The Shape of Water (2017)

At a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay by), Vanessa Taylor (screenplay by)

Stars:

Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon

Won 4 Oscars. Another 133 wins & 348 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Hawkins	...	Elisa Esposito
Michael Shannon	...	Richard Strickland
Richard Jenkins	...	Giles
Octavia Spencer	...	Zelda Fuller
Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Dr. Robert Hoffstetler
Doug Jones	...	Amphibian Man
David Hewlett	...	Fleming
Nick Searcy	...	General Hoyt
Stewart Arnott	...	Bernard
Nigel Bennett	...	Mihalkov
Lauren Lee Smith	...	Elaine Strickland
Martin Roach	...	Brewster Fuller
Allegra Fulton	...	Yolanda
John Kapelos	...	Mr. Arzoumanian
Morgan Kelly	...	Pie Guy

Storyline

From master storyteller Guillermo del Toro comes THE SHAPE OF WATER, an otherworldly fable set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Doug Jones.

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Plot Keywords:

underwater scene | mute woman | creature | interspecies romance | sign language | 

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Taglines:

Based on an idea by Daniel Kraus And Guillermo del Toro

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is set during a real-life war and features magical elements, a similar setting to director Guillermo del Toro's earlier film Pan's Labyrinth (2006).

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Goofs

The events of the film take place between September 18 and October 9, 1962, however, Richard Strickland visits a Cadillac showroom where 1962 Cadillac models were displayed. The United States automobile model year begins in August, so by the fall of 1962, the new 1963 Cadillacs would have already been in the showroom for a few months. It is plausible that Strickland could have bought a leftover "year old but still new" 1962 model, but there is no chance that 1962 models would have been in the showroom that late in the year.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Giles: If I spoke about it - if I did - what would I tell you? I wonder. Would I tell you about the time? It happened a long time ago, it seems. In the last days of a fair prince's reign. Or would I tell you about the place? A small city near the coast, but far from everything else. Or, I don't know... Would I tell you about her? The princess without voice. Or perhaps I would just warn you, about the truth of these facts. And the tale of love and loss. And the monster, who tried to ...

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits roll over footage of a flooded apartment.

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Connections

Featured in Tamara Just Saw: The Shape of Water - Tamara Just Saw (2017)

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Soundtracks

I Went to Market
Written by Bill Robinson
Performed by Bill Robinson (as Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson)
From the motion picture The Little Colonel (1935)
Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

User Reviews

A mute girl puts up with fake/narcissistic people. No other content.

It's artistic if you take still shots, but as a movie there is nothing there.

A relatively normal, intelligent, mute girl basically lives her life putting up with horrible people while still keeping her soul. Even the characters that are supposedly "friendly" are fake/narcissistic as well.

So as the viewer you have to put up with all that as well.

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight Official Facebook

Country:

USA Canada Mexico

Language:

English American Sign Language Russian French

Release Date:

22 December 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Shape of Water

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$19,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$166,564, 3 December 2017

Gross USA:

$63,859,435

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$195,333,312

Company Credits

Production Co:

Double Dare You (DDY), Fox Searchlight Pictures, TSG Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1

Color:

Color Black and White (dream sequence)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1