telling his bizarre tale to a reporter, Arnie Blondestone (Paul Giamatti). Wong starts to spin a tale involving himself and his friend, John (Rob Mayes) and their encounters with a powerful drug with a mind of it's own called "soy sauce". This bizarre narcotic not only gives the user (if they survive it) heightened psychic awareness but, opens doorways to alternate dimensions. But, once doors are opened they are opened both ways and can John and David stop the beings from the other side from entering our world and making it their own. John Dies is a very strange yet amusing head trip of a movie that won't appeal to everyone but, under Coscarelli's guidance, will entertain those who like a movie that isn't afraid to be weird and unconventional. Coscarelli moves things along briskly and we find out what's going on along with David and John as the story unfolds in flashback. The story focuses mostly on David as he's is trying to find out how his friend John's sudden bizarre behavior one night ties in with meeting a very strange Jamaican (Tai Bennett). As he tries to figure out the surreal occurrences now happening around him, he is drawn into a tale that is the stuff of hallucinogenic nightmares and it becomes a quest for he and John to save the world. Coscarelli wisely uses live effects for most of his surreal sequences and otherworldly creatures and what little digital effects there are, are used sparingly and are decent enough. The live action animatronic creatures and gore are very well done by Make-up FX master Robert Kurtzman and his team. Coscarelli is one of those filmmakers that is very adept at making good use of a small budget and probably would be lost on a Hollywood blockbuster and it is one of the things I like about him as a filmmaker. And here he achieves a lot of visual impact on his small budget. The director has also cast the film well,too. No great performances but, everyone is efficient and effective in their roles and approach the material with appropriate seriousness but, not without a few winks at the audience. Clancy Brown in particular seems to be having fun as a TV mystic but, keeps his performance grounded enough to not spill into camp. And there is a delightful cameo from Phantasm's Tall Man, Angus Scrimm as well, to please fans of that series. All in all, this isn't everyone's cup of tea but, if you like stuff offbeat and a bit out there, and I do, then this is a fun low budget fantasy that is refreshingly and unapologetically weird in a good way.
    helpful•29
    22
    • jaguiar313
    • Dec 27, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 27, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Dave's Story
    • Filming locations
      • Hot N Tot Cafe - 2347 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • M3 Alliance
      • M3 Creative
      • Midnight Alliance
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $141,951
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,467
      • Jan 27, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $141,951
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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