Dying Breed (film)

Last updated

Dying Breed
Dying Breed Theatrical Poster.jpg
Theatrical film poster
Directed byJody Dwyer [1]
Written byMichael Boughen
Rod Morris [2]
Produced byMichael Boughen
Rod Morris
Starring Leigh Whannell
Mirrah Foulkes
Nathan Phillips
Melanie Vallejo
CinematographyGeoffrey Hall
Edited byMark Perry
Music by Nerida Tyson-Chew
Production
company
Ambience Entertainment
Distributed by Hoyts Distribution [3]
Release date
Running time
91 minutes [5]
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Dying Breed is a 2008 Australian horror film that was directed by Jody Dwyer and stars Leigh Whannell and Nathan Phillips. [6]

Contents

Plot

The film opens in Tasmania, 1800s. Alexander Pearce, a convict known as "the Pieman", has escaped into the wilderness and he is being hunted by policemen with dogs. He is faced by a policeman who attempts to shoot Pearce, but his gun does not fire. Pearce then bites the policeman's neck, taking a large chunk from his throat, killing him, allowing Pearce to escape. In his escape he is confronted with a Tasmanian tiger, whom he sates by kicking a piece of the policeman over to for the predator to eat.

In the present day, Nina plans a trip with her boyfriend Matt to Tasmania to find the supposedly extinct Tasmanian tiger. Her endeavor is encouraged by a paw print that was discovered by her older sister in a remote area of the island before her body was mysteriously found in the Pieman River several years before. Matt's friend, Jack, and his girlfriend, Rebecca, help pay for the trip and accompany the fellow couple. When they arrive, Matt sees a small girl on the boat playing a game with yellow-tinted teeth. When Matt asks what she is doing, she recites a rhyme, then bites Matt's hand. They spend a night in a dingy motel located next to a meat pie factory, meeting the eccentric and creepy locals.

The next day, the group goes out on a boat in the river along the forest. They decide to camp in a cave out in the woods, and later that evening Matt and Nina discover one of the Tasmanian tigers creeping through the bush. Nina rushes to get her camera to take a picture of the marsupial, but it has run into the woods. The group goes into the dark after the animal using their cell phones as light because capturing proof of its existence is critical to Nina's research. Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Rebecca is captured and eaten by a cannibal. When the other three re-group, they realize that Rebecca is missing and that Nina has blood on her pant legs.

Desperate to find Rebecca, the group searches through the forest. The local ferryman tries to help them but is murdered by one of the cannibals. Reaching an old mining site, they find Rebecca's remains strung up on meat-hooks and Jack is killed by an animal trap. Matt flees underground and finds grisly evidence of the cannibal's past exploits. Nina reaches a railway bridge over a fast-flowing river but is cornered by a pair of cannibals. She deliberately throws herself off the high bridge. The ferryman's wife then kills one of the cannibals and then slits her own throat after apologizing to Matt. That night, the police arrive at the hotel but there is no sign of any of the missing people. As the police depart, a sad and weary Matt prepares to leave but is suddenly attacked.

He is later seen paralyzed in a chair while one of the cannibals explains that their settlement, much like the Tasmanian tiger, must stay hidden to survive. The cannibal then opens a door exposing a still-living Nina tied to a table, about to be raped for breeding purposes. While Matt watches, the young girl who was actually Nina's niece approaches him, removes a set of dentures, thus exposing a set of sharp deformed teeth. As the police drive away, Nina's mobile phone (which Matt had given them) displays a photo of the Tasmanian Tiger.

