The Lighthouse (2019)

Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Director:

Robert Eggers

Writers:

Robert Eggers, Max Eggers

Stars:

Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 32 wins & 130 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Pattinson	...	Thomas Howard
Willem Dafoe	...	Thomas Wake
Valeriia Karaman	...	Mermaid
Logan Hawkes	...	Ephraim Winslow
Kyla Nicolle	...	Woman on the Rocks
Shaun Clarke	...	Departing Wickie
Pierre Richard	...	Departing Assistant Wickie
Preston Hudson	...	Tender Mate
Jeffrey Cruts	...	Tender Mate (as Jeff Cruts)

Storyline

As the wavering cry of the foghorn fills the air, the taciturn former lumberjack, Ephraim Winslow, and the grizzled lighthouse keeper, Thomas Wake, set foot in a secluded and perpetually grey islet off the coast of late-19th-century New England. For the following four weeks of back-breaking work and unfavourable conditions, the tight-lipped men will have no one else for company except for each other, forced to endure irritating idiosyncrasies, bottled-up resentment, and burgeoning hatred. Then, amid bad omens, a furious and unending squall maroons the pale beacon's keepers in the already inhospitable volcanic rock, paving the way for a prolonged period of feral hunger; excruciating agony; manic isolation, and horrible booze-addled visions. Now, the eerie stranglehold of insanity tightens. Is there an escape from the wall-less prison of the mind?

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Plot Keywords:

lighthouse | mermaid | hallucination | lighthouse keeper | sex with a mermaid | 

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Taglines:

Keeping secrets, are ye?

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images, and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

For dialogue inspiration, the Eggers brothers read the works of Herman Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson, and more, consulting 19th century slang and nautical dictionaries for concise jargon. Willem Dafoe's character is prone to articulate soliloquies in the style of William Shakespeare and Milton. For naturalistic dialogue, the Eggers brothers turned to the works of Sarah Orne Jewett, a Maine-based poet and novelist best known for her works set on the Eastern seaboard, including 'Tales of New England' and 'Strangers and Wayfarers', both published in 1890. As research for her own work, Jewett interviewed old sailors and farmers, often writing in their dialect.

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Quotes

Thomas Wake: And if I tells ye to yank out every single nail from every molderin' nail-hole and suck off every speck of rust till all them nails sparkle like a sperm whale's pecker, and then carpenter the whole light station back together from scrap, and then do it all over again, you'll do it! And by God and by golly, you'll do it smilin', lad, 'cause you'll like it. You'll like it 'cause I says you will! Contradict me again, and I'll dock your wages.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies About Isolation (2020)

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Soundtracks

Doodle Let Me Go (Yaller Girls)
Traditional
Performed by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson

User Reviews

Hard to watch

Both characters have few if any redeeming qualities, which makes this mind twisting movie difficult to get behind. The cinematography was good, the acting was on point, the writing was quotable but I wanted in to be over half way through. I'm still confused as to what the point was, other than to convey discomfort.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Instagram

Country:

Canada USA Brazil

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lighthouse

Filming Locations:

Cape Forchu, Nova Scotia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$427,797, 20 October 2019

Gross USA:

$10,867,104

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,121,925

Company Credits

Production Co:

A24, Maiden Voyage Pictures, New Regency Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Original intention) Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.19 : 1