It Waits

Last updated
It Waits
Itwaitsposter.jpg
Promotional poster
Directed by Steven R. Monroe
Produced by
Written by
Starring
Music byCorey A. Jackson
CinematographyJon Joffin
Edited by
  • Alan Cody
  • Kevin D. Ross
Production
companies
  • Cannell Films
  • Centaurus Films
Distributed by
Release date
  • October 13, 2005 (2005-10-13)(Germany)
  • May 23, 2006 (2006-05-23)(USA)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget1.2 million (estimated)

It Waits is a 2005 American horror film directed by Steven R. Monroe and starring Cerina Vincent, Dominic Zamprogna, and Greg Kean. Written by Richard Christian Matheson, Thomas E. Szollosi, and Stephen J. Cannell, the film is about a forest ranger who encounters a terrible creature who has been killing people in the remote national forest where she works. When the creature attacks her isolated ranger station and kills her forest ranger boyfriend, she goes after the creature. Filmed on location in British Columbia, Canada, It Waits was a direct-to-DVD release in the United States and worldwide. [1]

Contents

Plot

In a remote national forest, five archaeology students discover a cave associated with an ancient Native American legend. Using explosives to gain entrance, they find prehistoric drawings and bones strewn across the cave floor. Suddenly from the shadows, a creature emerges and slaughters the students.

Two months later, forest ranger Danielle "Danny" St. Claire (Cerina Vincent) is sitting on the floor of an isolated ranger station tower in the same national forest—drunk and crying. Remembering the tragic car crash that killed her best friend Julie Cassidy, Danny blames herself for the tragedy because she was driving after a night of heavy drinking. Her boss Rick Bailey (Greg Kean) calls to tell her she will be alone at the station for the next few days while her colleagues battle a forest fire. He also informs her that cracks have developed in nearby Devil's Gate Dam and instructs her to drain off water to relieve the pressure. That night, awakened by nightmares of the accident, Danny hears sounds coming from outside. With rifle in hand, she descends the tower to investigate and discovers claw marks on the tool shed door.

The next morning, Danny's forest ranger boyfriend Justin Rawley (Dominic Zamprogna) arrives to keep her company. After inspecting the dam, they return to the station for a romantic dinner during which Danny confesses she was the one driving the car when it crashed, and that she allowed the police to think Julie was driving. Justin consoles her and they make love. During the night, they're awakened by the sound of the emergency siren on the roof. They investigate and discover that something destroyed the satellite dish, rolled Justin's jeep over into a ditch, and disabled the radio. The next day, they go to the nearby dam to use its radio. They meet up with Carl and Evelyn Nash—two campers that recently went missing. Despite Justin's warnings, the Nashes head out on their own. Soon they are hunted down by the creature and killed. Meanwhile, at the dam, Justin and Danny find the radio room completely trashed. Later when they enter the station, Evelyn's bloody corpse swings down from the ceiling on a chain. When they rush outside, Carl's body is thrown off the roof onto them.

Justin heads off alone to get help. That night in the woods, the creature viciously attacks and kills him. The next morning, Danny notices the tool shed was broken into. Inside she finds Justin's severed head on a shelf and his bloody body on the roof. Danny buries Justin's remains and decides to fight back. That night the creature attacks the station, but Danny is able to shoot and wound it. The next morning, Danny discovers a trail of green gooey blood and follows it to the cave. There, she meets the teacher of the students who were killed in the cave. He reveals what he knows about the creature, including some of its weaknesses. He also explains that the demon is drawn to Danny's negative energy—her guilt over her friend's death—and provides her with documents about the ancient legend. Back at the station, Danny finds the dug-up corpses of the Nashes and Justin arranged around the table, with Justin's severed head on a plate. When it starts to rain, Danny remembers the teacher saying the creature doesn't like water. She goes off to hunt for the creature. When the rain stops, however, the creature attacks her, rips flesh from her leg, and then flies away. Back at the station, Danny finds the Nashes' cellphone and calls her boss Rick and tells him to bring the SWAT team, but he dismisses her request believing she's drunk.

The next day, Rick arrives at the station alone and accompanies Danny to the cave, which she plans to destroy with several sticks of dynamite. Soon they discover the teacher's body impaled on a pole in the middle of the road. The creature flies by and drops Justin's headless body onto Rick, crushing him to death. Danny drives off with the creature in close pursuit. As she approaches the cave, the creature lands on the hood and attacks Danny, who steers the vehicle directly into the opening of the cave, sending the creature flying inside. When it attacks one last time, Danny lights the dynamite and escapes just as the dynamite explodes, sealing the entrance with the creature trapped inside. Afterwards, Danny returns to the station, lays her ranger badge on the table, and then leaves. Sometime later, Danny tells a policeman about the killings but says she doesn't know who did it. Then she explains that she was the driver in the accident that killed Julie, accepting responsibility for her friend's death.