Cast

Release

Dying Breed premiered on 26 April 2008 at Tribeca Film Festival. [7] The cinema release was originally planned for 14 August, but was changed to 6 November 2008. [8] It is rated MA15+ for Strong Horror Violence and Sex Scene, Blood and Gore. [3] It was part of the third After Dark Horrorfest in 2009. [9]

In Australia, one of the posters was banned, due to the "gruesome" picture; however, the poster was still allowed to be shown in cinema foyers, and online. [10]

Box office

In its first weekend in Australia it was ranked #11 making A$220,878 across 113 cinemas. [11] The film did poorly in the Australian box office, and made $525,384. [12] [13]

Home media

In Australia, the DVD was released during 8 April 2009. There are three different DVD covers that are available. The first features a meat pie, broken open with human organs inside. [14] The second features four characters on the top, and the bottom is a woman running through woods. [15] The third cover features a man being held by an elderly man. [16] Special Features on all editions include:

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 50% rotten rating based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. [17] Dreadcentral.com gave the film 4/5 stars, [18] while Urbancinefile.com.au also gave it a positive review. Critics Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton, however, gave the film negative reviews. On their show At the Movies , they rated Dying Breed at 2/5 stars and 1.5/5 stars respectively. Stratton said "It tries hard to be horrific and gruesome, even introducing a bit of fashionable torture near the end, but only the most credulous will find it genuinely scary." [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Australia</span>

The cinema of Australia began with the 1906 production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received international recognition. Many actors and filmmakers with international reputations started their careers in Australian films, and many of these have established lucrative careers in larger film-producing centres such as the United States.

<i>Saw</i> (film) 2004 American film by James Wan

Saw is a 2004 American horror film directed by James Wan, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Leigh Whannell from a story by Wan and Whannell. It is the first installment in the Saw film series, and stars Whannell alongside Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, and Ken Leung.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Whannell</span> Australian screenwriter, actor, producer, and director

Leigh Whannell is an Australian filmmaker and actor. He is best known for writing films directed by his friend James Wan, including Saw (2004), Dead Silence (2007), Insidious (2010), and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013). Whannell made his directorial debut with Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), and has since directed two more films, Upgrade (2018) and The Invisible Man (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wan</span> Australian filmmaker (born 1977)

James Wan is an Australian filmmaker. He has primarily worked in the horror genre as the co-creator of the Saw and Insidious franchises and the creator of The Conjuring Universe. The lattermost is the highest-grossing horror franchise at over $2 billion. Wan is also the founder of film and television production company Atomic Monster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Pearce</span> Irish convicted criminal and confessed cannibal

Alexander Pearce was an Irish convict who was transported to the penal colony in Van Diemen's Land, Australia for seven years for theft. He escaped from prison several times, allegedly becoming a cannibal during one of the escapes. In another escape, with one companion, he allegedly killed him and ate him in pieces. He was eventually captured and was hanged in Hobart for murder, before being dissected.

<i>Beneath Clouds</i> 2002 Australian film

Beneath Clouds is a 2002 film by Indigenous Australian director Ivan Sen. It is the feature film debut by the two lead actors. Damian Pitt was approached by Sen on the streets of Moree, New South Wales, and had never acted before. Dannielle Hall was cast through a more traditional method, via an audition tape. Much of the support cast were local residents from Pitt's hometown of Moree.

Bitter & Twisted is a 2008 drama film written, directed by and starring Christopher Weekes. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008 and has since screened at over eleven international and Australian festivals and been critically well received.

<i>Wrong Turn 2: Dead End</i> 2007 film by Joe Lynch

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is a 2007 slasher film directed by Joe Lynch and starring Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins and Texas Battle. An international co-production between the United States and Canada. It is a sequel to Wrong Turn (2003) and the second installment in the Wrong Turn film series. The film received a positive response from critics and remains the best-reviewed film in the franchise. It grossed $9.2 million in home video sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">After Dark Horrorfest</span> American horror film festival (2006–2015)

After Dark Horrorfest was an annual horror film festival featuring eight independent horror movies, sometimes with "secret" bonus films, all distributed by After Dark Films in the USA. The first HorrorFest was held in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian Gothic</span> Genre of Tasmanian literature

Tasmanian Gothic is a genre of Tasmanian literature that merges traditions of Gothic fiction with the history and natural features of Tasmania, an island state south of the main Australian continent. Tasmanian Gothic has inspired works in other artistic media, including theatre and film.

<i>The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce</i> 2008 Australian film

The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce is a 2008 Australian-Irish film directed by Michael James Rowland starring Irish actors Adrian Dunbar as Philip Conolly and Ciarán McMenamin as bushranger Alexander Pearce and an ensemble Australian cast, including Dan Wyllie, Don Hany and Chris Haywood. The film was shot on location in Tasmania and Sydney between April and May 2008.

<i>Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!</i> 2008 documentary film directed by Mark Hartley

Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! is a 2008 documentary film about the Australian New Wave of 1970s and 1980s low-budget cinema. The film was written and directed by Mark Hartley, who interviewed over eighty Australian, American and British actors, directors, screenwriters and producers, including Quentin Tarantino, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dennis Hopper, George Lazenby, George Miller, Barry Humphries, Stacy Keach, John Seale and Roger Ward.

<i>Accidents Happen</i> 2009 Australian film

Accidents Happen is a 2009 Australian coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Andrew Lancaster and starring Geena Davis, Harrison Gilbertson, Harry Cook, Sebastian Gregory, Joel Tobeck, and Sarah Woods. Written by Brian Carbee, based on his own childhood and adolescence, the story revolves around an accident-prone teenage boy and his family. The film was shot in Sydney, New South Wales, over June – July 2008, and opened in Australia on 22 April 2010.

<i>Van Diemens Land</i> (film) 2009 Australian film

Van Diemen's Land is a 2009 Australian thriller set in 1822 in colonial Tasmania. It follows the story of the infamous Irish convict, Alexander Pearce, played by Oscar Redding and his escape with seven other convicts. The voice-over and some of the dialogue is in Irish.

<i>Insidious</i> (film series) Horror film franchise

Insidious is an American horror franchise created by Leigh Whannell and James Wan that is produced by Blumhouse in association with Sony’s Stage 6 Films. The films in the franchise include Insidious (2010), Chapter 2 (2013), Chapter 3 (2015), The Last Key (2018), and The Red Door (2023). The films have grossed over $731 million worldwide on a combined budget of $42.5 million.

<i>In the Winter Dark</i> (film) 1998 Australian film

In the Winter Dark is a 1998 Australian feature film adaptation of the 1988 novel by Tim Winton, which was released by Goalpost Pictures on 10 September 1998. It starred Brenda Blethyn, Ray Barrett, Richard Roxburgh and Miranda Otto and was directed by James Bogle.

<i>Three Summers</i> 2017 Australian film

Three Summers is an Australian romantic comedy film, written and directed by Ben Elton.

<i>The Invisible Man</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Leigh Whannell

The Invisible Man is a 2020 science fiction horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. It is based on H. G. Wells's 1897 novel of the same name and a reboot of the 1933 film of the same name. It is the seventh installment in The Invisible Man franchise. It stars Elisabeth Moss as a woman who believes she is being stalked and gaslit by her ex-boyfriend after he acquires the ability to become invisible. Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman appear in supporting roles.

References

  1. ↑ "Dying Breed (2008) – Full cast and crew". IMDb . Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  2. ↑ "BD Horror News – Tribeca: 'Dying Breed' Writer Talks Aussie Horror". Archived from the original on 24 June 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Dying Breed". Village Cinemas. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  4. ↑ "Tribeca Horrors 2008: Dying Breed". DreadCentral. 10 April 2008.
  5. ↑ "Australian Feature Film Dying Breed to Premiere at Tribeca". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  6. ↑ "Tribeca Film – Film Guide Archive – Dying Breed". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  7. ↑ "Tribeca Review: Dying Breed – Monsters and Critics". Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  8. ↑ "Dying Breed (2008) – Release dates". IMDb . Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "Urban Cinefile DYING BREED". Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  10. ↑ Miska, Brad (25 September 2008). "'Dying Breed' Poster Banned in Australia". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  11. ↑ "Box Office". Urban Cinefile. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  12. ↑ "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  13. ↑ Pyramid Saimira Entertainment America: Australian horror film
  14. ↑ "Dying Breed". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  15. ↑ "Dying Breed". Video Ezy . Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  16. ↑ "Dying Breed". EzyDVD. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  17. ↑ "Dying Breed (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  18. ↑ Paul McCannibal (23 July 2008). "Dying Breed (2008)". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  19. ↑ Stratton, David (12 November 2008). "Dying Breed Review". ABC TV. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.