Cast

Production

Development

It Waits was directed by Steven R. Monroe. The original screenplay was written by Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas E. Szollosi, and was initially purchased by a French producer who intended to shoot the film in the United Kingdom. After this initial deal fell through due to lack of financing, Stephen J. Cannell purchased the project for his production company and signed a deal with IDT Entertainment/Anchor Bay. Cannell rewrote the original script, changing the lead male character "Mike" to a female forest ranger. Cannell also added the love story between Danny and Justin. [2]

Casting

Cerina Vincent was director Steven R. Monroe's first choice to play the lead character Danny. Monroe was convinced that Vincent could bring to the role an appeal to both men and women, and that she could deliver the dramatic scenes in the film. Cannell also felt that Vincent had the talent to carry the film. [2] After appearing in Cabin Fever in 2002, Vincent was not eager to do another horror film. After reading the script, however, she was immediately attracted to the character and the acting challenges it presented. [2]

Filming

Principal photography began in November 2004 on location in the Watershed area about 25 mi (40 km) east of Vancouver, British Columbia, around Buntzen Lake. [1] [3] Four separate caves were used, including an old copper mine. [3] The 26 ft (7.9 m) ranger station tower was constructed in two pieces. A few shots show the tower assembled. Most of the interior shots of the top half of the tower were filmed while that piece was on the ground. [3]

Release

Home media

It Waits was released on DVD by Anchor Bay on May 23, 2006. Anchor Bay/Starz later re-released the film on Blu-ray on May 25, 2010. [4]

Critical response

It Waits received generally negative reviews. In ReelFilm Reviews, David Nusair gave the film two out of four stars, commending Vincent's performance, and action sequences. However, Nusair criticized the film's melodramatic aspects and slow pacing. Nusair concludes, "While it's certainly better than the majority of its straight-to-video horror brethren, It Waits is ultimately bogged down by a melodramatic opening half-hour and an overall feeling of tediousness." [5] Robert Pardi from TV Guide gave the film one out of four stars, calling it "a standard-issue rustic splatter film". [6] Pardi notes that the screenwriters "waste a lot of time developing Danny's back story" and director Steven R. Monroe "piles on the gore"—the result is "repetitive, silly and more than a little gross". [6] HorrorNews.net gave the film a negative review, stating that the film felt drawn out, criticizing the film's pacing, performances, and the monster's lack of screen time. [7] Bill Gibron from DVD Talk gave the film two and a half out of five stars, calling it "pretentious", and panned the film's "barely coherent" acting, direction, and narrative inconsistencies. [8]

Steve Barton from Dread Central rated the film a score of three out of five, commending the film's direction, writing, performances, while also stating that occasional scenes came off as "whiney and unnecessary". [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cabin Fever</i> (2002 film)

Cabin Fever is a 2002 American horror comedy film co-written and directed by Eli Roth and starring Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, Cerina Vincent, Joey Kern, and Giuseppe Andrews. The story follows a group of college graduates who rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a flesh-eating virus. The inspiration for the film's story came from a real-life experience during a trip to Iceland when Roth developed a skin infection.

Extra Terrestrial Visitors is a 1983 French-Spanish science fiction film directed by Juan Piquer Simón. The film's original draft was meant to be a straightforward horror film about an evil alien on a murderous rampage, but the producers demanded script alterations in order to cash in on the success of Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial by featuring a child and a cute, lovable alien.

Cerina Vincent American actress and writer (born 1979)

Cerina Vincent is an American actress and writer. She had her breakthrough role starring as Maya in the television series Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, followed by a part in the comedy film Not Another Teen Movie, before going on to star in the horror film Cabin Fever, which established her as a "scream queen" and led to further roles in horror movies. More recently, she appeared as Suzy Diaz in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle. She has also written three books with Jodi Lipper, and wrote a regular column for The Huffington Post.

<i>The Descent</i> 2005 film directed by Neil Marshall

The Descent is a 2005 British adventure horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. The film follows six women who, having entered a cave system, struggle to survive against the humanoid creatures inside.

Jordan Ladd American actress

Jordan Elizabeth Ladd is an American actress. The daughter of actress Cheryl Ladd and producer David Ladd, she initially worked with her mother in several made-for-television films, before making her big screen debut at 19, in the vampire film Embrace of the Vampire (1994). She subsequently appeared in the drama Nowhere (1997) and the comedy Never Been Kissed (1999). Ladd became known as a scream queen, having appeared in several successful horror films, including Cabin Fever (2002), Club Dread (2004), Death Proof (2007), and Grace (2009). Ladd is also known for work with director David Lynch appearing in his films Darkened Room (2002) and Inland Empire (2006).

<i>Dinocroc</i>

Dinocroc is a 2004 American horror film directed by Kevin O'Neill. The film's plot revolves around a genetically engineered Suchomimus terrorizing the lake-side residents of a small town. The film stars Matthew Borlenghi, Jane Longenecker, Charles Napier, Costas Mandylor, Bruce Weitz, and Joanna Pacuła. The film was produced by b-movie director Roger Corman.

<i>She Creature</i> 2001 television film directed by Sebastian Gutierrez

She Creature is a 2001 made-for-television film starring Rufus Sewell, Carla Gugino, and Rya Kihlstedt and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez. It is the first in a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures. The films in this tribute series reused the titles of old American International Pictures films, but are not remakes of the earlier films.

<i>Intermedio</i> (film) 2005 film by Andrew Lauer

Intermedio is a 2005 American horror film directed by Andrew Lauer.

<i>Ice Spiders</i>

Ice Spiders is a 2007 science fiction horror film which premiered on June 9, 2007 on the Sci Fi Channel. Ice Spiders stars Patrick Muldoon, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Noah Bastian, K. Danor Gerald and Matt Whittaker and was released on DVD in 2007.

<i>Schlock</i> (film)

Schlock is a 1973 American low-budget horror comedy film, written, directed by and starring filmmaker John Landis.

<i>Blood Trails</i> 2006 film

Blood Trails is a 2006 German horror film written and directed by Robert Krause, and co-written by Florian Puchert. It stars Ben Price, Tom Frederic, and Rebecca Palmer.

<i>Chupacabra: Dark Seas</i>

Chupacabra: Dark Seas is a 2005 Syfy channel original film directed by John Shepphird and starring John Rhys-Davies, Giancarlo Esposito, Dylan Neal, and Chelan Simmons. It was filmed on location in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

<i>The Bone Snatcher</i>

The Bone Snatcher is a British-Canadian horror film directed by Jason Wolfsohn and starring Scott Bairstow, Rachel Shelley, and Adrienne Pierce. The film is based on a screenplay from Malcolm Kohll and Gordon Render.

<i>Psychosis</i> (film)

Psychosis is a 2010 British horror film directed and written by Reg Traviss, with story by Michael Armstrong. It is a remake of the "Dreamhouse" episode from the film anthology Screamtime.

<i>Roadkill</i> (2011 film)

Roadkill is a 2011 American television horror film. It was released on DVD on August 30, 2011. It stars Kacey Barnfield, Oliver James, Diarmuid Noyes and Stephen Rea. The film was shot on location in Ireland. It is the 24th film of the Maneater Series.

<i>The Barrens</i> (film)

The Barrens is a 2012 American horror film written and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and starring Stephen Moyer and Mia Kirshner.

<i>Seventh Moon</i>

Seventh Moon is a 2008 American horror film written by Eduardo Sánchez and Jamie Nash, and directed by Eduardo Sánchez. Part of Robert Tapert's Ghost House Underground DVD series, and entirely shot in shaky cam style. The film is based on the Chinese legend that on the full moon of the seventh lunar month, the gates of hell open and the dead can enter the realm of the living. It stars Amy Smart as an American woman who is spending her honeymoon in China with her newlywed Chinese-American husband. While driving through the countryside the couple gets stranded and has to find a way to survive the fateful night.

<i>Octaman</i> 1971 film by Harry Essex

Octaman is a 1971 Mexican-American monster film written and directed by Harry Essex, with the costume design by future Academy Award winner Rick Baker. It follows an expedition team that becomes the target of a murderous humanoid octopus. The film received negative reviews from critics upon its release but has since developed a cult following.

<i>Campfire Tales</i> (1997 film) 1996 horror film

Campfire Tales is a 1997 American anthology horror film directed by Matt Cooper, Martin Kunert, and David Semel. The film is made up of three individual short segments that are presented in an overarching narrative, told by a group of friends around a fire after they crash their car in the woods. It stars James Marsden, Christine Taylor, Amy Smart, and Ron Livingston.

<i>Skypemare</i>

Skypemare is a 2013 American viral horror / thriller short film. It was written and directed by John Fitzpatrick, and stars 'scream queen' Cerina Vincent and Annika Marks. The film premiered at the 2013 Telluride Horror Show and followed multiple film festival screenings including Shriekfest and Screamfest. The short premiered online Halloween 2014 and became a viral YouTube short receiving over 1.5 million views. The same production team made a follow-up film Brentwood Strangler released in 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nathan Southern (2008). "It Waits (2005)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 21, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2013.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Stephen R. Monroe (director) (2006). It Waits (Blood on the Pines documentary) (DVD). Troy, MI: Anchor Bay Entertainment. ASIN   B000CEXF5G.
  3. 1 2 3 Stephen R. Monroe (director) (2006). It Waits (Audio Commentary) (DVD). Troy, MI: Anchor Bay Entertainment. ASIN   B000CEXF5G.
  4. ↑ "It Waits (2005): Releases". AllMovie. Retrieved February 17, 2016.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. ↑ Nusair, David (May 3, 2005). "Two Films from Anchor Bay". Reel Film Reviews. Retrieved February 18, 2016.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. 1 2 Pardi, Robert (2006). "It Waits". TV Guide. Retrieved February 18, 2016.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  7. ↑ "Film Review: It Waits (2005)". HorrorNews.net. HorrorNews. Retrieved 21 November 2019.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  8. ↑ Gibron, Bill. "It Waits : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVDTalk.com. DVD Talk. Retrieved 21 November 2019.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  9. ↑ Barton, Steve. "It Waits (DVD) - Dread Central". DreadCentral.com. Dread Central. Retrieved 21 November 2019.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
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.